21st Mar 2008
Notre Dame 68
George Mason 50
Notre Dame advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with the win over George Mason last night. The Patriots could never get close in the contest and the Irish kept a commanding lead throughout the entire night. Once ND led 8-7 very early in the first half, they never looked back and remained up by at least 10 points nearly the entire game. It was a complete team effort and each Irish played their part in the victory.
Luke Harangody as usual was the high scorer for Notre Dame, this time with 18 points on 8 of 19 shots from the floor. Obviously not his best game but he played well enough and managed to grab 14 rebounds, 6 of which were offensive. Luke wasn’t able to hit as many shots as he wanted nor get to the free-line as often as he had hoped. He only shot 42.1% and only made two of his five free-throw attempts. But in the end, I’ll take a Notre Dame win over a big Harangody game in a loss any day of the week.
Kyle McAlarney had a typical game with 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. All of those numbers are very close to his season averages. He made 3 of 7 attempts from beyond the arc, which is also pretty normal for him this year. Kyle played 38 of the 40 minutes, more than anyone else, and had zero fouls. He was productive and did what he had to do.
Ryan Ayers had a very nice game coming off of the bench with his 12 points in 25 minutes. He shot 50.0% from the floor on 10 attempts which includes his 2 of 6 shooting from three. He was making his jump shots and making smart decisions. He also had one rebound, one assist, and one steal.
My player of the game is going to have to be Zach Hillesland. He only finished with 6 points but he sure did make a big difference in this game. He made 3 of his 4 shot attempts in 31 minutes played while doing everything else right. He grabbed a season high 11 rebounds in the game while dishing out five assists. He played extremely well on defense with a blocked shot and three steals. Definitely one of Zach’s best games this year even with only six points the entire night.
Tory Jackson had an “OK” game with 6 points and only two assists in 36 minutes. He did however manage to bring in 8 rebounds, something he has done very well as a point guard. I am amazed at how he does this each and every game at only 5′11″. Rob Kurz also had 6 points in the win before he fouled out. He hit two shots from beyond the arc which kept the Irish ahead.
The other contributors were Luke Zeller with 3 points and freshman Tim Abromaitis with 2 points in the last minute of the game. Other players who saw playing time were sophomore Jonathan Peoples, freshman Ty Proffitt, and freshman Tyrone Nash. They all checked into the game with a few seconds remaining.
George Masons offense was led by senior forward Will Thomas who had a game high 25 points as well as 7 boards. No one else on the Patriots finished in double digits. They were obviously outmatched and had no chance of winning this game. They just didn’t have enough talent and could never get into any rhythm which is extremely difficult against an excellent offensive team such as the Irish. Thankfully, George Mason didn’t pull the upset like they did two years ago and are heading home in the first round. Best of luck to them next season.
Notre Dame Statistics
Field Goals Made - Attempts: 26 - 57
Field Goal Percentage: 45.6%
Free-Throws Made - Attempts: 7 - 11
Free-Throw Percentage: 63.6%
Rebounds: 42 (11 Offensive)
Assists: 14
Personal Fouls: 15
Turnovers: 12
Blocked Shots: 5
Steals: 4
3-Point Field Goals Made - Attempts: 9 - 21
3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 42.9%
George Mason Statistics
Field Goals Made - Attempts: 19 - 57
Field Goal Percentage: 33.3%
Free-Throws Made - Attempts: 9 - 14
Free-Throw Percentage: 64.3%
Rebounds: 31 (8 Offensive)
Assists: 8
Personal Fouls: 14
Turnovers: 11
Blocked Shots: 2
Steals: 5
3-Point Field Goals Made - Attempts: 3 - 17
3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 17.6%
Up next for Mike Brey and the Fighting Irish is Washington State tomorrow at 6:40 PM ET. I’ll have a preview for that game sometime tomorrow and a look at the East Region later on today. Check back for updates and as always, Go Irish!
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10th Mar 2008
Notre Dame 67
South Florida 60
The Irish defeated the Bulls Saturday for their 14th conference win on the season. That’s a new school record for Big East wins and is a very impressive number. Harangody once again led all scorers with 21 points while grabbing nine boards. Rob Kurz played well with 14 points and five rebounds before he fouled out. Zach Hillesland had a very good game and made some impressive baskets while scoring 10 points and getting 7 rebounds. Kyle McAlarney finished with 10 points as well but had four assists and three rebounds. As a team, the Irish started off extremely well in the beginning of the game and couldn’t keep it up. South Florida got back into the game but never close enough. It’s always good to win away from home, something Mike Brey has had some trouble with this year.
