This Week: The Notre Dame College women's basketball team hits the road, beginning on Tuesday Nov. 21 at 5:30 p.m. when the Falcons travel to West Liberty University. Next, NDC heads down to Ohio Dominican University on Sunday Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. for a non-conference bout.
 
Records: NDC begins the week at 1-3 (0-1 MEC), as WLU is 2-2 and ODU is 1-1.
 
Coaches Corner: Lauren Macer is back at the helm of the Notre Dame College women's basketball team in her second stint and fifth season as head coach. Macer maintains a 79-35 career record. Kyle Cooper is in his seventh season with West Liberty, holding a career mark of 94-75. ODU is led by Melanie Balcomb in her second season as head coach, owning a 7-22 career record.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked according to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) poll.
 
Series History: Notre Dame is 11-11 all-time when playing West Liberty, dating back to their first meeting in 2013-14 and including the Hilltoppers pair of victories last season. NDC is 0-1 all-time when facing Ohio Dominican, dating back to their lone meeting in 2012-13.
 
Noting the Falcons: Last week, Notre Dame dropped both contests beginning with an 84-72 defeat in the home opener to Ursuline, despite a game-high 21 points from Lilee Carlson. On Saturday, Notre Dame fell in the MEC opener to Wheeling, 70-57 as Noel Weathers registered a game-high and career-high 21 points and 15 rebounds.
 
Notre Dame is led by a balanced offense as four Falcons boast double digits in Lilee Carlson (13.0 ppg), Kennadi Harris (11.8 ppg), Noel Weathers (11.5 ppg) and Rachel Richardson (10.5 ppg). Amongst the MEC, Carlson ranks 12^th, Harris is 17^th and Weathers is 21^st. In addition, Carlson leads the team in field goal percentage (57.6%) and three-point percentage (57.1%), as Harris ranks tied seventh in the MEC in three-pointers per game (2.3) and tied 19^th in assists per game (2.3). Moreover, Weathers touts a team-high 21 field goals made, as Richardson is tied third in the MEC at 90.9-perecnt (10-11) from the free throw line.
 
On the glass, Weathers leads the team and is tied atop the Mountain East Conference with 9.5 rebounds per game. Cencere McDaniel checks in next for NDC at 3.8 rpg.
 
Defensively, Weathers is tied for the team lead in blocks (3) with Harris, while Mallory Hullinger has swiped a team-high eight steals.
 
As a team, Notre Dame averages 69.5 points per game on 39.0-percent shooting from the field, 31.7-percent shooting from three and 63.3-percent shooting from the free throw line. The Falcons grab 35.3 rebounds per game (-6.2 margin), 12.0 assists per game, 9.3 steals per game and 3.3 blocks per game.
 
Noting the Hilltoppers: Last week, West Liberty fell to Kentucky State 85-70 on Wednesday as Corinne Thomas totaled 20 points. On Saturday, Thomas paced the Hilltoppers again with a game-high 23 points as WLU edged out Salem 74-68 overtime.
 
On the young season, Thomas paces the West Liberty offense, ranking tied for third in the MEC at 17.8 ppg. Thomas leads the team in field goals made (22), field goals taken (64), three-pointers made (16) and three-pointers taken (46).
 
Karly McCutcheon offers a one-two punch on offense for WLU, as the only other Hilltopper to average double figures, touting 13.3 ppg, a top-10 provision in the conference.
 
Bailee Smith (4.0) and Thomas (3.3) facilitate the WLU offense, ranking fourth and tied seventh in the MEC in assists per game.
 
West Liberty is ultra-balanced in terms of rebounding, as five players average between 5.3 and 6.3 rebounds per game. Thomas and McCutcheon pace the squad and rank tied 14^th in the league at 6.3 rpg.
 
As a whole, West Liberty posts 71.8 points per game on 32.6-percent shooting from the field, 31.8-percent from the three-point line and 69.8-percent from the charity stripe. WLU adds 42.8 rebounds per game (-3.0 margin), 16.0 assists per game, 9.5 steals per game and 2.5 blocks per game.
 
Noting the Panthers: Ohio Dominican began their 2023-24 campaign two weeks ago at the Midwest Crossover in Lebanon, IL. ODU fell in the first contest on Nov. 10, 68-52 to McKendree as Gabby Stare poured in 18 points. On Nov. 11, Macy Chapman scored a game-high 17 points as the Panthers bested Missouri S&T, 63-53.
 
Stare and Brynn Mullet carry the Ohio Dominican offense at 14.5 and 11.0 ppg. Stare leads the team with 10 field goals made on 20 attempts, while Mullet is the squad's three-point shooter touting team-highs in threes made (6), attempted (12) and three-point percentage (50%).
 
The Panthers struggle on the glass, corralling just 31.5 rebounds per game as a team, led by Jenna Shackleford at 5.0 rpg. Neila Guice (4.5) and Stare (4.0) added to the rebounding effort for ODU.
 
Stare also leads the team with five dimes on the season, as Chapman is defensive threat owning seven steals in two games.
 
As a unit, Ohio Dominican averages 57.5 points per game, on 45.3-percent shooting from the field, 34.5-percent shooting from three and 73.1-percent shooting from the free throw line. The Panthers add 31.5 rebounds per game, 11.0 assists per game, 9.0 steals per game and 3.5 blocks per game.