Chestertown, MD - Notre Dame of Maryland knocked off the previously undefeated Washington College (9-1) with an impressive 91–83 road victory on Tuesday afternoon at Penny J. Fall Gymnasium. The Gators improved their winning streak to four in a row and have been victorious in seven of their last eight games.
The Gators built a four-point halftime lead and then leaned on their depth, transition game and efficiency at the free-throw line to pull away in the second half. Notre Dame shot 31-of-66 from the field and went 24-of-28 at the stripe, turning 19 Washington College turnovers into 22 points while also holding a 43–32 edge on the glass.
Marlon Lewis powered the Gators with a game-high 29 points and 12 rebounds, controlling the paint on both ends and repeatedly finishing through contact.
Ricardo Ross added 21 points on an efficient 9-of-14 shooting night, while
Jackson Pugh chipped in 13 points and a team-high six assists to help keep the offense flowing.
Dylan Long contributed 11 points and sparked Notre Dame's fast-break attack, which accounted for 28 points.
Notre Dame seized early momentum with active defense and quick scoring in transition, but Washington College answered with timely three-point shooting to keep the game tight. The Gators carried a 41–37 lead into the break and extended it early in the second half behind baskets from Lewis and Ross.
After the Gators extended the lead to 11 midway through the second half, Washington College started a comeback to cut the lead down to five before a Lewis and-one play was able to slow the Shoremen momentum. Washington responded back with a three-point-play of their own to keep the game in striking range. The two teams exchanged points back and forth with Ross showing off a smooth reverse layup. Washington College continued their comeback, cutting the Gators lead to two with three minutes left before a huge block by Lewis led to a Ross layup. Lewis followed that up with a strong layup of his own, with the defense causing a couple of late steals and good free throw shooting to put the game away.
Washington College was led by Nolan Waldon's 19 points, while Jon Nalty added 17 and Ty Woodland scored 13, but the Shoremen were limited to six free throws made and were unable to close the gap late. The Gators now lead the career series between the two programs 2-0 as Notre Dame also defeated Washington in the 2024-2025 campaign.
The win improved Notre Dame of Maryland to 7–4 overall in the first game of a busy three game week for the Gators. Their next game will see them take a short trek north to take on Division I Towson University on Friday, December 19 at 6 PM in the first ever matchup between the two teams.
