Tag: J.R. Konieczny

J.R. Konieczny to return from foot injury for Notre Dame’s home finale

J.R. Konieczny had soreness in his right foot and missed Notre Dame’s victory over Wake Forest.

[autotag]J.R. Konieczny[/autotag] had soreness in his right foot and missed Notre Dame’s victory over Wake Forest. It was the first time this season he hadn’t appeared in a game. However, that appeared to only be a brief absence as Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports has tweeted the following ahead of the Irish’s home finale Saturday:

Obviously, it is unknown how much action Konieczny will see against Clemson. He hasn’t played more than 18 minutes over his past five games, none of which he started. He started his previous five games before that and shot 14 of 52 from the field during that stretch (26.9%). Since then, he’s shot a more respectable 11 of 23 (47.8%).

Fighting Irish Wire will be on hand to cover the men’s basketball team’s final home game this season as well as the women’s team’s sold-out home finale Sunday against Louisville. Both teams have being playing well lately, so now is a good time to catch them.

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Notre Dame sweeps season series with Georgia Tech

Good matchups have been hard to come by for Notre Dame this season. Even when the Irish get them, wins aren’t guaranteed.

Good matchups have been hard to come by for Notre Dame this season. Even when the Irish get them, wins aren’t guaranteed. Georgia Tech is the exception to that rule this season as the Irish beat the Yellow Jackets, 58-55, to complete a season sweep in the series.

Neither team led by more than six the entire game, during which there were nine lead changes. The Irish (9-16, 4-10) didn’t go into the lead for good until [autotag]J.R. Konieczny[/autotag] hit a jump shot inside the baseline with 3:12 left to put his team up one. It still was a one-point game when [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] had a chance to milk the clock with 38 seconds left.

Burton indeed took his time and waited until only a few seconds remained on the shot clock to fire a shot. He missed, and the ball was loose momentarily, but it ended up in the hands of [autotag]Logan Imes[/autotag]. He got the ball back to Burton, who was fouled with 1.2 seconds left and sank two free throws.It was reflective of the Irish having significant advantages in offensive rebounds (16-5) and second-chance points (20-9).

A last-second half-court heave for the Yellow Jackets (10-15, 3-11) didn’t get off in time, and the Irish had the win. It marked their first season sweep of an ACC opponent in two years.

Burton again contributed in a matter similar to [autotag]Hannah Hidalgo[/autotag] with game highs of 18 points, five assists and five steals. [autotag]Tae Davis[/autotag] scored 17 on 6-of-12 shooting from the field.

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Notre Dame drops another close contest to Boston College

The Irish still can’t win a close game with the Eagles.

When Notre Dame lost a close road contest to Boston College over a week-and-a-half ago, much of it had to do with Quinten Post getting hot. When the teams met again Saturday in South Bend, Post scored 10 points before fouling out with 4:03 left.

Despite losing Post for the stretch run, the Eagles had their biggest lead at seven, and it proved to be just enough to deal the Irish a 61-58 loss. Devin McGlockton led the Eagles with 15 points.

Neither team shot the ball well in the first half, but when points started coming more frequently in the second half, the Irish (7-13, 2-7) simply didn’t score enough. Although they only trailed, 57-55, in the final minute, Jaeden Zackery made a close shot with 30 seconds left to put the Eagles (12-8, 3-6) up four. [autotag]Braeden Shrewsberry[/autotag] missed a 3, and Zackery got the rebound before being fouled by [autotag]J.R. Konieczny[/autotag] and making two free throws.

Surprisingly, that didn’t end the game. A Shrewsberry 3 cut the Eagles’ six-point lead in half with barely any time remaining. The Eagles then couldn’t inbound the ball cleanly, and a replay review gave the Irish a chance to send the game to overtime with 0.8 seconds left. [autotag]Kebba Njie[/autotag] got an open look from 3-point range at the very top of the key, but he missed at the buzzer.

Konieczny flirted with a double-double by virtue of 15 points (13 in the first half) and eight rebounds. Shrewsberry scored all of his 14 points in the second half with 12 of them coming on four 3-pointers. [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] had 10 points (eight in the second half) and a game-high seven assists, but he also committed a game-high five turnovers.

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Notre Dame slips up late against Miami

Experience beats inexperience in a battle of struggling teams.

The one thing Notre Dame and Miami have in common is that both have struggled lately. Both teams came into Purcell Pavillion on Wednesday having lost four of their past five. For a game like this, one typically might expect experience to win out. That’s exactly what happened in a 73-61 Irish loss.

