BALTIMORE – The Notre Dame of Maryland basketball team starts the 2021 Colonial States Athletic Conference slate off with a 82-59 win over Saint Elizabeth (0-5, 0-1 CSAC) on Tuesday evening. With the win, the Gators will move past the 2019 CSAC semifinals defeat when the two teams last met. The Gators will move to 1-0 against CSAC competition.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Daija Fitchett, the CSAC Defensive Player of the Week got the Gators on the board two minutes into the contest. She scored NDMU's first points after forcing a steal in the middle of the Eagles second offensive possession.
• Alexis Durham had two scores in the quarter, capping it off with a three-pointer to put the Gators up 9-6 with 4:42 left to play in the first. 
• Notre Dame scored eight straight points to go up 14-8. The Gators went (8-for-16) shooting and Fitchett had six points in the quarter to lead the Gators to a 20-15 quarter. 
• The Gators bench came out firing on all cylinders to start the second quarter. 
• Led by Channel Curry and Elena Rodriguez, Notre Dame was scorching hot from behind the arc to start the second. With the Gators up 22-15, Curry nailed back-to-back three-pointers to stretch NDMU's lead. 
• Rodriguez had five points off the bench as Notre Dame was able to extend its lead in the second. NDMU dominated the offensive boards 8-1 and out rebounded the Eagles 17-9 to end the quarter. 
• During the early stages of the third quarter, Fitchett scored five early points highlighted by an and-one finish to carry the Gators monument into the second half. 
• Notre Dame scored 24 points in the third quarter shooting 12-15 from the free-throw line. 
• NDMU added 18 points in the fourth quarter for its highest scoring output this season (82). 

 
OF NOTE

• Fitchett ended the evening with 25 points and 12 rebounds. She's had a double-double in each of the past three games
• Notre Dame snaps a three-game losing streak against the Eagles. The Gators will move to 2-3 all-time when facing Saint Elizabeth.
• Ayana Brim had 10 boards and 14 points to finish with her first double-double of the year.
• Four Gators scored in double figures including Alexis Durham and Curry. Durham had 13 points to go with eight assists. Curry had 13 points, shooting (4-for-9) from three.
• The Gators took the lead two minutes into the contest and never looked back. NDMU held the lead for 37 minutes and held the Eagles to (0-for-7) from the three-point line. 

UP NEXT
Notre Dame (Md.) will host Keystone on Saturday, November 27 at 1 p.m as the Gators look to move to 2-0 in CSAC action. Watch on the Gators Network and follow live stats at Notredamegators.com. Follow the basketball program on Twitter and Instagram and catch all things Gators on the Gators Network.