Feb. 20, 2015
Game 28
#10/10 Notre Dame (23-4, 11-3 ACC)
vs.
Boston College (9-16, 1-12 ACC)
Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015
4 p.m. (ET)
Conte Forum
Chestnut Hill, Mass.
TV/INTERNET
Regional Sports Network (check local listings)
WatchESPN
Tom Werme (play-by-play)
Bobby Cremins (analyst)
RADIO
Broadcast on WatchND (free)
Sirius 93/XM 193 (Boston College feed)
Check affiliates on Pg. 3 of notes packet
Jack Nolan (play-by-play)
Torrian Jones (analyst)
LIVE STATS
#10/10 FIGHTING IRISH BOUND FOR BOSTON COLLEGE
– No. 10/10 Notre Dame (23-4, 11-3) returns to the road for a Saturday afternoon tilt at Boston College (9-16, 1-12). Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. (ET) inside the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
– This will be the second meeting this month between the Fighting Irish and Eagles. Notre Dame topped Boston College, 71-63, on Feb. 4 inside Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.
– Notre Dame resides in second place in the ACC standings, while Boston College is in 15th place.
– The Fighting Irish are in the middle of a stretch in which they will play three games in seven days. Notre Dame defeated Wake Forest, 88-75, on Tuesday and the Irish will play host to Syracuse this coming Tuesday.
– Saturday’s game will be broadcast on the Regional Sports Network (check local listings) and WatchESPN with Tom Werme (play-by-play) and Bobby Cremins (analyst) calling the action.
– A free audio broadcast will be available on WatchND. Jack Nolan (play-by-play) and Torrian Jones (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 (Boston College radio feed).
IRISH COMPILING A SUPER SEASON
– Notre Dame’s 23-4 record is the best 27-game start for the Irish since the 1973-74 squad posted a 25-2 mark before finishing the season with a 26-3 final record.
– Only five other Fighting Irish teams in the last 100 seasons have compiled more wins prior to the NCAA tournament (26 in 2011, 25 in 2013, 24 in 1974, 2007 and 2008).
CONFERENCE CALL
– Notre Dame’s 11-3 ACC record matches the program’s best 14-game start in conference play. The Fighting Irish were 11-3 in BIG EAST action on three occasions (2000-01, 2007-08, 2011-12).
– A win on Saturday would tie this year’s squad with the 2011-12 team for the best 15-game league record (12-3) in program history.
– Notre Dame has won at least 10 conference games five times in the last six seasons.
– Head coach Mike Brey has guided the Irish to at least 10 league wins in 10 of his 15 seasons in South Bend (9 BIG EAST, 1 ACC).
– Under Brey, Notre Dame has had only three losing seasons in league play. Prior to Brey’s arrival at Notre Dame, the best league record for the Irish was 8-8 in 1999-2000 in year five as a member of the BIG EAST Conference.
THE BC SERIES
– Saturday will be the 25th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Boston College and the fourth as ACC counterparts.
– The Irish have won eight of the last nine encounters, including each of the last four, and lead the series 14-10.
– Notre Dame topped Boston College, 71-63, on Feb. 4 inside Purcell Pavilion.
– The Fighting Irish won both meetings last season. Notre Dame captured a 76-73 overtime victory at home and topped the Eagles, 73-69, in Chestnut Hill.
– The last seven meetings have been decided by a total of 31 points (4.3 ppg.). Notre Dame is 6-1 in those contests.
– Notre Dame is 3-6 all-time at Boston College.
– 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 6-1 all-time versus the Eagles.
HOMECOMING
– Three members of the Notre Dame squad are from the state of Massachusetts. Senior captain Pat Connaughton is from Arlington and attended St. John’s Prep in Danvers; Zach Auguste hails from Marlborough and graduated from New Hampton School in New Hampton, New Hampshire, and Bonzie Colson is a native of New Bedford and a graduate of the St. Andrew’s School in Barrington, Rhode Island.
– In last season’s win at Boston College, Connaughton tallied 17 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Auguste deposited 10 points.
COLSON NO STRANGER TO CONTE FORUM
– Irish freshman Bonzie Colson is no stranger to the confines of Boston College’s Conte Forum.
– Colson witnessed his fair share of Boston College games in the arena during the time his father, Bonzie Colson Sr., served as a member of the Eagles’ men’s basketball coaching staff from 2001-10.
