Feb. 3, 2015
Game 24
Boston College (9-11, 1-7 ACC)
vs.
#10/10 Notre Dame (20-3, 8-2 ACC)
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015
7 p.m. (ET)
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center
Notre Dame, Indiana
TV/INTERNET
Regional Sports Network (check local listings)
WatchESPN
Wes Durham (play-by-play)
Dan Bonner (analyst)
RADIO
Broadcast on WatchND (free)
Sirius 93/XM 193
Check affiliates on Pg. 3 of notes packet
Jack Nolan (play-by-play)
Jordan Cornette (analyst)
LIVE STATS
#10/10 NOTRE DAME LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK FROM LOSS AT PITT
– The No. 10/10 Notre Dame men’s basketball team (20-3, 8-2) returns to Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on Wednesday against Boston College (9-11, 1-7). The contest is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. This will be the first of two regular-season meetings between the two Atlantic Coast Conference foes. Notre Dame visits Boston College on Feb. 21.
– The Fighting Irish are coming off just their third loss of the season, a 76-72 setback at Pittsburgh on Saturday.
– Wednesday night’s game will be broadcast on the Regional Sports Network and WatchESPN with Wes Durham (play-by-play) and Dan Bonner (analyst) calling the action.
– A free audio broadcast will be available on WatchND. Jack Nolan (play-by-play) and former Irish standout Jordan Cornette (analyst) will be on the call. The broadcast can also be heard on The Notre Basketball Radio Network headed by WSBT 96.1 FM and 960 AM in South Bend. A complete affiliate list is available on page 3 of this notes packet. The broadcast also is available on Sirius 93/XM 193.
– Notre Dame is in second place in the ACC standings, while Boston College is tied for 13th place.
– The Fighting Irish have won 16 of their last 18 games.
TOUGH STRETCH
– Notre Dame’s game against Boston College on Wednesday night begins a stretch for the Irish in which they will play three games in six days.
– The Fighting Irish will visit No. 4/5 Duke on Saturday in the second meeting in 11 days between the two teams.
– Notre Dame then will travel to Clemson on Tuesday for the first of two games against the Tigers. The two squads will close out the regular season March 7 at Purcell Pavilion.
– Following the Clemson game, Notre Dame will be off for seven days before playing host to Wake Forest on Feb. 17.
BOUNCING BACK
– While the loss at Pittsburgh was only the third of the season for the Irish, Notre Dame has shown a penchant in 2014-15 for bouncing following a defeat.
– After suffering their first loss of the season to Providence (75-74) on Nov. 23, the Irish rattled off an 11-game win streak before losing to Virginia (62-56) at home on Jan. 10.
OFF AND RUNNING
– Notre Dame’s 20-3 record is the best 23-game start for the Fighting Irish since the 1978-79 team also posted a 20-3 mark.
– The 8-2 ACC record matches Notre Dame’s best 10-game start in conference play (BIG EAST & ACC). Mike Brey’s first team in 2000-01 began BIG EAST action 8-2 before extending the mark to 9-2.
– Notre Dame (20-3), Gonzaga (22-1), Kentucky (21-0), Virginia (20-1) and Northern Iowa (20-2) are the only teams in the country with at least 20 wins so far this season (as of games played Feb. 2).
– This is the fourth time in Notre Dame’s conference era (since 1995-96) that the Irish suffered just one regular-season non-conference loss (2006-07, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15).
TOP-10 TOPPERS
– Notre Dame’s 77-73 victory over No. 4 Duke at Purcell Pavilion on Jan. 28 improved Notre Dame to 6-1 in its last seven home games against Associated Press top-10 teams.
– The Fighting Irish are 14-7 at home under head coach Mike Brey against teams ranked in the top-10 of the AP poll.
– Overall, Notre Dame is 6-6 in its last 12 showdowns with an AP top-10 foe. The Irish are 19-29 against teams ranked in the top-10 of the AP poll under Brey.
ROAD WARRIORS
– Prior to Saturday’s 76-72 loss at Pittsburgh, Notre Dame had been 4-0 in conference road play. It marked the first time ever that an Irish team won its first four road games (BIG EAST & ACC).
– Beginning with the Duke game on Saturday, the Fighting Irish will play four of their next six games on the road.
COMEBACK KIDS
– Notre Dame has overcome a deficit of 10 points or larger en route to a victory four times in the last six games (see full breakdown on Pg. 5).
