Tag: ACC Basketball

Notre Dame: Women’s Basketball Nears .500 Mark With Victory at Pitt

Notre Dame flew out of the gate to start the second half, going on a 7-0 run, with five points coming from Destinee Walker.  An 8-0 run by Pitt later in the quarter kept things closer than anyone associated with the Irish would have liked, but ultimately they still took a 46-36 lead into the final frame.

The Notre Dame women’s basketball team (6-8, 1-1) kicked off 2020 with a 60-52 over now 3-10, Pitt. Destinee Walker helped lead the way with with sixteen points, five of which proved to be huge in the stretch run.

Mikki Vaughn tied her career high of 17 points and nearly earned a double-double with nine boards while Anaya Peoples earned her third double-double in the last four games with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

How It Happened

The opening quarter saw the teams play to an 8-8 draw before the Irish got off to a much quicker start in the second. Midway through the period, the Notre Dame offense found a little rhythm, recording a stretch in which they made 5-of-6 from the field to take a 24-18 lead before Peoples drained a jumper at the buzzer, to give the Irish a 30-22 halftime lead, in large part due to the 17 turnovers they forced in the first half.

Notre Dame flew out of the gate to start the second half, going on a 7-0 run, with five points coming from Walker.  An 8-0 run by Pitt later in the quarter kept things closer than anyone associated with the Irish would have liked, but ultimately they still took a 46-36 lead into the final frame.

A quick fourth quarter start for Pitt saw them cut the Irish lead to three before the Notre Dame weathered the storm and closed things out.  Leading by five with 23 seconds left, Walker came up big again with a crucial steal which translated to two Irish free-throws from Walker, as the grad transfer helped seal the victory.

The women return to the court Sunday afternoon when they’ll take on 7-6 Syracuse.

Notre Dame Basketball: Re-upping ACC Play vs. Syracuse

The real season for Notre Dame (9-4, 0-2) starts Saturday at Syracuse (8-5, 1-1) as the ACC schedule returns and won’t stop for the rest of the regular season. After that, we’ll know where the Irish stand as far as postseason aspirations. But let’s …

The real season for Notre Dame (9-4, 0-2) starts Saturday at Syracuse (8-5, 1-1) as the ACC schedule returns and won’t stop for the rest of the regular season. After that, we’ll know where the Irish stand as far as postseason aspirations. But let’s not put the cart before the horse.

The Irish enter this game first in the ACC and third nationally in assists at 18.2 a game. With 23 assists in their Dec. 29 win over Alabama A&M, they recorded their fourth game this season with at least 20 dimes. They also have committed the fewest fouls a game in the country (11.6), so the Orange and the rest of the ACC will have to make the most of the few free-throw opportunities available.

John Mooney, the nation’s top rebounder at 10.3 boards a game, needs only eight rebounds to reach 700 for his career.  With seven consecutive double-doubles and 10 for the season to tie for the most in the country, Mooney should be able to get to this milestone quickly.

Notre Dame Basketball: Irish Close 2019 With Win Over Alabama A&M

As if there was any concern about its final game before the New Year and the rest of its ACC schedule, Notre Dame led wire-to-wire in an 82-56 win over Alabama A&M on Sunday at Purcell Pavilion. Five players scored in double figures for the Irish …

As if there was any concern about its final game before the New Year and the rest of its ACC schedule, Notre Dame led wire-to-wire in an 82-56 win over Alabama A&M on Sunday at Purcell Pavilion. Five players scored in double figures for the Irish (9-4) while the Bulldogs (3-8) never recovered from a first half in which they shot 7 of 36 from the field (19.4 percent).

T.J. Gibbs had a 7-of-10 shooting performance while leading all scorers with 17 points. John Mooney pulled down his latest double-double of 16 points and 18 rebounds. Dane Goodwin scored 12 off the bench, and 11 points each came from Juwan Durham and Prentiss Gibbs. Durham went to the locker room after suffering a sprained left knee on a rebound but returned to the bench before the game was over.

Notre Dame finishes its nonconference schedule at 9-2. The slate that will determine whether it goes dancing in March begins Saturday with a trip to Syracuse. A win would get the Irish back on the right track after earlier ACC losses to North Carolina and Boston College.

Notre Dame Basketball: Alabama A&M Final Nonconference Opponent

Exactly 24 hours after the Notre Dame football team kicks off in the Camping World Bowl, the men’s basketball team will return from a week-long holiday break by taking on Alabama A&M for the very first time at Purcell Pavilion. The Bulldogs are the …

Exactly 24 hours after the Notre Dame football team kicks off in the Camping World Bowl, the men’s basketball team will return from a week-long holiday break by taking on Alabama A&M for the very first time at Purcell Pavilion. The Bulldogs are the first SWAC team to visit South Bend since Grambling in 2014.

