Box Score Clarks Summit, Pa. – The Notre Dame of Maryland basketball team traveled to Colonial States Athletic Conference opponent Clarks Summit University for their second meeting of the season.  Despite a slow start by the Gators, Notre Dame claimed a 71-56 victory over the Defenders.

Notre Dame had four players in double-figures, led by junior Shelby Cochran who recorded a career-high, 17 points.  Cochran went 6-for-7 from the free-throw line and also led the Gators on the boards with nine rebounds.  Junior Dania Taylor finished the game with 15 points, for her sixth game this season with 15 or more points.  Taylor went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and tied a team game-high five steals with sophomore Justine Mudiay, who added 12 points in the victory.  Junior Zaria Comer tallied 10 points for the Gators, while reeling in eight rebounds.  Notre Dame finished the game with 50 rebounds for the third time this season and shot 70.6% from the free-throw line. 

The Gators would open up the game to a seven-point deficit in the first five minutes of the first quarter.  Cochran would score the first six points of the game for Notre Dame to get them within four with just under five to play in the quarter.

With under three-minutes to play in the first, Clarks Summit would reach their largest lead of the game off a pair of free throws, Notre Dame down 12, 6-18.  A rebound and put-back by junior Ashley Guy in the closing seconds would see Notre Dame down seven, going into the second quarter.

Opening up the second frame, Notre Dame would begin to chip away at the Clarks Summit lead.  A three-pointer by Taylor with seven minutes left in the half would give the Gators their first lead of the game, now up one, 20-19.  In the second quarter, the Gators would hold the Defenders to only seven points, five points from the floor.  The Gators would head into halftime with an eight-point lead, 33-25.

To open the third quarter, the Gators would hold tight their pressure.  In the closing seconds of the third, junior Stephanie Roche would drain a three-pointer for three of her nine-points of the game, giving the Gators a 16-point lead going into the fourth up, 56-40. 

A layup by Comer to open scoring in the fourth would give Notre Dame their largest lead of the game, up 18 points, 58-40.  In the second half, Notre Dame would force nine turnovers and pick up seven steals, outscoring Clarks Summit, 38-31.  Cochran would score the final two points of the game off free-throws to help Notre Dame seal their 71-56 victory.

Notre Dame moves to 7-12 overall and 4-8 in conference play.  The Gators have four conference games remaining in the season and will see Immaculata and Cairn next week.