– The Irish are 5-1 this season when trailing at halftime. Four of those wins have come in the last six games.
– Notre Dame’s three losses this season are by a combined 11 points (3.3 points per game).
HIGH MARKS
– Notre Dame ranks in the top four nationally in four categories: assist-to-turnover ratio (2nd, 1.68), field goal% (2nd, 52.1%), fewest personal fouls per game (3rd, 14.0) and fewest turnovers per game (4th, 9.2).
THE BC SERIES
– Wednesday will be the 24th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Boston College and the third as ACC counterparts. The Fighting Irish won the last three encounters and lead the series 13-10.
– The Fighting Irish won both meetings last season. Notre Dame captured a 76-73 overtime victory at Purcell Pavilion and topped the Eagles, 73-69, in Chestnut Hill.
– The Irish have won seven of the last eight meetings and each of the last seven at Notre Dame. Boston College is 4-9 at Notre Dame.
– In the 11 showdowns between the schools as members of the BIG EAST Conference, Notre Dame owned a 6-5 advantage.
– Irish head coach Mike Brey is 5-1 all-time versus the Eagles.
NOTES FROM PITT
– Saturday’s game marked the 60th meeting between the two schools and the second as ACC counterparts. The Irish lead the all-time series 31-29, but the Panthers have won two straight.
– Notre Dame suffered its first true road loss of the season after winning its first four conference road games.
– Notre Dame’s three losses this season have been by a combines 11 points.
– Eight of Notre Dame’s 10 ACC games this season have been decided by seven points or less.
– With the loss, the Irish fell to 6-2 this season in games decided by five points or less.
– Pittsburgh’s 58.5% (31-53) shooting percentage was the highest against the Irish this season.
– This was the second time this season that Notre Dame lost when leading a halftime (15-2).
– The Irish shot 50.0 percent or better (53.1%) for the 16th time this season.
– Jerian Grant scored all nine points of Notre Dame’s 9-0 run that turned a 71-63 deficit into a 72-71 lead late in the game.
HOT SHOTS
– Notre Dame boasts the nation’s second-best field goal percentage (.521).
– The Irish have shot 50.0 percent or better from the field in 16 of 23 games this season and they topped 60.0 percent in two contests (Coppin State & Grambling State).
– Six Notre Dame players are shooting better than 47.0 percent from the field (min. 50 attempts) — Zach Auguste (62.6%), Demetrius Jackson (51.9%), Jerian Grant (51.3%), Pat Connaughton (49.1%), Steve Vasturia (48.3%) and V.J. Beachem (47.5%)
TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL
– Notre Dame ranks second nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.68) and fourth in fewest turnovers per game (9.2).
– The Irish have committed fewer than 10 turnovers in 12 games this season, including five times in the last eight games.
– Notre Dame had a season-low four turnovers against Michigan State (Dec. 3).
FIGHTING IRISH GET OFFENSIVE
– The Irish rank eighth nationally (first in the ACC) in scoring (81.2ppg.).
– Notre Dame’s 81.2 points-per-game average is the highest since the Irish averaged 85.4 ppg. during the 1976-77 campaign.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
– Four Fighting Irish players are averaging at least 13 points per game this season – Jerian Grant (17.3), Pat Connaughton (13.6), Zach Auguste (13.6) and Demetrius Jackson (13.3).
– Notre Dame has had at least four players reach double-figures in 20 of 23 games this season. The Irish have had five or more double-digit scorers on eight occasions. The Irish had a season-high six players reach double-figures against Purdue (Dec. 20).
20-POINT PERFORMERS
– Four different Irish players have scored 20 or more points in a game this season. Jerian Grant has done it a team-best eight times, while Zach Auguste (3), Pat Connaughton (2) and Demetrius Jackson (2) also have netted 20-plus points on multiple occasions this season.
DRAINING FROM DEEP
– Notre Dame is 11th nationally in made three-point field goals (203) and 16th three-point field goal percentage (.401). Both of those figures lead the ACC.
– The Fighting Irish are 20th nationally (first in the ACC) in three-pointers per game (8.8). Notre Dame has made 10 or more treys in a game seven times this season (three times in ACC play).
– Notre Dame made a season-best 14 three-pointers (14-of-25) against Chicago State (Nov. 29).
– Three Irish players are shooting 44.0% or higher from three-point range (min. 50 att.) – Pat Connaughton (45.3%), V.J. Beachem (45.2%), and Demetrius Jackson (43.2%).