The Irish enter their final nonconference game of the season having lost three of their past five contests, most recently a tough Crossroads Classic defeat to Indiana. Look for them to rely on their two-way play once again. John Mooney has been the leader there with nine double-doubles in 11 games, but Nate Laszewski is coming off the first double-double of his collegiate career, recording 10 points and 10 rebounds as a substitute in the Indiana loss.

The Irish have taken better care of the ball lately, averaging 7.5 rebounds over their past two games after coughing it up at least 10 times in five of their previous six. It’s progress, but a trend that will have to continue as the remainder of the ACC schedule awaits.

Notre Dame Basketball: Renewing Detroit Mercy Rivalry

If Notre Dame (6-3) ever needed a time for Detroit Mercy (1-7) to appear on its schedule, this is it. A blowout loss at Maryland in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge followed by a tough home defeat to Boston College reminded the Irish that their recent …

If Notre Dame (6-3) ever needed a time for Detroit Mercy (1-7) to appear on its schedule, this is it. A blowout loss at Maryland in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge followed by a tough home defeat to Boston College reminded the Irish that their recent six-game winning streak merely was a blip in a long season. They hope Tuesday’s game with the Titans at Purcell Pavilion will give them to relief they need.

Facing the Titans for the first time since November 2011, the Irish once again will look to John Mooney, the nation’s leading rebounder at 13.5 boards a game. Mooney logged his third consecutive double-double and sixth in his first eight games with 16 points and 18 rebounds against Boston College on Saturday.  He is 12 rebounds away from tying Rob Kurz (650) for most career rebounds in the Mike Brey era.

Notre Dame is averaging 10.1 turnovers a game after losing the ball a season-high 15 times in Saturday’s loss. It has not finished a season averaging double figures in turnovers since the 2013-14 season (10.3). Though the Irish rank sixth nationally in that category this season and second in the ACC, they’ll have to limit those turnovers to snap their two-game skid.

Notre Dame Basketball: Winning Streak vs. Boston College Ends

As Notre Dame furiously tried to keep its 13-game winning streak against Boston College alive in the waning moments of Saturday’s contest at Purcell Pavilion, Irish radio play-by-play announcer Jack Nolan reminded listeners that the arena is one of …

As Notre Dame furiously tried to keep its 13-game winning streak against Boston College alive in the waning moments of Saturday’s contest at Purcell Pavilion, Irish radio play-by-play announcer Jack Nolan reminded listeners that the arena is one of the easiest places to shoot in the country. It’s easy to the point where Nolan said he once made three 3-pointers while playing in a charity game there. He brought this up because the Eagles’ hot shooting in the game (49.2 percent from the field) and particularly in the first half put them on the precipice of a win. Yet it took enduring a 13-3 Irish run and Marcel Goodwin’s missed half-court shot at the buzzer for Boston College to complete a surprising 73-72 win in South Bend.

Derryck Thornton was the best shooter for the Eagles (5-5, 2-0) by going 9 of 12 from the field in a 19-point effort. Jay Heath did most of his damage from downtown as he scored 12 of his 16 points behind the 3-point line. Jared Hamilton came off the bench and added 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

T.J. Gibbs played the entire game for the Irish (6-3, 0-2) and justified Mike Brey’s decision to have him do that with a game-high 22 points. John Mooney achieved his latest double-double with 16 points and 18 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end. But they weren’t enough for Notre Dame to overcome 39.7 percent shooting from the field on an afternoon in which half of its shots came from behind the 3-point line, where it went 8 for 29.

Notre Dame Basketball: Robby Carmody Update

Although not surprising, the still unfortunate word on the rest of his 2019-20 season came this morning in a release from the Notre Dame Athletic Communications Department:

With under a minute to go last night in their loss at No. 3 Maryland, Notre Dame guard Robby Carmody suffered what looked to be a brutal knee injury.

Although not surprising, the still unfortunate word on the rest of his 2019-20 season came this morning in a release from the Notre Dame Athletic Communications Department:

Sophomore guard Robby Carmody has suffered a left ACL injury – confirmed by an MRI conducted this morning – and will miss the remainder of the 2019-20 season. 

Carmody had played in seven of Notre Dame’s eight games to date and was averaging 5.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per contest in this, his sophomore season.

Notre Dame returns to the court Saturday as they host 4-5 Boston College.

Notre Dame Basketball: Robby Carmody Injured Late in Loss at No. 3 Maryland

The worst part of the night came in the games final minute when sophomore guard Robby Carmody suffered what appeared to be a significant knee injury that could very-possibly cost him the rest of the season.

