TOWSON, MD — Notre Dame of Maryland showed early fight but couldn't keep pace in the second half, falling 103–75 to Goucher on Monday afternoon at the Decker Sports & Recreation Center.

The Gators were competitive through the opening 20 minutes, trading momentum in a fast-paced first half and briefly holding the lead midway through the period. Notre Dame leaned on transition offense and interior scoring to stay close, trailing just 49–45 at the break.

That momentum stalled after halftime. Goucher opened the second half with a decisive run, scoring repeatedly in the paint and on second-chance opportunities to push the margin into double figures. Notre Dame struggled to find rhythm offensively during the stretch, managing just 30 points in the second half after shooting efficiently before intermission.

Marlon Lewis led Notre Dame with 17 points, while Ricardo Ross added 15 and Jackson Pugh finished with 13. Jordan Foster chipped in nine off the bench as the Gators attacked in transition and at the free-throw line, where they shot better than 80 percent as a team.

Rebounding proved to be a key difference, as Goucher held a significant edge on the glass as they lead 50-22 on the boards. Notre Dame also faced pressure defensively as the game wore on, with the hosts shooting better than 56 percent from the floor.

The Gators will finally host their home opener in the new year after 14 straight away games to start the season as United East Conference foes Penn College come to town on Saturday, January 3 at 1 PM.