BALTIMORE - The Notre Dame of Maryland men's basketball team came up short in the final minutes, falling to Clark Summit University by a score of 77-71 on Saturday, Feb. 3.  

The Gators offense was rolling early in the first half, with K'Won Johnson conecting on a pair of jumpers to give NDMU a 7-4 lead. Jermaine Koger Jr. pushed the lead back to five, drilling a jump shot in the paint off a pass from Cole Matthews. The Defenders answered back, pulling within one before Daraun Gray hit his first 3-pointer of the game. Clarks Summit continued to battle back, tying the game at 14 points. The teams traded the next 18 points, before NDMU went on a 10-2 run to take a 33-25 lead. The Gators held an eight-point lead heading into the break.  

NDMU continued to grow their lead throughout the opening five minutes of the first half, taking a 13-point lead after another layup by Johnson. Clarks Summit fought back, recapturing the momentum and going on a 12-0 run to tie the game at 46. Johnson and Marquis James halted the run, attacking the baskets for layups to push the lead back to six points. Clarks Summit stayed within striking distance, tying the score at 66 with 3:42 left in the game. The Defenders heated up from the floor in the final minutes of the game, pulling away and securing the 77-71 victory.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Johnson had one of his best career performances, scoring 25 points on 11-18 from the field.  

• Koger Jr. racked up 11 points in only 19 minutes of action.  

• Gray hit three times from beyond the arc, scoring nine points. 

• Bell also scored nine points off the bench.  

• Clarks Summit was led by Ashton West who scored 15 points.  

WHO'S NEXT? 
The Gators will return home to take on Rosemont College on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM.  

STAY CONNECTED 
Fans can keep up with NDMU Athletics all season long on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube using the handle @ndmgatorsports.