Notre Dame finished the regular season with a record of 24-6 (14-4) and a tie of second place in the Big East. They receive a number three seed in the conference tournament because Louisville beat them not too long ago. Luke Harangody will win the Big East Player of the Year, no doubt, and as always, Go Irish!
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6th Mar 2008
Notre Dame 68
St. John’s 55
Notre Dame became the first team to ever go undefeated at home in the Big East two seasons in a row. The Irish have won 37 straight games in the Joyce Center and won’t play there again until next season. With the win, Mike Brey’s team improved to 23-6 (13-4) and jumped solely into third place after being tied with Connecticut. The Huskies play at Providence tonight to try and again join the Irish in third place in the conference. St. John’s is hoping UConn will win for a better chance of making the Big East tournament. The Red Storm are now 11-18 (5-12) on the season with only one game remaining. They will be playing West Virginia and if they lose, their season will be over.
Rob Kurz played his final game in the Joyce Center last night and played pretty well. He finished with 15 points and four rebounds in 34 minutes. The senior captain received a standing ovation as he exited the game with a few seconds remaining. Rob will be most remembered for not only his play, but his leadership. Mike Brey considered him one of the best captains he has ever coached and it showed on the floor. Kurz had a great career at Notre Dame and will try to lead his team deep into the tournaments coming up.
Luke Harangody once again had the most points in the game with 20 on the night. He made 9 of his 12 shots, 75%, but only grabbed six rebounds the entire game. I was expecting him to put up some bigger numbers but he did enough and managed to get St. John’s big man, Dele Coker, to foul out. Coker played real physical against Luke but no one can stop the monster. He made some great shots and should still be way out in front of the Big East Player of the Year race.
Kyle McAlarney played pretty well and finished with 13 points on 9 shots. He made 5 of his 9 attempts, which includes 3 of 5 from behind the arc. He obviously didn’t shoot much but passed the ball well. Kyle also had two assists and two rebounds in the win.
Tory Jackson only had 4 points the entire game but contributed with a spectacular eight assists. He also had five rebounds, a steal, and a block in 34 minutes of play.
The other contributors were Zach Hillesland with 6 points, Luke Zeller with 5, and Ryan Ayers also had 5 points. Jonathan Peoples also played in the game and has three assists in only 10 minutes of playing time.
As a team, the Irish made 53.8% of their shots and had 19 assists on 28 made shots. However, the only finished with 25 rebounds, which is very low for them, but it was enough in the end. They only had three offensive rebounds and only made five shots from behind the arc. It wasn’t a typical Mike Brey offense kind of game but a win is a win.
The Red Storm was led by Anthony Mason Jr. who finished with 16 points and missed two slam dunks. He hit 4 of the teams 5 three-pointers and had 2 rebounds. Freshman D.J. Kennedy was the only other player in double digits for St. John’s with 11 points. Norm Roberts played 10 different players last night and they each played at least eight minutes. As a team, they made 41.1% of their shots and had 31 rebounds and 12 assists.
The Irish are in great position now heading into the post season. They have only lost 6 games the entire year and will finish with four times as many wins if they beat South Florida on Saturday. It should be another easy victory for Mike Brey’s team and could possibly put them in second place in the conference. I’ll have a preview for that game in the next couple of days and as always, Go Irish!
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2nd Mar 2008
Notre Dame 98
DePaul 91
The Fighting Irish recorded their 12th Big East victory today, a school record. This is the first time Notre Dame has won 12 games in the Big East, a very impressive number. They also clinched a bye in the conference tournament with the win and improved their record to 22-6 (12-4). That keeps them tied for third place in the Big East. DePaul on the other hand are battling to make the tournament and are now tied for the last spot (12th) with Providence and St. Johns. The Blue Demons stand at 10-18 (5-11) and need to win their last two games for a decent change of making the Big East tournament.