This contest featured five ties and 10 lead changes, but that all happened while over 80% of game time elapsed. With the Irish (7-12, 2-6) in front by three during the latter portion of the second half, the Hurricanes (13-6, 4-4) went on a 19-2 run to go up by double digits. The Irish never seriously threatened after that as they were outplayed and outclassed by a better and more experienced team.

It was the Norchad Omier show from beginning to end, and that shouldn’t be a surprise given the type of player he is. Back from an ankle injury, he scored 33 points on 12-of-14 shooting, only two points off his collegiate high and his most since joining the Hurricanes from Arkansas State. He also grabbed 10 rebounds to complete a double-double, another hallmark of his game, and recorded three steals.

Of course, Omier got a little help. Kyshawn George scored 11 points while also getting three steals. Nijel Pack had 10 points despite shooting 3 of 10 from the field, and he also dished out a game-high five assists. Off the bench, Bensley Joseph contributed 10 points.

[autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] led the Irish with 15 points but also committed a game-high eight turnovers. [autotag]J.R. Konieczny[/autotag] had 13 points and six rebounds, and [autotag]Braeden Shrewsberry[/autotag] scored 10 off the bench.

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Notre Dame drops tough one at Boston College before weeklong break

They’ll win games like this down the road, but not this year.

Before taking a week off from games, Notre Dame had to play twice in three days. [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] lamented this schedule quirk after the loss to Florida State, but the Irish had no choice but to travel to Boston College. It almost was worth the trip as the Irish stayed in it throughout a 63-59 loss.

The Irish (7-11, 2-5) led the majority of the game and were up by as much as 12 in the first half. They were up by six with over five minute left when Quinten Post scored eight unanswered points to put the Eagles (11-6, 2-4) up two. After [autotag]J.R. Konieczny[/autotag] hit free throws to tie it at 57 with 3:10 left, neither team scored for the next 2:20.

Post hit a 3 with 50 seconds remaining to put the Eagles back up. Konieczny was whistled for an offensive foul, which was followed by Claudell Harris Jr. splitting free throws. [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] was fouled on a layup that made it 61-59, and he missed the ensuring free throw, but the Irish got the rebound and called a timeout with 11.7 seconds left to draw a play that could tie or win the game.

[autotag]Carey Booth[/autotag] quickly found an open corner 3 that missed, and Chas Kelley III got the rebound, which led to him icing the game with two free throws. So close, and yet, so far.

Jaeden Zackery led all scorers with 20 points, but it was Post who stole the show for the Eagles with 15 of his 17 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers.

Burton led the Irish with 19 points but committed seven second-half turnovers. In all, the Eagles scored 22 points off 19 Irish turnovers. That negated Burton’s scoring performance along with that of reigning ACC Rookie of the Week [autotag]Braeden Shrewsberry[/autotag] (12 points).

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Micah Shrewsberry speaks after Notre Dame loses to Florida State

Here a few thoughts from the head man.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – If there’s one thing Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry doesn’t do, it’s deflect blame. He understands that whenever his team loses, it falls back to him. He isn’t going to change that mindset anytime soon.

The Irish lost to Florida State, 67-58, and Shrewsberry wasn’t about to throw his players under the bus in his postgame news conference. If anything, he partially blamed not having [autotag]Tae Davis[/autotag] available because of a sprained ankle he suffered in practice the day before. He said it took all of the energy and emotion out of his team. It always is hard to soldier on when one of your players suddenly isn’t available, but Davis’ absence really seemed to bother Shrewsberry.

It’s unknown if Davis will be available Monday at Boston College in a quick turnaround for the Irish. What is known though is that Shrewsberry wasn’t short on words after this home defeat to the Seminoles. Here’s his opening statement and his answers to the questions asked by Fighting Irish Wire:

Burton, Konieczny bemoan Notre Dame’s lack of focus in loss

The players knew what to say after this loss.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – It takes focus by everybody in order to win a basketball games. It’s one of the first things every player should learn when starting to play competitively. If that focus isn’t there, you’re most likely going to lose.

After Notre Dame lost to Florida State, 67-58, Markus Burton (20 points) and J.R. Konieczny (11 points) took the postgame podium to address what went wrong from their perspective. To them, a lack of focus was the primary issue, and that couldn’t have been more clear based on everything they said to the assembled media.

Whether not being focused was the issue only to them or if they were speaking on behalf of their teammates in general is unknown beyond the Irish’s locker room. All that can be known for sure is that we at least their personal reasons for the loss.

