BALTIMORE, Md. --  Notre Dame basketball faced off against Keystone College Wednesday night in Colonial States Athletic Conference action.  After going into halftime down five, the Gators rallied back in the second half to take their seventh CSAC victory, 44-40.

Keystone opened the game with back to back three pointers. After trading off points the Gators pushed and cut the lead to one at 8-7 with two and a half minutes left in the first.

Freshman Vanessa Dunn notched a free throw to bring the score to 10-8, moments later freshman Daija Fitchett had a block to end the offensive threat and the quarter for the Giants.

Keystone bounced back in the second quarter and opened with a 10-2 run. The Gators fought back with two back to back buckets by Fitchett and freshman Briana Gibson.

With the Giants in the lead 20-14, Freshman Stephania Long hit her second three pointer of the night to bring Notre Dame within three. Keystone would add two before heading to the half with a 22-17 lead.

After halftime the Giants started the third like they started the game, with a three pointer. Down 25-17 with 7:55 in the third the Gators went on run. Fitchett downed two free throws before knocking home a jumper to give the Gators their first lead of the night at 26-25.

Keystone wouldn't stay behind for long as they battled back to take a 35-30 point lead into the fourth quarter.

For the first time in the game the Gators scored first in the quarter on a three pointer by senior Justine Mudiay.  Senior Justice Walrath tied the game at 35 with 6:04 left in the game. She then gave the Gators the lead with back to back free throws at 3:07.

Notre Dame held the Giants to zero points through the 2:04 mark in the fourth quarter. Tied 37-37 Dunn and Mudiay added layups to pad the lead with 1:10 left. A Keystone three pointer brought them within one at 41-40.

With the Giants in foul mode, Walrath made two clutch free throws to force Keystone to shoot a three pointer. After a miss and huge rebound, Fitchett was sent to the line with 2 seconds left and split her free throws sealing the game for the Gators at 44-40.

Fitchett had a career night for the Gators, posting her second career double-double.  She led the team in points with 13 points and career-high, 14 rebounds.  She also had a career-high four blocks while the team finished with seven. 

Long also helped lead the Gators to victory, posting a career-high 8 points.  She was 3-for-4 from the floor and 2-for-3 from three-point range. 

Notre Dame finished with 45 rebounds.  Sophomore Adrianna Fletcher reeled in 10 rebounds, while sophomore Keyeria Dawson had five.  Fletcher and Dawson led the team with three assists apiece, while the team finished with 11.

The Gators had an impressive night from the free throw line, going 8-for-10.  Walrath tallied half for NDMU, going 4-for-4 from the line.  This is Notre Dame's second best performance from the line when shooting 10 or more free throws.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Notre Dame will travel to Cedar Crest College on Saturday in more conference action.  They will have a week off of play before returning home next Saturday to host Bryn Athyn College.