INDIANA, Pa. – For just the second time since the beginning of the 2019-20 campaign, Notre Dame College has started the season 1-0. On Friday evening, the Falcons had three players score at least 20 points, including a career-high 33 from junior Gbolahan Adio in an 89-76 win over the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
 
Pitt-Johnstown entered this game coming off of a 20-win season and a trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament, but Notre Dame was the team that looked sharp on both ends of the floor. The Falcons shot the ball at 47-percent in the first half and 48-percent in the second. They knocked down seven three pointers in the first stanza. UPJ made just one long range shot in the first half and shot 27-percent from three in the game.
 
Early in the contest, Pitt-Johnstown was making shots and grabbed a couple offensive rebounds to keep the possession alive. After a 16-9 run, the Mountain Cats led the Falcons by seven, 20-13, with 12 minutes remaining in the first half.
 
The Falcons then caught fire on the offensive end and it all started with Adio. The Cleveland, Ohio native, who had a career-high of 13 points prior to Friday, exploded to score 15 consecutive points for the Falcons. He hit back-to-back threes and, just over three minutes after his first basket, Notre Dame held a 28-24 lead.
 
Adio totaled 10 shots made, four three-pointers made and 25 points in the first half, which are all career-highs.
 
Notre Dame took the lead with 8:24 remaining in the first half and never gave it back. Junior RJ Ogom tipped in a missed shot and then sophomore Devin Haid knocked down a three pointer on the next possession. The Falcons' 20-6 run allowed them to push their lead to seven points, 33-26, with just under six minutes to play before halftime.
 
The Falcons led, 45-40, at halftime. Ogom added eight points in the first 20 minutes, while Haid added seven.
 
The second half was more of the same, as the Falcons scored 44 points. Their offense was actually more efficient in the second half, going 15-for-31 from the field. On the defensive side, Notre Dame held Pitt-Johnstown to 33-percent shooting (13-for-39) and just 36 points in the final 20 minutes.
 
The Mountain Cats hung around for the first 13 minutes of the second stanza, but were unable to tie or take the lead back. With 17:01 on the clock, Andy Zuchelli knocked down a three for UPJ, but on the other end, an offensive rebound by Haid led to a three by junior Kaleb Torrence.
 
At the 12:18-mark of the second half, Pitt-Johnstown closed the gap to two, 58-56, before NDC went on a 13-1 run to make the score, 71-57, with 6:41 remaining.
 
Haid had eight points during that run. He scored 14 points in the second half, making four shots from the field and five free throws. The native of Wooster, Ohio had 21 points in the game.
 
NDC stole the ball on back-to-back UPJ possessions, leading to back-to-back easy shots around the rim. With 4:45 remaining, Notre Dame had pushed the lead to 15, 75-60.
 
Notre Dame stole the ball six times in the final 11 minutes of the contest. The Falcons totaled 13 steals in the game, which is just outside of the top ten in program history. Harris led the team with three, while Haid, Ogom, Torrence and senior Trent Williams all had two steals.
 
Another major factor in the second half was Ogom, who had 12 points and seven boards. He ended the game with a double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds).
 
The Falcons had three players (Adio, Haid, Ogom) who made at least seven shots and totaled at least 20 points. The last time the Falcons had three players score at least 20 points in the same game was Feb. 22, 2020.
 
Notre Dame will try to pull off the upset of No. 4 ranked Indiana University of Pennsylvania, tomorrow, at 7:30 p.m.