Box Score ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Notre Dame basketball secured their first win of the season, defeating University of Valley Forge Saturday afternoon in the consolation game of the Scotty Wood Tournament hosted by Muhlenberg College.  The Gators fell behind early to the Patriots, but fought back to secure an 87-82 victory over the Patriots.

Four of the five starters for Notre Dame posted double figures in scoring while two recorded double-doubles.  Seniors Zaria Comer and Ashley Guy recorded double-doubles in the win with Comer posting 19 points and 13 rebounds and Guy with 14 points and 15 rebounds.  Junior Justine Mudiay led the team in scoring with 25 points, just one-point shy of her career high.  Both Mudiay and senior Dania Taylor shot 50% from beyond the arc, with Taylor finishing the game with 16 points.  The team posted 49 rebounds and 15 assists. 

The Gators jumped out to an early lead against the Patriots, holding a 6-2 lead after a layup by Guy, three minutes into the game.  After a timeout by Valley Forge at the six-minute mark, the Patriots held the Gators scoreless through two minutes of play to take a 10-8 lead.  A good layup by Mudiay assisted by Guy saw the Gators tie the game at 10 apiece.  Trading points to close out the first quarter, the score was tied two more times before a late surge by the Patriots, saw them up at the end of the first, 18-15.  Six first quarter turnovers kept the Gators from holding a lead in the first quarter, but found their rhythm going into the second quarter.

Back-to-back layups by Mudiay in the opening minute of play put Notre Dame back on top, holding a 19-18 lead.  Comer posted six straight points for the Gators to give them a 25-19 lead.  With five minutes off the clock, Valley Forge cut the Notre Dame lead to four, but on the other end, a quick three-pointer by freshman Keyeria Dawson gave the Gators a 30-24 lead.  To close out the first half, Notre Dame went on a 14-9 run.  Going into the half, Notre Dame held a 44-33 lead.  In the first half, the Gators scored 23 points off of turnovers and nearly doubled the Patriots points, 29-15.

To open the second half, Notre Dame used solid ball movement to continue the pressure.  Mudiay sunk an early three-pointer assisted by Comer in the first minute of play giving the Gators a 14-point lead.  Throughout the third quarter, the Gators and Patriots traded looks at the basket.  With a minute and a half left in the third, Valley Forge got with seven of Notre Dame, but the Gators closed out the quarter going on a 6-0 to go into the final frame, 65-52.

Valley Forge used back-to-back three-pointers to open the fourth to get back within seven with just under nine minutes remaining in the game.  The Patriots fought back in the fourth quarter, breaking the Gators' 10-point lead several times, but Notre Dame held on to secure their first win of the season, 87-82.

Notre Dame will start their conference schedule after the Thanksgiving break as they travel to Immaculata University on Wednesday, November 29.