NDC Falls Short Of Ultimate Goal.

Tyree Gaiter, Ryan and Dylan Hickoff have played their final games in a Notre Dame College uniform. The Falcons magical ride over the weekend fell one game short and they did not get an at large bid to the NCAA DII Atlantic Region Sunday evening. The Falcons ended the season 21-11 on the year. After losing twice each to Wheeling Jesuit, Concord and Fairmont State the Falcons found new life in the MEC Tournament. Friday afternoon they knocked off Fairmont State, Saturday the Falcons upset Wheeling Jesuit, but Sunday the Falcons fell to the Mountain Lions of Concord. Concord will be the seven seed in the Atlantic Region. Here are the results from the Atlantic Region this season:
#8 Mercyhurst 66 #1 Wheeling Jesuit 65
#4 Kutztown 76 #5 West Chester 63
#2 West Liberty 90 #7 Concord 69
#6 Virginia State 76 #3 Fairmont State 66
Second Round Scores:
#2 West Liberty 90 #6 Virginia State 69
#4 Kutztown 79 #8 Mercyhurst 73
 Regional Final:
# 2 West Liberty 85vs #4 Kutztown 64
Wednesday 3/23 3:30 PM:
West Liberty vs Stonehill

Mountain Lions Nip NDC Sunday.

The Notre Dame Falcons wild MEC tournament ride came to an end Sunday. After defeating Fairmont State Friday and Wheeling Jesuit Saturday, the Falcons could not get past  Concord Sunday. The Mountain Lions prevailed 70-64. NDC's season most likely came to an end at 21-11. Concord improves to 22-9 and gets the MEC automatic bid into the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional.
  The Mountain Lions were led by five  players in double figures. Terry Hopewell led the way with 19 points and 13 rebounds- Jametrius Wade added 13 points and 13 boards- Rob Reed and Michael Sanchez scored 12 points each- while Aaron Miller added 11.  The Mountain Lions shot 43 percent (21-49) from the floor as a team- they shot 23 percent (5-22) from the 3-point line- at the free throw line the Mountain Lions shot at a 74 percent clip (23-31.)  They won the rebounding battle 43-38. Concord had 15 assists and 18 turnovers.
  NDC was led by 23 points- 8 assists and five rebounds from Tyree Gaiter in most likely his final game as a Falcon- Kyauta Taylor scored 18- while Will Vorhees added 13 points and seven rebounds. The Falcons shot 34 percent (25-73) from the field on the day- they could not find their stroke from the 3-point line where they shot 22 percent (8-37.) From the free throw line the Falcons shot at a 75 percent clip (6-8.)  They had 16 assists and 10 turnovers.
   The game started off at a slower pace and was knotted at nine seven minutes in.  The Falcons would score the next eight points to take a 17-9 lead at the 11:25 mark of the opening half. NDC would stretch the lead to 13 (26-13) after a Taylor 3-pointer with 8:30 minutes until halftime.  The Mountain Lions would then run off the next 10 points to trim the lead to three (26-23.)  NDC would take a four point lead (33-29) into the locker room.
  NDC would score the first four points of the second half, a Vorhees bucket would give them a eight point lead (37-29.)  The Mountain Lions would fight back and tie the game again, this time at 44 with 13:21 to go.  The Mountain Lions would briefly have a four point lead that NDC would cut to two (50-48.) The Mountain Lions would then come up with a big 9-1 run to open up a eight point lead (57-49) at the 9:04 mark.  After a quick 5-0 burst the Falcons would get to within three (57-54) at the 5:48 mark.  NDC got to within one (61-60) with just under two minutes left and it was anybody's game.  That's as close as the Falcons would get.
NDC will find out their fate on the NCAA DII Selection Show on NCAA.com this evening at 10:30 PM.

Gaiter's Big Day Lifts NDC Past Wheeling Jesuit.

