BALTIMORE, Md. – Notre Dame basketball are back in the win column after defeating Colonial States Athletic Conference opponent, Wilson College Thursday evening, 58-55.  In a game that saw 15 lead changes and eight tied scores, the Gators came up strong in the final quarter to secure their four CSAC victory of the season.

In the opening quarter, the Gators started slow, starting in an 8-0 hole.  A steal and quick layup by senior Justine Mudiay got Notre Dame on the board with seven minutes left in the quarter. 

After being outscored 13-6 in the opening quarter, NDMU rallied back in the second.  With the first five scores of the second quarter, the Gators chipped away at the Phoenix lead.  A layup by freshman Briana Gibson gave the team their first lead of the game, 14-13 with just under seven minutes left in the half.

Sophomore Adrianna Fletcher downed her first of three three-pointers of the game to give the Gators a 17-13 lead on their next possession.  After a three-pointer a pair of free-throws, the Phoenix regained at the halfway points of the second.

In the final five minutes of the second quarter, the Gators and the Phoenix traded points seeing six lead changes and two tied scores to head into halftime.  A free throw and layup by Mudiay in the final 30 second of the half gave the Gators a narrow, 28-27 lead.

Notre Dame and Wilson came into the third quarter battling.  A layup by Mudiay with just over seven left in the third gave NDMU another short lead, 34-29, but a 6-0 run by the Phoenix again saw them with a 35-34 lead.

With five minutes left in the third, sophomore Jaya Green downed a free-throw to again see the score tied, this time at 35 all. 

In the final two minutes of the third, Wilson went on an 8-3 run to take a 44-43 lead going into the final quarter.

Back-to-back jumpers by Green in the opening minutes gave Notre Dame a 47-lead, but back-to-back scores by Wilson gave them a 48-47 lead with 6:48 to play.  Scoring her second basket of the night, freshman Daija Fitchett scored off a Fletcher pass to give the Gators a 49-48 lead. 

Wilson tied the game up twice in the final three minutes of play, but the Gators held on scoring the final field goal of the game with 1:15 on the clock.  A layup by freshman Vanessa Dunn assisted by Green gave the Gators a 57-55 lead.  A free-throw by Walrath in the final second sealed the Gators victory, 58-55.

Fletcher paced the team with a 19-point performance for a career high.  She scored three of the team's five three-pointers.  She also reeled in nine rebounds and led the team with four assists. 
Mudiay also scored double-figures for the Gators, posting 14 points and a lead-leading five steals. 

Pacing the team in rebounds, Green tallied 11 while also scoring seven points.  Sophomore Keyeria Dawson and Fitchett combined for 15 rebounds, while the team finished with 43.

Dawson had a game-leading, three blocks, while each team finished with five.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Gators are on the road Saturday for their third conference game of the week.  They will face Centenary University at 1:00 p.m.