Here are the questions posed to them by Fighting Irish Wire and what their responses to those questions were:

Notre Dame unable to keep up with Florida State in loss

Not quite enough to win on a cold and snowy day.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The souls that braved the snowy and icy conditions in South Bend saw a good contest between Notre Dame and Florida State. It was a game that ultimately wasn’t decided until late in regulation. However, the Irish still are a young team learning how to win, and it didn’t happen in a 67-58 Seminoles victory.

The Irish (7-10, 2-4) trailed by four at halftime but have held the lead but for an 0-for-6 showing at the free-throw line from [autotag]Kebba Njie[/autotag] and [autotag]Matt Zona[/autotag]. The second half saw the Seminoles (10-6, 4-1) increase their lead to as much as 14.

While the Irish slowly chipped away and were able to cut that deficit to three with 1:25 to play, the Seminoles proved capable of weathering the storm and held on to win a game in which they had more success on offense as well as smothering defense.

Primo Spears led the Seminoles with 13 points off the bench. Jamir Watkins scored 12, and 10 points apiece came from Darin Green Jr. and Jalen Warley.

Despite the loss, [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] led all scorers with 20 points. [autotag]J.R. Konieczny[/autotag] contributed 11 points but also committed five turnovers.

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Notre Dame’s OT win at Georgia Tech first true road win in 23 months

The Irish haven’t had this type of victory in a while.

Notre Dame knows it could have beaten Duke and should have beaten NC State. There’s nothing to do but soldier on though, and that includes facing the next opponent. In this case, it was a road meeting at Georgia Tech, and it turned out successfully.

The Irish beat the Yellow Jackets in overtime, 75-68, for their first true road victory since defeating Clemson in February 2022, during which the only active Irish player who played in that game and only for 46 seconds was [autotag]Matt Zona[/autotag].

A game that featured nine ties and 11 lead changes meant this could have gone either way. Overtime was needed after [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] missed a shot at the end of regulation that could have broken a 66-all tie.

The free basketball turned out to be just what the Irish (7-9, 2-3) needed. [autotag]Julian Roper II[/autotag]’s 3-pointer was the Irish’s only field goal in the frame, but it was enough as the value of that basket was only one more point than the Yellow Jackets (8-7, 1-3) scored during that time.

[autotag]Braeden Shrewsberry[/autotag] was the Irish’s best player as he scored 25 points off the bench, shooting 5-of-9 from 3-point range and making all six of his free throws. Burton scored 12 and dished out seven assists. The Irish got double-doubles from [autotag]J.R. Konieczny[/autotag] (10 points, 11 rebounds) and [autotag]Tae Davis[/autotag] (10 points, 10 rebounds).

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Notre Dame drops heartbreaker to NC State after leading throughout

The epitome of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Notre Dame appeared to be headed for another wire-to-wire win, this time against NC State. But youth means inexperience, and that includes in closing out games. The Irish trailed only once in this contest, but it was when it really counted. D.J. Burns Jr. made a layup with 0.6 seconds left, the last of his team-leading 13 points, to give the Wolfpack a stunning 54-52 win at Purcell Pavilion.

The Irish (6-8, 1-2) led by as much as 12 in the first half and had a pair of 11-point leads in the second. But they combined with the Wolfpack (10-3, 2-0) to shoot 15 of 58 (25.9%) in that second half and got their clock cleaned on offensive rebounds throughout the game, 17-5. It came back to haunt the Irish as after a [autotag]J.R. Konieczny[/autotag] bucket with 2:10 left put them up, 52-46, they never scored again.

Nursing a two-point lead in the final minute, Konieczny was called for a travel thanks to intense defensive pressure from the Wolfpack, who called a timeout. The 6-foot-9, 275-pound Burns then found a matchup he liked and got a layup to tie the game at 52.

With only seven team fouls, the Wolfpack intentionally fouled [autotag]Julian Roper II[/autotag], a 58.3% free-throw shooter entering the game. Roper missed the front end of the one-and-one, and Michael O’Connell got the last of his team-high seven rebounds, enabling the Wolfpack to call a timeout and set up Burns’ heroics. A last-second long inbound pass went nowhere for the Irish, and the Wolfpack had stolen one in South Bend.

The Irish wasted a solid effort from [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag], the reigning ACC Rookie of the Week who had a game-high 18 points along with four assists. [autotag]Kebba Njie[/autotag] grabbed 11 rebounds in the losing effort.

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