FREDERICK, MD – Notre Dame of Maryland men's basketball put together a gritty effort Saturday afternoon but came up short against Lynchburg, falling 77–67 at Woodboro Bank Arena on the campus of Hood College.

Senior guard Chandler Johnson led the Gators with a stellar all-around performance, scoring 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including three 3-pointers, while adding five rebounds and a steal. Marlon Lewis provided key energy off the bench, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds, and two steals.

Notre Dame hung tough throughout the first half, trading leads with the Hornets in a back-and-forth 20 minutes that saw seven lead changes. Lynchburg held a slim 35–32 edge at halftime before using a strong rebounding effort to extend the lead late.

The Gators showcased balanced scoring as Dylan Long chipped in eight points and five rebounds, Jahbreco Dacosta added six points and eight boards, and Anthony Wright anchored the interior with seven points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Ricardo Ross contributed six points and two assists, while Jackson Pugh tallied five points and a team-high three assists.

Notre Dame shot 32.3% from the field and 73% from the free-throw line, while Lynchburg countered with 45% shooting and a 50–38 advantage on the glass.

Despite the result, the Gators showed improvement on both ends, forcing 17 Lynchburg turnovers and holding the Hornets to just 4-of-20 from beyond the arc.

With the loss, Notre Dame falls to 0–2 overall, while Lynchburg moves to 1–1. The Gators will look to bounce back in their next outing as they continue nonconference play in the Susquehanna University Invitational where they will take on York College on Friday, November 14 at 6 PM.