What a difference a couple of weeks makes. Two weeks ago after a 75-55 loss to Wheeling Jesuit at Murphy Gym when Tryee Gaiter struggled through arguably his worst game as a Falcon NDC came away with a 76-68 upset win over the fourth ranked and second seeded Cardinals behind a 39-point effort from Gaiter at the Charleston Civic Center. With the win NDC improves to 21-10 on the year, while the Cardinals fall to 28-3.
 NDC also saw Ryan Hickoff post double figures with 12 points- Will Vorhees added a double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds.) NDC shot 40 percent (25-62) from the field- they really struggled from the 3-point line, where they shot 20 percent (5-25.-) The Falcons were a solid 81 percent (21-26) from the free throw line.  Each team grabbed 45 rebounds. The Falcons had 13 assists and nine turnovers.
  Wheeling was led by 18 points from Justin Fritts- Eric Siefert netted 11-while Haywood Highsmith chipped in 10. The Cardinals shot 38 percent from the field (28-74-) they shot at a 23 percent clip (7-31) from the 3-point line. The Cardinals shot an abysmal 33 percent (5-15) at the free throw line. They had 20 assists and 10 turnovers.
  It was Wheeling who got off to a good start and led 7-3 in the early going. NDC responded with a 12-3 run (10 by Gaiter) to take a 15-9 lead at the 11:26 mark of the opening half. The game went back and forth the remainder of the half and the Falcons took a 34-32 lead into the intermission.
  The Cardinals scored nine of the first 11 points in the second half to take a five point lead (41-36) early on in the stanza. Ja'Sean Lewis would drained a 3-pointer to cap a 7-2 run to knot the game at 43. The Falcons would then run off the next six points. The Falcons would stretch the lead to 10 (64-54) at the 4:23 mark.
 Wheeling would not go away though. They would get to within four (66-62) at the 1:27 mark. Gaiter sealed the upset win for NDC by all eight of his free throw attempts in the final minute.
NDC advances to the Mountain East Conference Semifinals where they will take on fourth seeded Concord. Tip time on Sunday is set for 3:30 PM.  Concord swept the season series from the Falcons.
Other MEC Scores:
#4 Concord 92 #1 West Liberty 90 (2 OT)

NDC Shocks Fairmont St. To Advance To MEC Semis!

The Notre Dame College Falcons pulled off one of the biggest upsets in school history Friday afternoon when they knocked off Fairmont State 79-78 in the quarterfinals of the Mountain East Conference Tournament at the Charleston Civic Center. With the win NDC improved to 20-10 on the season. While the Fighting Falcons of FSU dropped to 25-4 on the season.
  NDC was led by Will Vorhees with 21 points and eight rebounds- Tyree Gaiter and Kyauta Taylor added 20 points each. Taylor drained the two free throws that proved to be the game winner's- while Gaiter became the all-time scoring leader in NDC history (passing Eric Dummermuth.)  Ja'Sean Lewis also played a big role in the upset victory. Lewis scored seven points and pulled down a game high 18 rebounds. Lewis also made the block that sealed the victory for NDC.
  The Falcons shot 48 percent (29-60) on the afternoon- they only shot 30 percent (4-13) from the 3-point line- NDC shot 71 percent (17-24) at the free throw line.  NDC won the rebounding battle 43-37. They had 17 assists and 11 turnovers.
  The Fighting Falcons were led by Matt Bingaya who scored 20 points- Thomas Wimbush scored 14 and pulled down nine rebounds- Jason Jolly netted 11- and- Jamel Morris chipped in 10.  FSU shot 43 percent (26-61) as a team. They shot 28 percent (5-18) from the 3-point line-  while the Fighting Falcons shot 64 percent (21-33) from the free throw line.  They had 13 assists and 12 turnovers.
  NDC jumped out to an early lead and led by 10 (19-9) after a Gaiter basket at the 8:59 mark of the opening half. The lead would remain at 10 for a few more minutes before FSU would cut it to six (31-25.) NDC would stretch the lead to nine (45-36) at halftime.
  The first few minutes of the second half were player evenly. Vorhees nailed a 3-pointer at the 15:31 mark to give NDC a 11 point lead (54-43.)  Over the next four minutes the Fighting Falcons would go on  a 13-4 run and cut the lead to two (58-56.)  At the 10:05 mark a Taylor 3-pointer would give NDC a five point edge (63-58.)  Gaiter would hit a 3-pointer at the 7:58 mark to make him the all time scoring leader in NDC history (2,354 career points.)  NDC would lead 70-65 but the Fighting Falcons would fight back to knot the game at 73 at the 2:37 mark. Vorhees would hit a pair of free throws to give NDC the lead back 75-73 on the next possession. The Fighting Falcons would get a old fashioned 3-point play from Bingaya and lead 76-75 at the 1:16 mark. That was the Fighting Falcons first lead of the game. Ryan Hickoff would score on a putback with 54 seconds to go to give NDC the lead back. A Wimbush jumper would give FSU the lead (78-77) with 31 seconds remaining. Gaiter drove the lane and his shot was blocked, Lewis grabbed the rebound and missed the put back. Lewis kept the possession alive as he swatted his own miss out to Taylor who was fouled with 6.5 seconds to go. Taylor a 55 percent free throw shooter on the year calmly nailed both to give NDC the lead. Fairmont State had a chance to win in the last seconds but Lewis came away with the rejection when NDC needed it most and NDC moved on.
 The Falcons will face second seeded and nationally fourth ranked Wheeling Jesuit Saturday night. Tip time at the Charleston Civic Center is set for 8:15 PM.
Other MEC Tournament Scores:
#2 Wheeling Jesuit 67 #7 West Virginia Wesleyan 51
#1 West Liberty 73 #9 Glenville State 71
#4 Concord 75 #5 Charleston 61
MEC Semifinals Saturday:
#1 West Liberty vs #4 Concord 6 PM
#2 Wheeling Jesuit vs #6 Notre Dame College 8:15 PM