Luke Harangody once again led Notre Dame in scoring and rebounding but was not able to get another double-double. He had 24 points and 9 rebounds in the win and will still most likely be named Big East Player of the Week for the third time this season. He played well after his 40 point game against Louisville and did enough for Mike Brey today. Harangody is going to win Big East Player of the Year and his teammates helped him today unlike the game against the Cardinals. Luke also had three blocks on defense.
Lone senior and captain Rob Kurz had a great game this afternoon with 21 points. That’s his second highest this season, two points shy of matching his game against North Florida early in the year. He hit four of his five shots from beyond the arc and also grabbed 7 boards while playing outstanding defense. He had three of the teams seven blocks as well as two assists.
Another big man who stepped up today was 6′10″ junior Luke Zeller. He had 13 points, making 5 of his 6 shot attempts, including a trio of threes. Kyle McAlarney started off slow but finished with 13 points and three threes as well as four rebounds and three assists. Three other Irish players had 9 points, Tory Jackson, Zach Hillesland, and Ryan Ayers. Jackson played much better and had 7 rebounds and six assists. Hillesland also had six assists as well as three rebounds and a block. Ayers made all three of his attempts from beyond the arc and didn’t score anywhere else. Lastly, Jonathan Peoples has zero points but contributed with four assists.
As a team, Notre Dame shot incredibly well making 38 of their 68 attempts. That’s 55.9% on the afternoon and it’s largely due to their three-point shooting where the Irish made 13 of their 23 attempts (56.5%). They had a lot of assists, 24 total, and had two less rebounds than DePaul with 33.
DePaul’s freshman dominated on Senior Day and were responsible for the comeback attempt. Dar Tucker led the way with 28 points which includes six baskets from beyond the arc on nine attempts. He made big shots, got the crowd into the game, and has a really bright future. The other freshman is 6′10″ center Mac Koshwal, or Big Mac, who had 23 points and 10 rebounds. He is a captain in his first season and also has a very promising future. Other major contributors were Will Walker with 11 points and Jabari Currie with 10.
Notre Dame shut down the Blue Demons leading scorer, Draelon Burns, and held him to 9 points in his last game at the Allstate Arena. He only made 2 of his 10 shot attempts. As a team, DePaul made 46.5% of their shots and were down by as much as 28 points in the game. They are going to have a tough time making the Big East tournament now with games at Cincinnati and Pittsburgh remaining.
This was an important win for the Irish now that they have clinched a Big East bye. The record is also a nice accomplishment and should be extended to 14 games with two the conferences worst teams remaining. St. Johns is next on Wednesday and than South Florida on Satruday, the 8th. I’ll have a preview for the St. John’s game during the week and as always, Go Irish!
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29th Feb 2008
Louisville 90
Notre Dame 85
The Irish lost last night in Freedom Hall for their fourth conference loss on the season. They made a strong attempt at a comeback after being down by double digits nearly the entire game. But in the end, the Cardinals pulled through thanks to the leadership of David Padgett who guided the team the whole night. With the win, Louisville remains tied for first place in the Big East with their 23-6 (13-3) record. The Irish remain in third but are again tied with Connecticut with three conference games remaining. ND is currently 21-6 (11-4) and should finish the regular season with an additional three wins over DePaul, St. Johns, and South Florida.
Luke Harangody had the best game of his career and solidified the Big East Player of the Year award. He put in 40 points, a career high, while grabbing 12 rebounds for the Irish. That’s his 17th double-double this season and 25th game in a row with over ten points. He is such an incredible player and competitor. He made three, three-pointers at the end of the game, the firsts of his career, sparking Notre Dame’s comeback attempt. Luke played with unbelievable energy and will and kept Notre Dame within 20 points throughout the night. It was one of, if not the most impressive performance by a Notre Dame basketball player that I have ever seen. He is a great example of how the game should be played and will lead the Irish to great things.
The only other Irish player who played well is Ryan Ayers who came off of the bench and scored 17 points. He played 27 minutes and shot the ball extremely well with five threes on six attempts. Ryan also grabbed five rebounds in the loss and provided the only assistance for Luke Harangody.
Kyle McAlarney had possibly the worst game of his career with only 7 points while taking 14 shot attempts. He was 1 of 8 from beyond the arc and turned the ball over five times. Tory Jackson also had five turnovers, ten total for Notre Dame’s starting guards. As a team, the Irish turned the ball over 16 times, but it seemed like much more.
