Fighting For Their Playoff Lives! NDC Welcomes #5 West Liberty Wednesday.

It all comes down to this for the Notre Dame College Falcons (5-21 3-17 MEC.) The season that once was so promising has #5 West Liberty coming to Murphy Gym Wednesday night as the Falcons look to stay alive in hopes of qualifying for the MEC Tournament in Charleston, West Virginia next week. Any NDC loss or Glenville State win will eliminate the Falcons from playoff contention. The game will tip at 730 PM and Andrew Luftglass will have the call on NotreDameFalcons.com
 NDC Guard Jack Kelsheimer had these thoughts about a the upcoming rematch with the high powered West Liberty squad:
" We have to execute and take good shots. They are going to try and pressure us the entire game, but if we handle the pressure and take care of the ball we will give them a game." Kelsheimer said."
  NDC wingman Drew Scarberry added:
" We need to handle their pressure and work inside-out on offense.  Take layups against the press when we get the opportunity, and if not we need to run our offense and attack them in the post.  Also, defensively if we limit the second chance points and rebounds then we increase our odds of winning the game. Plain and simple, we just need to go out and get the job done now." Scarberry said."
  Coach Tim Koenig spoke about a brief film session they had today (Tuesday:)
" We practiced today and it was a good practice. We also watched the five minute clip after practice when we cut the West Liberty lead from 22 to five in the second half of the first meeting. " Koenig said."
   NDC comes into the game averaging 81.5 points per game as a team- on the defensive end they allow 92.8 per contest.  Individually KT Taylor is scoring 17.8 points per night and is coming off a 28 point effort against Virginia Wise on Saturday.  Drew Scarberry averages 13.8 per game- while Angelo Cugini scores 11 a night to go with a team leading 8.2 rebounds a contest.  The Falcons average 12 3-pointer's made per game and will have to be efficient from the 3-point line against a very good West Liberty team Wednesday.
 Last time out it was a 94-84 loss for NDC against Virginia Wise. The Falcons led by five at halftime and had made 10 3-pointer's in the first stanza before the late Cavaliers push led them to victory. In the previous contest the Falcons lost to Concord. In each of the last three games NDC has been right there in the last five minutes but could not break the current eight game losing slide.
   #5 West Liberty (24-1 19-1 MEC)  is coming off a 105-66 drubbing of Glenville State on Saturday. The Hilltoppers have won six in a row since the lone loss they suffered on the season against Fairmont State back on 1.28.  The Hilltoppers remain the top ranked team in the latest Atlantic Region Rankings, with the new ones being released on Wednesday prior to the tip of this one. The Hilltoppers beat NDC 103-84 in the first meeting between the two teams.  As a team the high powered offense from West Liberty averages 107.2 points per night- while they give up 82 a game on the defensive end.  Four players average double figures on the game led by Dan Monteroso who scores 19.1 points per contest.  Dalton Bolon puts up 16.8 points per night- James Griffin adds 12.3 per contest- and- Jordan Watson scores 11.8 a game.  Bolon and Eric Meininger are tied for the team lead hauling in 5.6 rebounds a game- while Monteroso has a team leading 82 assists in 25 contests.
  Taylor led NDC with 28 points and 10 rebounds in the first meeting between the two teams.  Scarberry had 17- Levi Frankland 15- and- Cugini added 10 with eight rebounds back on 12/2.
  For West Liberty Monteroso had 31 and Watson added 18.  Meininger and Evan French each had 11- while Griffin netted 10 in the 19 point victory.
Other MEC Games Wednesday:
Virginia Wise @Charleston
Wheeling Jesuit @Urbana
Concord @West Virginia State
Fairmont State @West Virginia Wesleyan
Shepherd @Glenville State
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 19-1 (24-1)
Wheeling Jesuit 16-4 (21-5)
Fairmont State 15-5 (19-7)
Shepherd 12--8 (16-10)
Virginia Wise 11-9 (13-13)
Charleston 10-10 (14-12)
Concord 10-10 (14-12)
West Virginia State 10-10 (12-13)
West Virginia Wesleyan 7-13 (7-19)
Glenville State 4-16 (6-20)
Notre Dame 3-17 (5-21)
Urbana 3-17 (4-22)
Atlantic Region Rankings:
1. West Liberty
2. Virginia State
3. Shippensburg
4. West Chester
5. Indiana (PA)
6. Kutztown
7. Fairmont State
8. Wheeling Jesuit
9. East Stroudsburg
10. Slippery Rock