– Five Notre Dame players have made at least 31 treys this season – Connaughton (62), Jackson (38), Jerian Grant (36), Beachem (33) and Steve Vasturia (31).
POLL WATCHING
– Notre Dame fell two spots this week to No. 10 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls.
– Last week, the Irish were eighth which marked the highest ranking for a Notre Dame team since being ranked fifth in the AP poll prior to the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
– Notre Dame is the only team currently ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll that began the season unranked.
GRANT GOES OFF AGAINST DUKE
– Jerian Grant produced a double-double with 23 points and a career-high 12 assists in the 77-73 triumph of Duke on Jan. 28. Both marks were game-high totals.
– His 12 assists were the most for a Notre Dame player since Eric Atkins had 13 versus Kennesaw State on Dec. 19, 2012, and they were the most ever for an Irish player in an ACC game.
– It was the first time a Notre Dame player has posted a 20-point, 10-assist game since Grant notched 22 points and 10 assists versus Chicago State on Nov. 26, 2012.
– His 12 assists led to 28 Irish points.
– Grant added six rebounds, three steals and a career-high tying two blocked shots.
– Grant put the Irish up 73-70 with 1:07 left with a shot clock-beating attempt and he assisted on Steve Vasturia’s three-pointer that gave Notre Dame a 76-72 advantage with 22 seconds remaining. Following that assist, he blocked Quinn Cook’s layup attempt.
– Grant played every minute for the second straight game.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE TIMES TWO
– Jerian Grant (23 points, 12 assists) and Pat Connaughton (13 points, 12 rebounds) both had double-doubles in the victory over Duke on Jan. 28. It was the first time Notre Dame had two players with double-doubles in the same game since Jan. 11, 2014 (Garrick Sherman & Pat Connaughton at Georgia Tech).
– It was Connaughton’s team-best seventh double-double of the season and the second for Grant.
FIGHTING IRISH KNOW HOW TO FINISH
– Six of Notre Dame’s eight ACC wins this season have been decided by seven points or less. In the final five minutes of those six contests, the Irish are shooting 53 percent from the field, while they are holding their opponents to 31 percent.
– Steve Vasturia is shooting 60 percent (6-of-10) from the field in the last five minutes of those games and Jerian Grant is 10-of-19 (.526).
CONNAUGHTON A CONSISTENT PRESENCE
– Senior Pat Connaughton has started 105 consecutive games. He is the third player in Notre Dame history to start at least 100 straight games. Chris Thomas (2002-05) started all 128 games during his Fighting Irish career and Pat Garrity (1995-98) was in the starting lineup during all 111 contests of his career.
– Connaughton has played in all 124 games during his career and has started all but 16 of those contests.
GRANT HAS GAME
– Jerian Grant leads the ACC in assists per game (6.3) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.22). He is fourth in the league in points per game (17.3) and first in minutes played (829).
– He ranks seventh nationally in assists (145) and eighth in assists per game (6.3).
– Grant has scored 20-plus points a team-best eight times this season (four ACC games). He netted a career-high 27 points versus Michigan State (Dec. 3).
– He has dished out at least six assists 10 times in the last 12 games.
– His 3.22 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 11th nationally. His 2.54 career assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fourth among active Division I players.
GRANT ON VERGE OF JOINING 1,500-POINT, 600-ASSIST CLUB
– Jerian Grant needs 17 assists to become the second player in Notre Dame history with 1,500 points and 600 assists. Chris Thomas tallied 2,195 points and 833 assists from 2001-05.
– Grant currently has 1,508 career points and 583 assists.
– Grant ranks 14th all-time in scoring at Notre Dame and is fifth in assists.
GRANT KEEPS IRISH OFFENSE GOING
– Jerian Grant has had a hand in 40.7 percent of Notre Dame’s 1,868 points this season. He’s netted a team-high 397 points and his team-best 146 assists have led to 363 Fighting Irish points.
– Grant has had a hand in 107 of Notre Dame’s 203 three-pointers this season (52.7%). He has made 36 treys and he’s assisted on 71 others.
GRANT IN CONTENTION FOR PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR AWARDS
– Jerian Grant has been named to the midseason watch lists for the John R. Wooden Award and the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
PAT’S AN ALL-AROUND PERFORMER
– Pat Connaughton has reached double-figures in 11 of the last 12 games. Heading into the Pittsburgh game, he owned a career-best 11-game double-figure scoring streak.