Louisville’s fullcourt press and aggressive defense rattled Mike Brey’s offense as soon as the game began. The Cardinals jumped out to a big lead very early in the game and kept it nearly the entire night. Notre Dame didn’t start making it’s run until there was less than four minutes left, but it was too late by than.
David Padgett got his team out front and kept them there with a team high 26 points. He also had six rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes of play. David was the focal point of the Cardinals offense, standing near the free throw line making the right passes and taking good shots. Other contributors for Louisville were Terrence Williams and Earl Clark with 14 points each and Andre McGee and Edgar Sosa with 10 a piece.
It wasn’t a fun game to watch as a Notre Dame fan, but it showed that they have the will to comeback when down by double digits. I’m positive the Irish have the ability to beat Louisville if they play again, but will need McAlarney and Jackson to perform much better. They could meet again in the Big East tournament, but for now, Mike Brey needs to focus on the last three games. DePaul is up next on Sunday at 1:00, so I will have a preview sometime before that. Incredible game Luke Harangody and as always, Go Irish!
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24th Feb 2008
Notre Dame 94
Syracuse 87
Mike Brey and the Fighting Irish defeated Syracuse today in a high scoring game. Notre Dame shot extremely well the entire game but the Orangemen didn’t allow them to ever completely pull away. Jim Boeheim’s team is going to have to win some key games after this loss for a chance to make the NCAA tournament, let alone the Big East tournament. They are now 19-8 (7-8) on the season with Pittsburgh up next. The Irish are now in a very good position with their 21-5 (11-3) record, placing them at the number three spot in the Big East. With Louisville up next, they could climb to second in the conference with a win, possibly even first if Georgetown loses to St. Johns.
Kyle McAlarney was the star today scoring 30 points for his second best game this year. He made history from behind the arc, hitting 9 of 11 threes. The 9 three-pointers puts Kyle at the top of the Notre Dame list for most threes in a single game. He also distributed the ball well with 4 assists and managed to grab 3 rebounds for his team. McAlarney completed a four point play and was just unbelievable all afternoon. Another Big East Player of the Week could be coming his way after this performance.
Rob Kurz had a decent game with 15 points while having to get stitches over his eye in the second half. He made a couple threes and got to the line a lot, making 7 of 10 free-throws. He only had two rebounds the entire game as Syracuse dominated the glass. As a team, Notre Dame only grabbed 32 boards compared to Syracuse’s 47. The Irish rarely ever get out-rebounded.
Arinze Onuaku kept Luke Harangody out of the game on the offensive side of the ball for most of the afternoon. However, he was able to record another double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. He scored 7 points in the first half and not much more until late in the game. He struggled from the free-throw line, hitting only 2 of his 5 attempts, but it was enough in the end. It wasn’t his worse game, but certainly not his best.
Tory Jackson didn’t shoot much all game but finished with 10 points, 5 of which were from the free-throw line. He made some late foul shots to keep the Irish ahead with a comfortable lead. With only two assists and two rebounds, he wasn’t able to get his third double-double in a row, but he can’t play that well every game. Tory did what was needed for the team and Notre Dame got another win.
The other contributors for the Irish were Ryan Ayers with 10 points, Jonathan Peoples with 7, Zach Hillesland had 6, and Luke Zeller with 2. Jonathan Peoples played very well in only 11 minutes of time. He made all three of his shots including a basket from beyond the arc. Also, promising Freshman Tyrone Nash saw approximately 1.7 seconds of playing time right before the end of the first half.
Syracuse’s top performers were Paul Harris with 22 points, Arinze Onuaku with 19, and freshman Jonny Flynn had 17. The Irish were able to hold the Orangemen’s top scorer on the year, Donte Greene, to 5 points. The freshman eventually fouled out and only made 2 of his 7 shot attempts. Arinze Onuaku also fouled out.
Notre Dame made 54.7% of their shots while Syracuse made 40.2%. The Irish made 14 of their 25 threes (56.0%) as the Orangemen only hit 6 of their 20 attempts (30.0%).
This win makes it 36 straight in South Bend for Mike Brey and the Fighting Irish. They have one home game left which is against St. John’s, but they need to focus on their next opponent, Louisville. The Cardinals barely escaped Pittsburgh today but are going to be real tough to beat on Thursday. I’ll have a preview for the game at some point this week and as always, Go Irish!
