Notre Dame keeps rolling, now 10-1 after beating IPFW
By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Assistant Editor
No. 22 Notre Dame last lost a basketball game Nov. 16.
Since that time, the Irish have rattled off eight wins in a row and find themselves at 10-1 with two nonconference games remaining until BIG EAST play begins Jan. 5.
On Monday night, Notre Dame wasn’t overly impressive, yet got by IPFW 74-62.
It was the second game in a row that the Irish got a big offensive night from defensive specialist Pat Connaughton. The senior guard/forward, who prior to Monday night averaged 7.9 points per game, went off against Mastodons for a season-high 18 points (also a game high), hitting 7-of-9 shots from the floor.
“I love what Pat Connaughton did,” said Irish coach Mike Brey, whose team is 8-0 this season in Purcell Pavilion. “For him to guard that guy the way he did and do what he did on the offensive end, he was such a man.”
Brey has been particularly pleased with the way Connaughton has been attacking the rim lately.
“He started doing that more against Purdue,” the Notre Dame boss said. “We tried to keep motivating him to do that and it just gives us a whole other element. He can finish, he can always finish around there, he just needed to do it more.
“The thing he’s doing is getting in there with two dribbles and making passes. He didn’t do that at all last year. That’s where he’s made a big improvement. And we ask him to guard the best guy and he says, ‘ok thank you very much I’ll take that.”
“It’s something I’ve been waiting to do,” Connaughton said. “Attacking the basketball. It’s something people have been harping on me to do, and it’s something that’s going to be help the team.”
Connaughton got some offensive help from a few of his teammates.
Senior big man Jack Cooley was his usual self in the paint. Cooly hit 5-of-6 shots from the field en route to a 14-point night. He also had a game-high eight rebounds.
Thanks to Cooley’s play in the lane, the Irish ended the game with a 40-26 advantage in the paint.
Guard Scott Martin was the other Irish player to tally double figures. The Valparaiso product, who knocked down 3-of-5 3-pointers, chipped in 13 points to go along with seven rebounds.
IPFW coach Tony Jasick said Notre Dame’s versatile, veteran team presented plenty of quandaries for his club.
“You’re really between a rock and a hard place defending him,” Jasick said. “If you don’t help, the other guys get to the basket, and if you do stay and help, they are good at finding him (Connaughton).”
The Irish led 40-28 at halftime thanks to knocking down 15-of-27 shots, including 4-of-7 three-pointers.
Notre Dame finished the contest the game shooting 51.8 percent from the floor (29-of-56). It was the fifth time this season the Irish shot 50 percent or better from the field.
However, the Irish really struggled from range in the final half as they missed 8-of-9 triples.
The Irish defense was good again. It limited the Mastodons to just 35.4 percent shooting (23-of-65), including 25 percent (3-of-12) from 3-point range in the opening stanza.
IPFW, which was led by Luis Jacobo and Joe Edwards’ 11 points each, fell to 5-7 on the season.
Notre Dame will return to action Wednesday night as it faces Kennesaw State in Purcell Pavilion. That game will tip at 7 p.m. and will be available on ESPN3.com.
NOTRE DAME NUGGETS
– Notre Dame improved to 9-0 on the season when it outrebounds its opponent (37-34) and when it leads at halftime.
– The Irish had 20 assists on their 29 made fields goals, marking the fifth time this season they have had 20 or more assists in a game.
– Notre Dame has won 14 straight home games and have won 26 consecutive nonconference home games.
– The Irish now have made at least one 3-pointer in 453 games.
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