Down by double-digits in the second half, the Presbyterian College men's basketball team cut the Notre Dame lead to just two in the closing minutes but the Fighting Irish used a late run to push back for the 63-53 win in action Monday evening in South Bend, Ind.  Cory Hightower led PC with 15 points and eight rebounds.
 
Scoring the Game
Notre Dame jumped out to a 7-0 lead before a Ben Drake three-pointer at 17:38 ended the drought.  A three by Cory Hightower at 13:55 knotted the game at 11-11, but a ND 11-4 run put the home team on top 22-15, 10:55 on the clock.  Trailing by seven, 9:50 left, the Blue Hose scored 10 straight to jump ahead by three, 28-25, 6:23 remaining.  The lead was short-lived as the Fighting Irish closed out the half with a 14-3 run to retake the lead and go into the locker room leading 39-31.
 
A Rex Pflueger three-pointer gave Notre Dame one of its largest lead at 11 points, 48-37, 13:41 to go.  PC outscored ND 12-3 over the next five minutes to make it a two-point game, 51-49, 8:56 left.  It was Notre Dame the next five and a half minutes, using an 11-1 run to jump back out to a 62-50 lead.  Owen McCormack's three-pointer with just under a minute left cut it to nine, but Notre Dame free throws kept the home team on top at the end, 63-53.
 
Players of the Game
Cory Hightower had a strong first half for PC, recording 12 points in the opening stanza.  He finished the game with a team-leading 15 points and eight rebounds.  Ben Drake followed with 11 points.  Rex Pflueger led Notre Dame with 13 points, while Juwan Durham pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds.
 
Stats of the Game
Notre Dame shot 43.8% from the field in the first half and recorded eight three-pointers, while PC was 48.1% in field goals, with four three-pointers.  The Blue Hose shot 35.7% in the second half for a game total of 41.8%.  PC finished with five three-pointers, 33 rebounds, and 12 turnovers.  The Fighting Irish shot 41.2% for the game and pulled down 33 boards, with 10 turnovers.
 
For the Record
PC drops to 1-3 on the young season, while Notre Dame improves to 4-1.
 
Up Next
The Blue Hose head to Hamden, Conn., Nov. 22-24, to take part in the Bobcat Invitational.  PC faces Sacred Heart Friday at 5 p.m., Quinnipiac on Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and Albany on Sunday at 1 p.m.