– Connaughton has a team-best seven double-doubles this season (three in ACC play) and his 14 career double-doubles are the most for any current Irish player.
– Connaughton leads Notre Dame in rebounding (8.4 rpg.) and is tied for second in scoring (13.6 ppg.).
– He is 12th nationally (second in the ACC) in defensive rebounds per game (7.17) and he is sixth in the ACC in total rebounds per game (8.4).
– Connaughton leads the ACC (15th nationally) in both three-point percentage (.453) and made three-pointers (62).
– Connaughton ranks eighth in Irish history in made three-point field goals (237).
– Connaughton hauled down his 700th career rebound on Jan. 22 at Virginia Tech. He is the 11th player in program history with 1,200 points and 700 rebounds. Connaughton has 1,302 points and 734 rebounds during his Irish career.
STARTING FIVE CONSISTENCY
– Demetrius Jackson, Jerian Grant, Steve Vasturia, Pat Connaughton and Zach Auguste have been Notre Dame’s starting five in 21 of 23 games this season.
– Jackson, Grant, Vasturia and Connaughton have started every game this season, while Auguste has 21 starts.
– Last season, the Irish used 12 different starting lineups.
AUGUSTE STAYS HOT FROM THE FIELD
– Junior forward Zach Auguste ranks fourth nationally in field goal percentage at 62.6 percent.
– Auguste has been perfect from the field three times this season – 9-9 vs. Coppin State, 7-7 vs. Northern Illinois, 5-5 vs. Grambling State. His performance against Coppin State tied a Notre Dame record for most field goals without a miss in a single game.
– Auguste netted a career-high 26 points against Florida State in the ACC opener. Those were the most points ever scored by an Irish player in an ACC game. He made a career-best 11 field goals (on 15 attempts). That was his third 20-plus point effort of the season (20 vs. Navy, 21 vs. Coppin State).
– Auguste is averaging 13.6 points per game after posting a 6.7 ppg. mark last season (+6.9).
ACTION JACKSON
– Sophomore point guard Demetrius Jackson has scored in double-figures 13 times in the last 14 games and 20 times overall this season.
– He ranks fourth in the ACC in steals (40) and is sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.18).
– Jackson has netted a career-high 22 points twice this season (Michigan State & Purdue).
– Jackson is averaging 13.3 points per game after notching a 6.0 mark last season (+7.3).
IRISH PRODUCE 600TH WIN AT PURCELL PAVILION
– Last Wednesday’s 77-73 victory over Duke was the 600th win for Notre Dame at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.
– Irish teams are 600-157 (.793) since the building opened during the 1968-69 campaign.
– The Fighting Irish are 14-1 this season at Purcell Pavilion.
– Notre Dame squads have produced five undefeated campaigns at Purcell Pavilion (three under Mike Brey) — 1973-74 (15-0), 1985-86 (15-0), 2006-07 (18-0), 2007-08 (17-0) and 2010-11 (17-0).
FIGHTING IRISH POST ANOTHER 20-WIN CAMPAIGN
– Notre Dame has notched at least 20 wins in eight of the last nine seasons. Last season (15-17 record) was the only time the Irish failed to reach that mark during this latest stretch.
– The Fighting Irish have reached the 20-win plateau 11 times in 15 seasons under head coach Mike Brey. The most wins for the Irish under Brey are 27 (27-7) in 2010-11.
CASHING IN FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE
– Notre Dame is second among all ACC teams in free throw percentage (.722).
– The Fighting Irish have made more free throws (319) than their opponents have attempted (301).
A DYNAMIC DUO
– Jerian Grant leads all current ACC players in career points (1,508), while Pat Connaughton is third (1,302).
– Connaughton leads all ACC players in career rebounds (734) and Grant is first in career assists (583).
– The senior duo has combined for 228 games played (210 of them starts), 2,810 points, 1,032 rebounds, 819 assists and 234 steals.
– Connaughton and Grant also have accounted for 7,681 minutes played on the court (33.7 mpg.).
1,000-POINT PLAYERS
– Jerian Grant (1,508) and Pat Connaughton (1,302) are the 55th and 56th members of Notre Dame’s 1,000-point club. Grant reached the milestone last season, while Connaughton did so in the 2014-15 season opener against Binghamton.
– Grant is 14th on Notre Dame’s career scoring list, while Connaughton is 28th.
