CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On Saturday afternoon, Notre Dame College battled a University of Charleston team that was tied for the top spot in the Mountain East Conference. Despite the Falcons shooting 46-percent from the field, UC was able to use a strong first half to win, 98-79.
 
Charleston scored the first six points of the game, but senior Davin Zeigler swung the momentum by stepping up in the UC passing lane and stealing the ball. That led to a layup by freshman Cameron Johnson to put the Falcons on the scoreboard. On the next NDC possession, junior Gbolahan Adio sunk a 3-pointer.
 
The Falcons continued to fight back, as Charleston was red hot offensively. At the 8:41-mark, Notre Dame started a 6-2 run, when freshman Robbie Cass worked around a screen for an open mid-range jumper. Sophomore Jevontae Jones then made two free throws and junior Trent Blackshire knocked down a shot to close the gap to 20, 38-18.
 
UC led by a score of 59-25 at halftime, as the Golden Eagles shot 24-for-34 (71-percent) from the field.
 
Notre Dame's offense was rejuvenated in the second half, scoring 54 points, while shooting 19-for-36 (53-percent) in the final 20 minutes.
 
After the Golden Eagles scored the first seven points of the second stanza, NDC responded with a 13-0 run. It began when sophomore Devin Haid knocked down a long range jumper, Jones blocked a shot on the other end of the floor and then Haid hit two free throws after a technical foul was called on Charleston. Juniors Andre Harris made a layup and Joshua Dames connected on a three. Haid then went to the basket, made a layup and was fouled. He hit the free throw.
 
Haid scored 15 points in the second half, knocking down four shots from the field and putting six free throws through the net. Harris added 12 in the second half and both players finished the game with 17 points.
 
Around the 11:26-mark in the second half, Notre Dame went on another massive run. Harris found his way inside and made a layup, after a pass from Zeigler. Adio hit a three and then Zeigler stole the ball, again, and sent a long bounce pass up to Harris for another layup. NDC continued getting to the basket, making four layups during the 16-4 run, which closed the deficit to 23 points, 82-59, with 8:11 remaining.
 
NDC shot 53-percent from the field in the second period and connected on six 3-pointers.

The Falcons had one more run in them, which started at the 5:33-mark and lasted four minutes. Zeigler was the spark plug, again, with a 3-pointer to begin the run. NDC then started getting more shots around the rim, finishing with four layups throughout the 20-7 run. Junior Jamarr Talbert Jr. got into the action with a three and a layup on back-to-back-possessions. With 1:25 to go, Notre Dame had crept within 18 points of Charleston, 97-79.
 
In the second half, Ziegler had eight points, four assists and two steals. As a team, Notre Dame stole the ball from the Golden Eagles six times in the final 20 minutes and scored 20 points off of those turnovers.
 
On the other side, UC did not shoot as well from long distance in the second half, but still held a 58-percent field goal percentage.
 
Notre Dame will get back on the road, on Jan. 17, to play at Frostburg State. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.