Fairmount State Dumps NDC.

The Notre Dame College Falcons have struggled on the road all season long and that trend continued on Saturday afternoon with a 78-74 loss to Fairmount State in the battle of the Falcons at Joe Retton Arena.  The win was the fifth in six games for FSU and there fourth in a row.  The loss for NDC was there second straight.
  The Fighting Falcons (15-6 10-5 MEC) were led by huge games from a pair of players.  Brendan Cooper went nine of 12 from the field and seven of 10 at the foul line en route to a game high 25 points.  Thomas Wimbush also had a impressive game.  Wimbush tallied a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds in 29 minutes of action.  FSU shot 43 percent from the field (26-61) in the game.  They did not convert a 3-pointer, going zero for eight as a team.  The Fighting Falcons shot 74 percent (26-35) at the foul line.  The Fighting Falcons were +12 in the rebounding battle 49-37.  They had 13 assists and 11 turnovers.
  The Falcons of NDC (9-13 7-9 MEC)  were led by a 21 point outing from Lawrence DeArmond and 16 from Tyree Gaiter.  The two combined to go 12-39 from the field between them.  Kaloma Figueroa Jackson chipped in 12- and Geovante Rose chipped in a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.  The Falcons shot just 31 percent (21-68) from the field and were even worse from the 3-point line where they shot 25 percent (5-20.) The one bright spot for the Falcons was at the foul line, where they shot 87 percent (27-31.)  They had just eight assists on 21 made baksets and nine turnovers.
  Neither team could find there stroke in the early going. The Falcons were two of there first eight, while the Fighting Falcons were just four of 11.  Neither team could find there stroke in the next five minutes either.  Figueroa-Jackson would nail a 3-pointer and NDC would trail 18-16 halfway thru the opening half.  The Falcons would play much better in the last 10 minutes of the half. A Pat Koenig 3-pointer would give them a one point lead (31-30) and they would lead 34-32 going into halftime.
  The first 11 minutes of the second half would be a slight edge to FSU. NDC could not connect from the field, but would stay in the game at the foul line.  With nine minutes to go FSU led by two (50-48.) The Fighting Falcons would go on a run and stretch the lead to eight (60-52)  with seven minutes to go. The Falcons would answer with a spurt of there own.  This time a 9-2 run capped off by a Gaiter 3-point play to cut the deficit to one (62-61) with 4:34 left.  The Falcons would not go quietly although FSU would maintain the lead late.  DeArmond made a lay up at the 2:15 mark and the Falcons were within one again (68-67.)  FSU would then go on a 7-1 spurt in the next 1:15 to ice the win.
  NDC will be back in action Thursday night when they take on West Virginia Wesleyan.  Tip time is set for 7:30 PM.   West Viriginia Wesleyan defeated the Falcons 90-80 in the first meeting.