Falcons Surge Past Yellow Jackets In Second Half.

The Notre Dame Falcons overcame a seven point halftime deficit to win a fourth straight Mountain East Conference contest. Saturday was a 91-82 victory over West Virginia State at the WV Walker Convocation Center. With the victory NDC improved to 16-6 overall and 10-6 in the MEC. West Virginia State dropped to 6-15 overall and 4-12 in the MEC. The win completed a season sweep of the Yellow Jackets for NDC.
  The Falcons were by 23 points and nine assists from Tyree Gaiter. Gaiter scored 65 points in the two meetings with West Virginia State. This time around he did not shoot the ball as well, going just 5 of 17 from the floor- 3 of 7 from the 3-point line. The Cleveland Heights product added five rebounds and four steals. Kyauta Taylor drained 6 of 11 3-pointers en route to his 22 points on the day.  The Falcons were also aided by double-doubles from Will Vorhees (18 points and 16 rebounds) and Ja'Sean Lewis (17 points and 12 rebounds.)  Lewis also added five blocked shots.  NDC shot 41 percent from the field (30-73-) they were good from the 3-point line where they shot 42 percent (13-31.) The Falcons also had a solid day at the free throw line where they shot 78 percent (18-23.)  The Falcons had 22 assists and 10 turnovers.  They also added 10 blocked shots and nine steals.
  The Yellow Jackets were led by 22 points from Terrance Jenkins. He went 11-13 from the floor and also grabbed nine rebounds. Frank Webb was also in double figures with 21 points- while Markee Mazyck tallied a double-double (17 points and 13 rebounds.)  The Yellow Jackets shot 44 percent (33-75) from the floor- they struggled from the 3-point line where they shot 25 percent (5-20.)  The Yellow Jackets shot 69 percent (11-16) from the free throw line.  West Virginia State edged NDC on the boards 46-45.  They had 14 assists and 13 turnovers in the defeat.
  The game was a back and forth affair in the opening half. But ultimately the Yellow Jackets would take a seven point lead (42-35) into the intermission.
  A Ja'Sean Lewis dunk right out of the locker room would spark an NDC spurt.  The lead would remain at five after the second media timeout of the second half.  A Taylor 3-pointer would get NDC to within four (63-59) at the 10:55 mark of the contest.  The Falcons would get to within one on a pair of occasions just a minute later.  At the 7:29 mark Gaiter would drain a 3-pointer to bring the Falcons to within one again (70-69.)  After a Gaiter steal Taylor would bury a 3-pointer to give the Falcons their first lead since the opening half.  The game would continue to be a battle as it would be knotted at 74 at the 4:57 mark before Ryan Hickoff would knock down a 3-pointer to give NDC the lead back.  A lead that the Falcons would not relinquish. NDC would get clutch free throws to stretch the lead to seven (85-78) at the 3 minute mark.  The final margin would end up being nine. Gaiter would go 10 for 10 at the free throw line in the contest. Vorhees was four of five.
  NDC will be back in action Thursday when they battle Shepherd at Murphy Gym. The Falcons defeated the Rams 91-83 in the first meeting January 18th.