Falcons Fall Short After Big Comeback Wednesday.

The Notre Dame Falcons trailed by 19 points in the early stages of the second half at Murphy Gym but come all the way back to take the lead before ultimately falling 91-80 to #9 Wheeling Jesuit.  With the win Wheeling Jesuit improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the MEC. With the loss NDC fell to 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the MEC.
  The Cardinals were led by 29 points each from both reigning MEC Player Of The Week Haywood Highsmith and six 3-pointer's from Preston Boswell netted his 29.  Highsmith added 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double in six games.  Jeremiah Wilson also scored in double figures with 18- while Pat Moseh added 13.
 Wheeling shot 46 percent from the floor in the game- 38 percent (8-21) from the 3-point line.  They were a solid 81 percent (25-31) at the free throw line.  The Cardinals out-rebounded NDC 41-36. They had 14 assists and seven turnovers as a team.
  NDC was paced by Levi Frankland with 22 points- while Cole Hayes added 17.  Angelo Cugini posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. While Kyauta Taylor was held to 10.
  The Falcons shot 43 percent as a team.  They shot 44 percent (15-34) from the 3-point line.  At the free throw line NDC shot 65 percent (11-17.)  They had 17 assists and 11 turnovers as a team.
   The game began with NDC short-handed, as Halil Parks- Will Vorhees- and- Ja'Sean Lewis were not available in this one.  Wheeling scored the game's first five points as Boswell would knock down his first of six 3-pointer's on the night.  It would be 14-12 Wheeling after the first media timeout of this one.  The two teams would trade blows in the next several minutes and after a Cole Hayes 3-pointer NDC would be within one (24-23) with 9:56 in the opening half.  A pair of Hayes free throws on the ensuing possession would give NDC a brief lead, before Moseh would put Wheeling back on top.  A Drew Scarberry 3-pointer would knot the game at 28 with 5:01 in the opening half.  The Cardinals would then close the half on a 12-2 run to open up a 10-point lead (40-30) at the half.
 The two teams would shoot the same from the field (38 percent-) and from the 3-point line (36 percent.)  But the difference in the opening half would be at the free throw line where NDC shot 75 percent (3-4-) while Wheeling shot 76 percent (13-17.)
 Coach Tim Koenig spoke about the first half:
"We played pretty well most of the first half but did not finish well." Koenig said."
  The second half saw NDC trail by as many as 19 (61-42) after Boswell converted a four point play at the 13:24 mark. Then NDC would come storming back as they would go on a 11-0 run capped by a Frankland layup at the 11:36 mark that would cut the lead to eight (61-53.)  Ryan Cooper would stretch the lead back to 10 for Wheeling but NDC would go on  a13-0 run that would give them the lead, as Frankland would complete a old fashioned three-point play at the 8:28 mark that put NDC up 66-63.  Hayes and Frankland would each connect on 3-pointer's about a minute later and NDC led 72-67 with  6:49 to go.  Wheeling would counter with a 10-0 run of their own and it would be 77-72 Cardinals at the 4:45 mark.  Taylor would cut the NDC deficit to three on a pair of free throws before Moseh and Wilson would stretch the Wheeling lead to seven.  Highmsith would convert another bucket to make it nine (83-74) at the 2:08 mark.  Wheeling would take control the rest of the way and hang on for what would be a sixth straight win for them.
  Tim Koenig praised the team's effort despite the loss:
"Really proud of the way this team battled tonight. Especially with the guys we have out." Koenig said.
 On running out of gas at the end of the game:
"We rode that group of five for a long time that we erased the deficit with. I tried to get to the media timeout with that group and I should have called a timeout. That is a coaching mistake on my part and we will get better at that. "Koenig said.
As for his thoughts on Haywood Highsmith and Wheeling Jesuit:
" They are the #9 team in the country for a reason. Highmsith is one of the best players for a reason. They are a really good team." Koenig said."
NDC will be back in action Saturday when they travel to West Liberty to take on the seventh ranked Hilltoppers.  Tip time is set for 4 PM.