Falcons Season Closes With Loss To Central.

The Notre Dame Falcons saw their 2011-12 basketball season come to a halt with a 85-75 loss to Central State in the opening round of the Ohio Independent Champions. With the loss, the Falcons ended the season with a record of 10-17. The win for the Marauders (19-8) was a seventh straight for them at home, and sixth in seven contests overall.

The Falcons had four players score in double figures. Phil Biggs (10 points and 10 rebounds) closed his fine NDC career with his eighth double-double of the season. Marcquice Taylor netted 16, Lawrence DeArmond tallied 15, and Raphi Tekie added 11. The Falcons shot 44 percent from the floor and 37 percent from the 3-point line. The Falcons struggled at the foul line, as they did much of the season going just 10-19. NDC had nine assists (six by Taylor) and 12 turnovers.

Greg Rice had 23 points and nine rebounds to pace the Marauders. Gerald Campbell added 14 and Demarkus Isom-Jones tallied 11 in the win. The Marauders shot 49 percent as a team but struggled from the 3-point line hitting just 3-16 (19 percent). Central also struggled at the foul line going just 12-21. The Marauders edged the Falcons on the boards 39-33. They had 16 assists and 11 turnovers.

Both teams came out ice cold shooting the ball. The Falcons did not hit there first field goal attempt until 15:07 in the opening half on a three by Phil Biggs. The Marauders were almost just as cold though, and after that three the Falcons only trailed 8-5. The Marauders then went on a 12-0 burst to take a 20-5 lead. The Marauders led 37-28 at the half.

NDC came out red hot in the second half. The Falcons hit five of the first seven shots that they took and were within one (46-45) after a 13-0 run with 12:19 to go. Central would answer with a 9-2 run of their own and would stretch the lead back out to eight. The Falcons would get as close as five (66-61) with 3:40 to go on a Troy Baugh jumper but could not overcome the slow start. Greg Rice hit three free throws late to seal it for the Marauders.