This Week: The Notre Dame College women's basketball team will play a pair of openers. On Wednesday Nov. 16 at 5:30 p.m. the Falcons will host Slippery Rock for their home opener. Then on Saturday Nov. 19 at 2:00 p.m. NDC will play their MEC opener against Wheeling University.
 
Records: NDC begins the week at 0-2, as SRU is 1-1 and WU sits at 2-0.
 
Coaches Corner: Imani Gordon is in her second season as the head coach of Notre Dame College, holding a career record of 15-16. Chenara Wilson is in her first season as acting head coach for Slippery Rock, including sixth season overall. Lastly, Anna Kowalska is in her first season with Wheeling.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked according to Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Poll.
 
Series History: The Falcons are 1-2 all-time when facing the Rock, dating back to their first meeting in 2019-20 and including SRU's pair of victories last season. NDC is 14-6 all-time when playing the Cardinals, dating back to their first meeting in 2013-14 and including the team's most recent meetings last season where they split 1-1.
 
Noting the Falcons: Last weekend, Notre Dame College began their 2022-23 season at the Conference Challenge. NDC dropped both of their contests, 92-72 to Edinboro and 70-58 to Gannon.
 
Early on this season, NDC has been led offensively by redshirt sophomore Alana Ellis who is averaging 17 points per game. She is joined by senior Marina Adachi (13 ppg) and sophomore Lilee Carlson (11.0 ppg) as the other double-digit scorers for Notre Dame. Ellis paces the team in field goals (38) and three-pointers attempted (13), as Adachi is tops in three-pointers made (4), three-point percentage (66.7%) and free throw percentage (100%). Carlson leads the team with seven made free throws.
 
Junior Lizzie Imrie has posted a team-high five assists on the year.
 
Freshman Noel Weathers has been the team's leading rebounder thus far at 7.0 rebounds per game.
 
On the defensive side, NDC has forced several turnovers, with Ellis leading the squad at nine steals. The Twinsburg, Ohio native set a new career-high in the season opener against EU with seven swipes. As a team, the Falcons have generated 30 steals on the year.
 
As a unit so far, NDC is averaging 65 ppg on 38.7% shooting from the floor, 34.6% shooting from three and 74.5% from the charity stripe. The Falcons averaged 7.5 assists per game, 32.0 rebounds per game and 15.0 steals per game.
 
Noting the Rock: Last week, Slippery Rock split their pair of matches of to begin the new season. The Rock started with an 82-67 defeat to Lincoln University, before turning around to best Davis & Elkins College, 79-75.
 
On the year, SRU is led by sisters Isabellah and Kennedy Middleton who average 17.0 and 16.5 ppg, respectively. K. Middleton is the team's leader in field goal percentage (52.6%) and three-point percentage (66.7%), as I. Middleton has team-highs in field goals made (11), field goals attempted (34), three-pointers made (5), three-pointers attempted (11) and rebounds per game (9.5).
 
Bella Long (13.0) and Deleah Gibson (11.0) are the other double-digit scorers for the Rock.
 
Emily Venick is team's top facilitator through two games with seven assists.
 
As a team, Slippery Rock scores an average of 73.0 ppg on 38.3% shooting from the floor, 37.8% shooting from three and 58.7% from the free throw line. They add 16.0 assists per game, 39.0 rebounds per game and 9.0 steals per game.
 
Noting the Cardinals: Last week, Wheeling got their season started on the right foot with a pair of double-digit victories. On Saturday, WU dismantled Lock Haven 73-43, before beating Seton Hill 70-59 on Sunday.
 
Lauren Calhoun is the heart and soul to this Cardinals team as she paces the squad with 21.5 ppg and 17.5 rpg. She is also the team leader in field goals made (18), field goals attempted (30) and field goal percentage (60.0%).
 
WU boasts two other double-digit scorers in Hannah Archer (13.0) and Shanley Woods (12.5). Archer has the team's top three-point percentage (66.75), while Woods posts the most three-pointers made (6) and three-pointers attempted (14).
 
Kenzie Dalton is the team's point guard with 12 assists this season.
 
Through two games, Wheeling is scoring 70.5 ppg, on 45.7% shooting from the floor, 40.5% shooting from three and 64.7% shooting from the free throw line. The Cardinals also post 12.5 assists per game, 44.0 rebounds per game and 8.0 steals per game.