– Colson Sr., served as Boston College’s director of basketball operations from 2004-06 and was an assistant coach from 2006-10.
ROAD WARRIORS
– Notre Dame’s 5-2 record in ACC road games matches the most conference road wins ever for the Irish. The Fighting Irish were 5-3 on the road in BIG EAST play in 2000-01 and 2001-02 and 5-4 in 2007-08, 2010-11 and 2011-12.
– Saturday’s contest at Boston College will be Notre Dame’s third road affair in a four-game span.
WAKE FOREST NOTES
– Notre Dame’s 88 points in Tuesday’s 88-75 win over Wake Forest were the most ever for the Irish in an ACC game. It was the fifth time this season Notre Dame scored 80-plus points in an ACC contest.
– The Irish had five players reach double-digits in points (Jerian Grant 24, Pat Connaughton 13, Zach Auguste 12, Steve Vasturia 12, V.J. Beachem 10). It was the ninth time this season Notre Dame had at least five double-figure scorers.
– Notre Dame was 27-of-28 (.964) from the free throw line. The Irish made their final 24 free throw attempts of the game. The makes (27) and percentage (.964) both were season-high marks. It was the first time ever the Irish shot 90 percent or above from the line in an ACC game.
– The Fighting Irish were 11-of-26 (.423) from three-point range. It marked the ninth time this season (fifth time in ACC play) that Notre Dame made 10 or more treys in a game.
– The Fighting Irish only committed eight turnovers. It signified the 16th time this season (ninth ACC contest) that Notre Dame had less than 10 turnovers in a game.
– Notre Dame’s 12 steals were the most ever for the Irish in an ACC contest.
GRANT KEEPS IRISH OFFENSE GOING
– Jerian Grant has had a hand in 42.5 percent of Notre Dame’s 2,147 points this season. He’s netted a team-high 467 points and his team-best 172 assists have led to 446 Fighting Irish points.
– On Tuesday against Wake Forest, Grant was responsible for 58.0 percent of Notre Dame’s 88 points. He scored 24 points and his 10 assists led to 27 Irish points.
– Grant has had a hand in 128 of Notre Dame’s 238 made three-pointers this season (53.8%). He has deposited 43 treys and he’s assisted on 85 others.
– Notre Dame made 11 three-pointers on Tuesday versus Wake Forest. Grant buried two of the treys and assisted on seven others.
HIGH MARKS
– Notre Dame ranks in the top five nationally in five categories: field goal% (2nd, 50.8%), fewest personal fouls per game (3rd, 13.9), assist-to-turnover ratio (4th, 1.66), fewest turnovers per game (4th, 9.1) and fewest turnovers (5th, 246).
HOT SHOTS
– Notre Dame boasts the nation’s second-best field goal percentage (.508).
– Seven Notre Dame players are shooting better than 45.0 percent from the field (min. 60 attempts) — Zach Auguste (60.8%), Bonzie Colson (56.7%), Demetrius Jackson (49.8%), Jerian Grant (49.8%), Steve Vasturia (48.9%), Pat Connaughton (47.5%) and V.J. Beachem (45.5%).
TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL
– Notre Dame ranks fourth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.66) and fourth in fewest turnovers per game (9.1).
– The Irish have committed less than 10 turnovers in 16 games this season (nine times in ACC play).
– Notre Dame had a season-low four turnovers against Michigan State (Dec. 3).
COMEBACK KIDS
– Notre Dame has overcome a deficit of 10 points or larger en route to a victory six times this season (see breakdown on Pg. 5).
– The Irish are 6-2 this season when trailing at halftime. All six wins have come in ACC play.
FIGHTING IRISH KNOW HOW TO FINISH
– Eight of Notre Dame’s 11 ACC wins this season have been decided by eight points or less. In the final five minutes of those eight contests, the Irish are shooting 52.3 percent from the field, while they are holding their opponents to 34.9 percent.
– Steve Vasturia is shooting 63.6 percent (7-of-11) from the field in the last five minutes of those games and Jerian Grant is 12-of-25 (.480).
SPREADING THE WEALTH
– Five Fighting Irish players are averaging at least 9.0 points per game this season – Jerian Grant (17.3), Pat Connaughton (13.3), Zach Auguste (12.7), Demetrius Jackson (12.4), and Steve Vasturia (9.3).
– Notre Dame has had at least four players reach double-figures in 22 of 27 games this season.
– The Fighting Irish have had five or more double-digit scorers on nine occasions.