Notre Dame had a tough time getting anything to work the final 36 or so minutes of Wednesday night’s loss at No. 3 Maryland, as the Irish fell 72-51.

The worst part of the night came in the games final minute when sophomore guard Robby Carmody suffered what appeared to be a significant knee injury that could very-likely cost him the rest of the season.

The Mars, Pennsylvania product had been averaging 5.5 points per game for Mike Brey’s Fighting Irish but it would appear his 2019-20 season is done almost as soon as it began.

The one good thing to be seen from this moment was a classy showing of sportsmanship from the entire Maryland team right after the game went final.

For Notre Dame an already thin bench gets that much thinner as the Irish have now lost two players in the last two days, after Chris Doherty announced he was leaving the team Tuesday.

Watch – Notre Dame Basketball Routed at No. 3 Maryland

The first half particularly was challenging for the Irish, who made only eight field goals and shot 1 for 11 from 3-point range.

Despite keeping pace early with No. 3 Maryland, Notre Dame found itself on the short end of a 19-7 run to end the first half and never recovered in a 72-51 road loss Wednesday.  The Irish (6-2) began this ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup by jumping out to a five-point lead in the first five minutes.  They kept pace for another 11 minutes, tying the game at 13 before the Terrapins (9-0) blew it open and never looked back, leading by as much as 27 in the second half.  The Irish dropped to 4-3 all-time in the annual challenge between the two power conferences.

Jalen Smith led the Terrapins with a double-double of 15 points and 16 rebounds to go with five blocks.  Eric Ayala scored 14, and Aaron Wiggins had 11, two of which came on a thunderous put-back dunk of his own shot to end the first half.  The Terrapins never allowed the Irish to get into a shooting rhythm, limiting the guests to 29 percent from the field.  The first half particularly was challenging for the Irish, who made only eight field goals and shot 1 for 11 from 3-point range.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcIuJmyFYlk&w=560&h=315]

John Mooney continued to be Notre Dame’s most dependable player, achieving his fifth double-double of the season with a game-high 17 points and 12 rebounds.  Prentiss Hubb matched Mooney’s team highs of five field goals and three 3-pointers, finishing with 13 points and leading the Irish with three assists.  Rex Pflueger was held scoreless, missing both of his 3-point attempts, and committed a game-high five turnovers.  It was a surprising off night for Pflueger, who has enjoyed a balanced season to this point.

The Irish were unable to keep up with the quicker Terrapins, who held a 15-7 advantage in fast break points.  They also outscored the Irish in points in the paint, 36-22.

With time winding down Notre Dame’s Robby Carmody went down with what appeared to be a significant knee injury and initial reports do not sound good for the Irish sophomore guard.

The Irish return to action Saturday when they host a struggling Boston College squad.

 

This article was written by new Fighting Irish Wire contributor Geoffrey Clark

Notre Dame Basketball: Previewing Test at No. 3 Maryland

The teams have not met since Jan. 15, 2014, a 74-66 win for the Terrapins.  It will be the Irish’s first true road game and their first contest against a ranked opponent since suffering their only loss of the season Nov. 6 at No. 9 North Carolina.

Notre Dame (6-1) faces its toughest test of the season to date Wednesday when it visits No. 3 Maryland (8-0) for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.  The teams have not met since Jan. 15, 2014, a 74-66 win for the Terrapins.  It will be the Irish’s first true road game and their first contest against a ranked opponent since suffering their only loss of the season Nov. 6 at No. 9 North Carolina.

Looking for their fifth ACC/Big Ten Challenge victory in seven appearances, the Irish once again will rely on John Mooney to do the heavy lifting.  Mooney posted a double-double in four of his first five games and extended his streak of at least 13 rebounds to four games Nov. 26 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson.  If the Preseason All ACC First-Team member can make it five straight 13-board games, he will be the first Irish player to do it since Luke Harangody in 2008-09.

Also recording double-doubles in Juwan Durham, doing so twice over the past three games.  With Mooney sidelined by illness Nov. 18 vs. Presbyterian, Durham had 11 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks.  In the Fairleigh Dickinson game, he scored 12 points, grabbed 11 boards and blocked four more shots.  Joining Mooney against North Carolina last season, Durham is the sixth Notre Dame player under Mike Brey to reach double figures in scoring and rebounding while also achieving four blocks.

Through seven games, Rex Pflueger has done his best to come back from the torn ACL that prematurely ended his season last year.  In addition to averaging 7.3 points a game, he is one of 12 major conference players to average at least four rebounds (4.1), three assists (3.4) and two steals (2.0).  Other prominent players in that group include Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, North Carolina’s Cole Anthony and Kansas’ Devon Dotson.