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21st Feb 2008
Notre Dame 82
Pittsburgh 70
The Fighting Irish spark an incredible comeback to defeat the Panthers by 12 in South Bend. The home winning streak is now at 35 games with two Joyce Center matches remaining this season. Tory Jackson and Luke Harangody each had double-double’s in tonight’s win over the Panthers after trailing by 11 with 13:48 left in the second half of action. Notre Dame improved its record to 20-5 (10-3) which puts them a half of game behind Georgetown/Louisville. Pittsburgh is now 19-7 (7-6) on the season with Louisville coming up next on Sunday.
Once again, Tory Jackson is the player of the game with 16 points and 13 rebounds. That’s right, 13 rebounds for a 5′11″ point guard. He had the same numbers of rebounds as 6′7″ DeJuan Blair and more than the second best rebounder in the Big East, Luke Harangody. Six of his thirteen were offensive and he also had an incredible block in the first half. I hope I can find a video of his rejection because it was SICK! Tory also scored when it was needed and made some acrobatic plays to get to the line. He made some big shots, including a big three with 4:36 left and recorded his second double-double in a row. He has really played well recently and his confidence has surely skyrocketed.
Luke Harangody bounced back from his poor performance against Rutgers and had 23 points and 12 rebounds. There was no doubt in my mind that he would score at least twenty heading into this game, but he had to work very hard for those numbers. DeJuan Blair of Pittsburgh kept Luke frustrated and out of rhythm for most of the game. But by taking 19 shots, Harangody was able to get his usual numbers and help the Irish get a W. This game keeps him at the top of the list for Big East Player of the Year and if he continues to play well, he should win it.
Senior Captain Rob Kurz played very well early on in the game, scoring 7 of his 14 points within the first few minutes. He did receive somewhat limited playing time because of foul trouble but still managed to put up more points than his average. Rob only had 5 rebounds in the match but Tory Jackson made up for it as Notre Dame out-rebounded the Panthers 41 to 35.
Kyle McAlarney struggled early in the game and couldn’t get his shots to go in the first half. But he came out of halftime with confidence and started hitting NBA-ranged three’s which jump-started Notre Dame’s comeback. He hit two deep shots from behind the arc which tied the game at 61. From that point on the Irish scored 21 points compared to 9 for Pittsburgh. Kyle finished with 15 points, including three, three-point shots.
Other contributors were Ryan Ayers with 5 points, Zach Hillesland with 4, Jonathan Peoples had 3, and Luke Zeller put in 2. Notre Dame made 28 of 67 shots, 41.8%, which is exactly the same as their last game, against Rutgers. They took the same numbers of shots and made the same amount of baskets against the Scarlet Knights. They made the same amount of three’s (8) but took a couple more shots tonight (24) in the 12 point win. The most impressive statistic of this game is the Notre Dame free throw shooting. The Big East’s best free throw shooting team made 18 of 20 attempts tonight, that’s 90%.
The stars for Pittsburgh were Sam Young with 20 points, Keith Benjamin with 15, DeJuan Blair had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Levance Fields added 10 more points. The Panthers shot 40.0% from the floor and 28.0% from beyond the arc. They led the Irish by 5 at halftime and as many as 11 in the game, but couldn’t put it away. The Notre Dame fans were too much and cheered their loudest so far this year, as Mike Brey’s team came back and won.
This was a very exciting game for Notre Dame and a quality win with only a few games left. I’d also like to mention that Jon Tenuta was in the stands tonight with Charlie Weis who goes to most of the basketball games. Up next is Syracuse on Sunday which is another big matchup and will be televised on CBS. I’ll have a preview up on Saturday and as always, Go Irish!
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17th Feb 2008
Notre Dame 71
Rutgers 68
The Fighting Irish barely escaped Piscataway, New Jersey today in a game that went down to the last minute. Kyle McAlarney hit two free throws to extend the lead to three and put the game away for Notre Dame. The Scarlet Knights put up a strong fight and nearly won, but mistakes late in the game cost them the contest. The Irish improve their record to 19-5 (9-3), good for a tie in third place with Connecticut. Rutgers is now dead last in the Big East with their rough 10-17 (2-12) record.
