FAIRMONT, W.Va. – On Saturday afternoon, RJ Ogom scored 25 points for Notre Dame College as the NDC Falcons had three players total more than 15 points. But, Fairmont State University used the 3-pointer to sneak past NDC, 87-81.
 
The matchup between the Falcons usually does not disappoint, and on Saturday, the game was one of the most competitive, evenly-matched contests on the schedule. The two teams were tied eight times with 13 lead changes.
 
Ogom opened the scoring with a three-pointer on the first possession. After Fairmont State took a 4-3 lead, they had the ball again but threw it away and NDC's Gbolahan Adio grabbed it and took it down the floor for a layup. On Notre Dame's next possession, the ball went inside to Ogom, who backed his man down and hit a mid-range jumper.
 
Ogom would finish the first half with 18 points, going 6-for-7 from the field and 3-for-3 from three. He had a season-high 25 in the game.
 
Fairmont State committed seven turnovers in the first half and Notre Dame took advantage of most of them, scoring 11 points off turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Following an FSU turnover, sophomore Devin Haid hit a jumper, off an assist from Adio. About four minutes later, Haid stole the ball and beat everyone down the court for an easy layup.
 
The 3-ball was a major factor for both teams in the first half. Junior Andre Harris knocked down a three to tie the game at 16, with 11:30 to go before halftime and, three minutes later, Ogom sent a long range shot up as he was falling away to beat the shot clock. That made the score 21-19, in favor of FSU.
 
With just under five minutes remaining in the first half, Ogom scored eight consecutive NDC points. He grabbed an offensive rebound and tipped it in, along with drawing a foul. He made the foul shot. A couple possessions later, he made another layup. The native of Chicago then had some space, as Fairmont State was hesitant to guard him on the perimeter, and he stepped back to sink his third three of the game.
 
Ogom's final three-pointer of the half kickstarted a Notre Dame 8-0 run, as a team. Adio made a layup and junior Joshua Dames hit a three to give Notre Dame a seven-point lead, 36-29.
 
At halftime, Notre Dame led by a score of 40-35. After 20 minutes, Notre Dame was winning the points in the paint battle, 16-6, and in second chance points, 11-2.
 
Fairmont State shot the ball at 50-percent from behind the three point line in the first half and they were more efficient in the second half, going 7-for-12 (58-percent).
 
The FSU Falcons went on an a run, early in the second half to take a 48-45 lead. NDC fought back and tied it at 48 with two free throws by Ogom and one by Haid.
 
Fairmont's biggest lead was nine points, 66-57, at the 10:30-mark in the second.
 
But, Notre Dame had a response as Harris and junior Jamarr Talbert Jr. knocked down back-to-back triples to claw within three points, 66-63.
 
In the final two minutes of the game, Fairmont State was held to one made field goal by the NDC defense. And Harris nearly brought Notre Dame all the way back, as he scored five straight NDC points in the final 2:01. After splitting a pair of free throws, he caught the ball in the paint, got an offensive rebound off his own miss and put it back in. And then, with 21-seconds left, he made two free throws to close the gap to two, 83-81.
 
Fairmont State made its free throws down the stretch to close out the contest.
 
Harris had 14 points and six rebounds in the second half to finish the game with 19 points and 11 boards, his fourth double-double of the season. Haid scored 10 second half points and had 16 points in the game.
 
Notre Dame will host No. 20 West Liberty, on Feb. 28, with a tipoff time of 7:30 p.m.