Falcons Knock Off Scrappy Cavaliers.

The Notre Dame College Falcons and the Virginia Wise Cavaliers did battle Tuesday night for the third time this season. This time it was an opening round Mountain East Tournament game and the sixth seeded Falcons knocked off the scrappy 11th seeded Cavaliers by a score of 102-84 at Murphy Gym. With the win NDC advances to the MEC Tournament Quarterfinals at the Charleston (West Va.) Civic Center. The sixth seeded Falcons will take on third seeded and fifth ranked in the country Fairmont State at 215 PM Friday.
  Senior Tyree Gaiter stuffed the stat sheet for NDC for the second consecutive game.  Gaiter was one rebound short of having a second consecutive triple-double. The Cleveland Heights product had 32 points- dished out 12 assists- and- also grabbed nine rebounds in the victory.  Will Vorhees also had a big night with 31 points. The sophomore and Gaiter were each named to the MEC All Conference First Team on Tuesday afternoon. Kyauta Taylor chipped in 15 points- while Ryan Hickoff came off the bench to score 11.
 The Falcons shot 56 percent (37-66) from the floor in the game- they also shot the ball well from the 3-point line where they shot 44 percent (12-27.)  NDC was solid at the free throw line where they shot 84 percent (16-19,) an area they have struggled  all year long. NDC dominated the rebounding battle 40-24.  They had 27 assists and turned the ball over just seven times.
  The Cavaliers had three players score in double figures on the evening.  Matt Day led the way, with 24 of his 29 points coming in the second half- Phillip Owens III more than doubled his season average with 27- while Dimitri Sousa added 20.  Ricardo Hill only scored five points, but he added nine rebounds and 10 assists.
 The Cavaliers shot 49 percent (31-63) in this one.  They shot 43 percent (13-30) from the 3-point line- UVA Wise shot 69 percent (9-13) from the free throw line (all 13 attempts coming in the second half.)  The Cavaliers had 21 assists and nine turnovers.
  The opening 11 plus minutes of the contest would see the two teams battle back and forth. It was a high energy game, as expected in a tournament game.  NDC would lead 24-22 at the 8:54 mark of the opening half.  The Falcons would stretch the lead to 10 about three minutes later after a Gaiter bucket (37-27.) The lead would remain at 10 (46-36) at the intermission.
  NDC would stretch the lead to begin the second half. At the 14:01 mark they would get a Hickoff 3-pointer to open up a 14 point lead (64-50.)  A Taylor 3-pointer three minutes later would stretch the lead to 16 (72-56.)  The Cavaliers would not go away though. They would get as close as five, before NDC would put them away.
 With the victory NDC improves to 19-10 on the season. The Cavaliers see a disappointing season come to a close at 4-25.
Other MEC Tournament Scores:
#9 Glenville State 89 #8 Shepherd 80
#5 Charleston 76 #12 Urbana 66
#7 West Virginia Wesleyan 70 #10 West Virginia State 54
Friday 3/4 Quarterfinals:
Game #1 (Noon tip): #2 Wheeling Jesuit vs #7 West Virginia Wesleyan
Game #2 (2:15 tip) #3 Fairmont State vs #6 Notre Dame College
Game #3 (6 PM tip) #1 West Liberty vs #9 Glenville State
Game #4 (8:15 tip) #4 Concord vs #5 Charleston
Atlantic Region Rankings (Top Eight to Qualify) Updated 3/2:
1. Wheeling Jesuit
2. West Liberty
3. Fairmont State
4. Kutzstown
5. Virginia State
6. West Chester
7. East Stroudsburg
8. Indiana (PA)
9. Concord
10. Shippensburg