The star of the game was sophomore guard Tory Jackson. Tory nearly had a triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. That’s his highest scoring game of the season and one of his best nights in assists and rebounds. He had nine rebounds in the loss to Connecticut and eleven assists in the win earlier against UConn. He also had two steals today, but really needs to improve his free-throw shooting. He only made 2 of 5 from the line today and is shooting an awful 50.7% so far this year. However, this game most certainly boosted his confidence, so let’s hope he can continue to play this well heading into the final games of the season.
Junior Kyle McAlarney had a much better game today with 16 points. He made four of his seven three point attempts, after only making two of seven against UConn. Kyle put on a good performance for the 150+ friends and family that he had at the game today. He grew up less than a half hour away from Rutgers in Staten Island. McAlarney played 38 of the 40 minutes and made two late free-throws forcing the Scarlet Knights to shoot from behind the arc in the final seconds.
Lone Senior Rob Kurz also played well compared to his performance last Wednesday night against Connecticut. He had 11 points today with a season high 14 rebounds. Rob played 36 minutes and only had one foul as he dominated the glass.
Surprisingly, Luke Harangody struggled all game and could never get into a rhythm. Hamady N’Diaye and Rutgers’ other big men held Harangody to only 10 points and 8 rebounds, both much below his season average. He got into foul trouble early on and was forced to play a much different style than he is used to, and obviously it didn’t work out too well. This is one of the few games Harangody hasn’t got a double-double but his teammates picked up the slack and managed to come away with another W.
As a team, Notre Dame shot very well in the first half but struggled early in the second. They finished with a percentage of 41.8, making 28 out of 67 shot attempts, including 8 of 17 behind the arc. Once again, the Irish out-rebounded their opponent, this time 43 to 35. Notre Dame is one of the best rebounding teams in the nation and most certainly not the tallest. They just have so many players who always go after the ball and follow their shots, no matter how tall they are, considering Tory Jackson is only 5′11″.
The top players for Rutgers were Juniors Anthony Farmer with 16 points and JR Inman with 14. The Scarlet Knights made 26 of 69 shot attempts, 37.7%. Twenty-five of those shots were from behind the arc, where they shot 36.0%, making nine. Their defensive play and Notre Dame’s offensive struggles kept the game close.
Rutgers gave Notre Dame some trouble, but Mike Brey and his team came away with an important win away from home. Nine Big East wins is am impressive number and puts them in great position as tournament time approaches. Pittsburgh will be traveling to South Bend, Indiana on Thursday to try and snap Notre Dame’s impressive home winning streak. This will be the first meeting between these teams this season and should be an exciting game to watch. I’ll have a preview on Wednesday and as always, Go Irish!
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13th Feb 2008
Connecticut 84
Notre Dame 78
I didn’t get to see this game on ESPNU, but I was able to listen to the commentary on UND.com with Jack Nolan. The Harry A. Gampel Pavilion hosted the Fighting Irish tonight in another Big East conference game. The Huskies of Connecticut defeated Notre Dame to extend their winning streak to eight games, and snap Mike Brey’s five game run. Number 17 UConn got their revenge at home after the number 18 Irish won in January. Notre Dame moves to 18-5 (8-3) while Connecticut improves to 19-5 (8-3).
There were many, many lead changes and ties throughout this game tonight, but obviously the Huskies finished with the momentum. The largest point difference in this match was seven points when the Irish led 32-25 in the first half. From that point on they both had highs and lows as they battled down to the end of the game. Connecticut gave Notre Dame a shot in the final minute, missing important free-throws, but the Irish couldn’t capitalize. They made poor decisions and rushed their shoots when it was not necessary.
Luke Harangody once again did everything he could, scoring a career best 32 points, but was given very little assistance from his teammates. He grabbed 16 rebounds for the second time this season, while 7′3″ Thabeet had 10. Harangody outplayed Hasheem Thabeet again tonight, who only had four points in 35 minutes, but his defense made the difference. Thabeet had six blocks in this matchup, although, he had ten the last time he faced the Irish.
Tory Jackson started off well with two early three-pointers and finished with 13 points, but only four assists. Kyle McAlarney only had 12 points against the Huskies, going 2 of 7 from behind the arc. The Irish finished with a very low three point percentage of 29.2, making 7 out of 24. Luke Zeller had two threes and Ryan Ayers had the other. Connecticut did a little better, shooting 40.0% from behind the arc, 8 out of 20 attempts.
