SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va.  – Senior guard Rachel Johnson (Frederick, Md./Frederick) scored a game-high 23 points to lead Shepherd University to a 76-71 win over Notre Dame College in MEC women's basketball action at the Butcher Center on Saturday.

Johnson hit on 10-of-14 shots from the floor with a 3-of-5 effort from three-point range. She also added five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Her 23-point effort tied a season-high (Glenville State).

Freshman guard Morgan Arden (Hanover, Pa./Spring Grove) added 11 points, six boards and four assists. Sophomore forward Liz Myers (York, Pa./Eastern York) was also in double figures with 10 points.

Sophomore guard Cara Mason (Monrovia, Md./Urbana) chipped in with six points and a game-high seven assists, while senior center Gabby Flinchum (North Potomac, Md./Wootton) had eight points and a team-high seven rebounds off the bench in her first action of the season.

Martha Nagbe had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Lauren Langenderfer added 15 points to pace the Falcons.

Shepherd had a 40-36 lead at halftime.

The Rams led by as many nine points three times in the second half, including a 65-56 lead with 5:36 left after a layup by Johnson. The Falcons would get no closer than four points the rest of the game.

Shepherd shot 51.9 percent (28-54) from the floor with a 41.2 percent effort (7-17) from three-point range. The Rams shot 76.5 percent (13-17) from the charity stripe.

Notre Dame College connected on 37.3 percent (25-67) from the floor with a 27.6 percent (8-29) performance from beyond the arc. The Falcons hit on 50 percent (13-26) of their free throws.

Notre Dame had a 43-33 advantage on the boards. The Rams forced 15 turnovers and committed 18.

Shepherd improves to 8-3, 5-0 in MEC action, while Notre Dame falls to 6-5, 2-3. The Rams return to action on Monday when they host Urbana for a 5:30 p.m. contest.