Storylines – vs. Notre Dame College
Ousted by Shepherd University, 71-68, in the first round of the 2017 Mountain East Conference Tournament, the Falcons have been selected to finish fifth in the Mountain East Conference in the 2017-18 preseason poll. The team received 86 votes and one first place vote, following a 16-13 overall record, 10-12 in the MEC, in the Falcons' 2016-17 campaign. Notre Dame's 16 wins last season marked the third straight year that the team has won 16 or more games in a campaign. The Falcons will rely heavily this season on All-MEC First Team, D2CCA All-American Second Team, and NABC All-District Atlantic First Team selection, senior forward Will Vorhees. The senior concluded his 2016-17 season averaging 26.8 points and 10.3 rebounds, shooting over 52 percent from the floor. The Falcons opened up their 2017-18 campaign on the road as the team participated in the Conference Challenge. Despite senior guard Kyauta Taylor's 37 points, Notre Dame could not outlast Millersville University as the Falcons dropped their season opener, 107-99, in double-overtime. Notre Dame won its first game of the season against St. Augustine's University, 99-95, and were able to get their first conference and home victory of the campaign against Concord University. Assisted by Vorhees 33 points, the Falcons defeated the Mountain Lions, 86-76, Saturday afternoon. Vorhees also recorded 10 rebounds and hit 15-of-18 free throws to seal the win against Concord. Through four games, Taylor leads the Falcons in scoring, registering 92 points off of 29-for-65 (.45) shooting. Playing in only two games so far this season, Vorhees has shot 15-for-27 (.56) from the floor. Tim Koenig's team will follow its matchup with UVa-Wise with a non-conference game against Penn State Allegheny. Following that contest, Notre Dame will resume MEC play taking on a tough Wheeling Jesuit squad inside Murphy Gymnasium.
About UVa-Wise
UVa-Wise put up a solid effort to defeat the Blue Knights of Urbana on Saturday afternoon, 71-64. The Cavaliers struggled to get shots to fall in the first half, shooting only 10-for-32 (.313) from the field. UVa-Wise used a second half surge to overcome its first half shooting woes, going 12-for-23 from the floor, hitting 5-of-13 from beyond the arc. Senior forward Taiwo Badmus recorded his first double-double of the season against the Blue Knights, scoring 29 points off of 8-for-14 shooting and grabbed 12 boards in the win. Sophomore guard Chance Sheffey went 5-for-12 from the field and posted 14 points in 32 minutes of play. The Cavs ended the contest shooting 22-for-55 (.40) from the field and added 43 rebounds in their first win of the season.