– Grant boasts a 14.5 points-per-game average during his career and Connaughton has a 10.5 mark.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
– The Irish are 6-2 this season in games decided by five points or less. Notre Dame’s three losses have been by a combined 11 points.
– Last season, Notre Dame was 6-7 in games decided by five points or less.
OVERTIME EXCELLENCE
– The Fighting Irish are 3-0 in overtime games this season (Michigan State, Georgia Tech [2ot], NC State).
– The Irish are 9-1 in their last 10 overtime contests.
– Notre Dame has won its last five overtime games that have taken place at a true road site.
– Notre Dame is 19-10 in overtime under head coach Mike Brey.
BREY NOTCHES 400TH CAREER WIN
– Notre Dame’s season-opening victory over Binghamton was Mike Brey’s 400th career win as a college head coach. He has registered a 419-214 (.662) record in 19-plus seasons at Delaware and Notre Dame.
– Brey earned his 300th win at Notre Dame last season. He has compiled a 320-162 (.664) record in his 14-plus seasons in South Bend. He is one of 19 active head coaches to have 300 or more Division I victories at their current institution.
– Only two other Notre Dame head coaches have reached the 300-win milestone. Digger Phelps led the Fighting Irish to a 393-197 record from 1971-91. George Keogan notched a 327-97 mark from 1923-43.
CAPTAIN CONNAUGHTON
– Senior Pat Connaughton is Notre Dame’s lone captain for the 2014-15 season. Connaughton served as one of four captains for the Irish a year ago and becomes the 22nd different Notre Dame men’s basketball player to serve as a captain in multiple seasons.
– Since the 1985-86 campaign, only four other players have served as lone captains for their Irish teams– Ken Barlow (1985-86), Tim Singleton (1990-91), Ryan Hoover (1995-96) and Rob Kurz (2007-08).
FIGHTING IRISH IN ITALY
– In early August, the Fighting Irish squad traveled to Italy for a 10-day, four-game foreign tour. Notre Dame posted a 4-0 record. The Irish visited Rome, Perugia, Pesaro, Venice and Como during the trip.
– It was the program’s first foreign tour since 2008 when the Irish ventured to Ireland for 13 days.
CONNAUGHTON DRAFTED BY ORIOLES
– The Baltimore Orioles selected Irish swingman Pat Connaughton in the fourth round of June’s Major League Baseball Draft. He was the 121st pick overall.
– Connaughton spent part of June and July pitching for the Aberdeen IronBirds, the Class A Orioles’ affiliate.
– Connaughton finished his Fighting Irish baseball career last spring. He posted a 3.03 ERA and had an 11-11 record on the mound during his three seasons. He fanned 105 batters in 154.2 innings pitched.
CONNAUGHTON A CANDIDATE FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD
– Pat Connaughton is one of 30 candidates for the 2014-15 Senior CLASS Award for men’s basketball.
– He is one of two ACC players up for the award (the other is Cameron Wright of Pittsburgh).
– To be eligible, as student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
– The winner of the Senior CLASS award will be announced during the 2015 Men’s Final Four® in Indianapolis in April.
NOTRE DAME FIRST AGAIN IN GRADUATION RATE SUCCESS
– The University of Notre Dame once again claims the 2014 national championship for graduating student-athletes in all sports–in the process posting the top NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figure (99) for its student-athletes for the eighth straight year.
– The GSR number for all Notre Dame student-athletes rates the Irish first among the football-playing institutions in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A). The 2014 NCAA figures are based on entering classes from 2004 through 2007.
– Twenty-one of Notre Dame’s men’s and women’s athletic programs posted GSR numbers that rank them best in the nation within their sports (including 20 perfect 100 scores)– and 11 produced federal graduation rates that led all NCAA FBS institutions (including eight perfect 100 scores). Men’s basketball at 100 tied for first with 14 other schools.
– Five Irish women’s programs had perfect 100 federal rates ranking them first within their sports among the NCAA FBS subset. Six Irish men’s programs had federal rates ranking them first within their sports (three with perfect 100 scores) among the NCAA FBS subset. Men’s basketball at 85 ranked tied for first with Penn State.
– Five Irish women’s programs had perfect 100 federal rates ranking them first within their sports among the NCAA FBS subset. Six Irish men’s programs had federal rates ranking them first within their sports (three with perfect 100 scores) among the NCAA FBS subset. Men’s basketball at 85 ranked tied for first with Penn State.