WHEELING, W.Va. – Following a slow start to Wednesday's contest, Notre Dame College trailed Wheeling University, 38-30, after 20 minutes of play. In the second half, the Falcons shot 50-percent from the field and scored 50 points to stun Wheeling and take the 80-71 win.
 
Both teams came out of the gate hitting shots as a combined 14 points were scored in the first 2:19 of the game. Notre Dame never led in the first half, but did cut the deficit to one point, multiple times. Junior Jamarr Talbert Jr. grabbed an offensive rebound and put the ball back up and in. A minute and-a-half later, he dribbled just inside the three-point line and hit a long two. With 11:41 on the first half clock, Wheeling led 15-14.
 
Talbert scored six points off the bench in the first half. He would finish the game with a season-high 11 points, in 16 minutes played.
 
The Cardinals put together a 9-2 run and pushed their advantage to eight points, 24-16, with 7:54 remaining before the half. NDC could not get any closer than four points and at the halftime break, WU led 38-30.
 
Wheeling only shot the ball 25 times in the first stanza, but made 16 of those shots. Notre Dame shot 35-percent from the field.
 
Although NDC shot the ball much better in the second half (18-for-36), the Falcons were unable to grab a lead for the first time until the 4:44-mark.
 
Freshman Robbie Cass knocked down a three pointer to pull Notre Dame within three, 47-44, nearly five minutes into the half. But, the Cardinals had another answer, going on a 10-3 run to lead 57-47, with 12:15 on the clock.
 
The Falcons responded with a 9-0 run and that felt as if it had finally shifted the momentum in favor of NDC. During the run, senior Trent Williams hit a three and recorded a steal that led to a layup. Notre Dame was then behind by one point, 57-56.
 
NDC continued to move the ball well, driving into the paint or going baseline before finding the open man. Junior Andre Harris assisted back-to-back layups by sophomores Jevontae Jones and Devin Haid. Both of those shots tied the game, but the Falcons were still looking for the big play that would give them the lead.
 
That would happen with 4:44 on the clock as junior Joshua Dames grabbed an offensive board off a missed three and was fouled as he put his own shot up and into the basket. That fired up the bench and put NDC on top by a score of 68-66.
 
Sean Ealy hit a three on the other side to put Wheeling back in front, 69-68, with 4:14 remaining, but that would be the last time that the home team led. Notre Dame closed the game on a 12-2 run. Haid and Harris each hit a three for NDC, on back-to-back possessions, as WU missed a triple on the other side. The Falcons made four free throws in the final minute to seal the game.
 
In the final 12:15 of the contest, the Falcons outscored Wheeling, 33-14.
 
Five players scored in double-digits for Notre Dame, including a season-high for Dames (16) and Talbert (11). Haid, who had 11 second half points, finished with 15, to go along with seven rebounds and four assists off the bench. Dames also totaled a season-high in rebounds, with seven.
 
Dames, Harris, Adio and Haid all had three offensive rebounds as NDC totaled 19, as a team, which is the second most by the Falcons this year.
 
Next up, Notre Dame heads to Salem University, on Jan. 27, for a 4 p.m. tipoff.