Junior A.J. Price paved the way for the Huskies with his 26 points and 9 assists as he played all but one minute of the game. He made four three point shots. Three other players finished with ten-plus points; Jeff Adrien (13), Craig Austrie (14), and Doug Wiggins (10).
With this win the Huskies move up and the Irish drop down to be tied for third in the Big East behind only Georgetown and Louisville. All four of these teams will be playing again this weekend away from their home courts. Connecticut at South Florida, Notre Dame at Rutgers, Louisville at Providence, and Georgetown at Syrcause. The top four should most likely stay the same after these four games but anything can happen in the Big East.
The Irish weren’t expected to win this game but proved that they can play with anyone, anywhere. They kept the game close and gave themselves a chance to win at an elite team’s home court. Mike Brey must now get his team to focus on Rutgers on Sunday and make sure not to take the Scarlet Knights lightly. Tough game for Notre Dame, can’t win them all, but as always, Go Irish!
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9th Feb 2008
Notre Dame 86
Marquette 83
Marquette came into South Bend earlier this afternoon looking to snap Notre Dame’s 33 game winning streak at home. The Golden Eagles were the last team to beat the Irish at home in the Joyce Center. Notre Dame came into this matchup looking to get revenge and another game added to the third longest, active, home winning streak in the country. The Irish came out on top, improving to 18-4 (8-2) this season, coming within one game of Georgetown who plays Louisville tonight on ESPN at 9:00 PM EST. This makes five wins in a row for the Irish and 34 in a row in South Bend.
Tory Jackson led the way for the Irish early in the game, coming out with a lot of energy and exciting plays. He set the tone immediately with a beautiful block and a couple of rebounds. Remember, Jackson is only 5′10″ but averages nearly five rebounds game as a guard. He also provided some scoring early on making two three’s in the first half, when he has only made five on the season prior to today. Tory finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists as he guided the Irish to another win.
Luke Harangody was shut down in the first half and only had seven points at halftime. He didn’t score at all for the first 13 minutes and 22 seconds of the game due to the outstanding defense of Marquette’s Ousmane Barro. However, Luke picked his game up in the second half and started drawing some fouls and getting to the line. He provided clutch free-throw shooting (10-13) at the end of the game to win it for the Irish. Harangody managed to get another double-double and finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Kyle McAlarney also struggled in the first half due to a lack of open shots. The Golden Eagles shut down Notre Dame’s deadly duo almost the entire first half and forced the rest of the Irish team to make plays. Kyle eventually started making some baskets later on and finished with an exceptional 12 points, going two of six from beyond the arc.
Notre Dame won this game because of the effort of each and every player on the team. When Luke and Kyle struggled in the first half, Jackson, Hillesland, and Zeller carried the team to a ten point halftime lead. Zeller had 11 points on the afternoon including a sick one-handed dunk in the first half. Zach Hillesland finished with ten points, six of which were in the first five minutes of the game, as well as seven rebounds. Other contributors were; sophomore Jonathan Peoples with seven points, including a pair of late free throws, Ryan Ayers with nine who completed a four point play, and lone senior Rob Kurz with five points and five rebounds.
If Marquette had made just a couple less mistakes, like missed layups, they would’ve have won this game and snapped the streak. Dominic James and Lazar Hayward were the Golden Eagles high scorers with 23 and 21 points. They each made 3 of 6 from beyond the arc, helping Marquette make 12 of 25 three pointers this afternoon. Last time these two teams played, the Golden Eagles again had 12 three’s, but the outcome was much different. So Marquette moves to 16-6 (6-5) on the year with Seton Hall and Pittsburgh coming up next.
The Fighting Irish ended up winning this game by three thanks to the clutch free-throw shooting late in the game. There were too many turnovers in the last couple of minutes, but luckily Notre Dame survived and won their fifth game in a row. They will most certainly go up in the next set of rankings and Marquette will most likely drop out. Up next for Notre Dame is red-hot Connecticut, who has won six games in a row with a chance to make it seven right now against Georgia Tech on ESPN. The ND-Hoyas game is on Wednesday the 13th, at Connecticut, so I will have a preview on Tuesday the 12th. Great win for Notre Dame today, and as always, Go Irish!
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