– Notre Dame had a season-high six players reach double-figures against Purdue (Dec. 20).
FIGHTING IRISH GET OFFENSIVE
– The Irish rank 13th nationally (second in the ACC) in scoring (79.5 ppg.).
– Notre Dame’s 79.5 points-per-game average is the highest since the Irish averaged 81.0 ppg. during the 2006-07 campaign.
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 10 times, while Zach Auguste (3), Pat Connaughton (2) and Demetrius Jackson (2) also have netted 20-plus points on multiple occasions this season.
– Grant has scored at least 20 points in each of the last two games. It’s the fourth time this season he’s deposited 20-plus points in back-to-back contests. Grant has never netted 20 points in three straight games. He would be the first Irish player to accomplish that feat since Jack Cooley scored 20 or more points in three straight contests during the 2011-12 season (Feb. 8-Feb. 15, 2012).
DRAINING FROM DEEP
– Notre Dame is 14th nationally in made three-point field goals (238) and 15th three-point field goal percentage (.401). Both of those figures lead the ACC.
– The Fighting Irish are 18th nationally (first in the ACC) in three-pointers per game (8.8).
– Notre Dame has made 10 or more treys in a game nine times this season (five times in ACC play).
– Notre Dame made a season-best 14 three-pointers (14-of-25) against Chicago State (Nov. 29).
– Four Irish players are shooting 40.0 percent or higher from three-point range (min. 50 att.) – Pat Connaughton (44.8%) Demetrius Jackson (43.5%), V.J. Beachem (41.6%) and Steve Vasturia (40.0%).
– Five Notre Dame players have made at least 37 treys this season – Connaughton (73), Jerian Grant (43), Jackson (40), Vasturia (42) and Beachem (37).
GRANT HAS GAME
– Jerian Grant tallied 24 points and 10 assists in Tuesday’s win over Wake Forest. That was his third double-double of the season and the seventh of his career.
– It was the second time this season he notched at least 20 points and 10 assists in the same game (third such game of his career).
– Grant leads the ACC in assists per game (6.3), assist-to-turnover ratio (3.23) and steals (51). He is second in the league in minutes played (978), fifth in points per game (17.3) and seventh in field goal percentage (.498).
– He ranks ninth nationally in assists (172) and 10th in assists per game (6.3).
– Grant has scored 20-plus points a team-best 10 times this season (six ACC games). He netted a career-high 27 points versus Michigan State (Dec. 3).
– Grant posted 23 points and a career-high 12 assists in the 77-73 triumph of Duke on Jan. 28. His 12 assists were the most ever for an Irish player in an ACC game.
– His 3.23 assist-to-turnover ratio this season ranks ninth nationally. His 2.57 career assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fourth among active Division I players.
– Grant has made his last 15 free throw attempts.
– He has played all 40 minutes in the last two games.
GRANT JOINS 1,500-POINT, 600-ASSIST CLUB
– With his first assist in Tuesday’s win over Wake Forest, Jerian Grant became the second player in Notre Dame history with 1,500 points and 600 assists.
– Grant ranks 14th in Irish history in points (1,578) and third in assists (609).
– Chris Thomas (2001-05) tallied 2,195 points and 833 assists for the Irish.
POLL WATCHING
– Notre Dame is the only team currently ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll that began the season unranked.
CONNAUGHTON A CONSISTENT PRESENCE
– Senior Pat Connaughton has started 109 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 128 games during his career and has started all but 16 of those contests.
CONNAUGHTON AND GRANT IN CONTENTION FOR HONORS
– Jerian Grant has been named to the midseason watch lists for the John R. Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and the Oscar Robertson Trophy. He also is one of 16 candidates for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.
– Pat Connaughton is among 15 candidates for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.
– The West and Erving awards will be presented April 10 by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame at ESPN’s new College Basketball Show live from Club Nokia in Los Angeles.
PAT’S AN ALL-AROUND PERFORMER
– Pat Connaughton leads Notre Dame in rebounding (7.9 rpg.) and is second in scoring (13.3 ppg.).
– 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 the ACC (ninth nationally) in three-point percentage (.448) and made three-pointers (73).
– He is tied with Ryan Hoover (1992-96) for sixth place on Notre Dame’s made three-pointers list (248).
– Connaughton is 24th nationally (second in the ACC) in defensive rebounds per game (6.67) and he is eighth in the ACC in total rebounds per game (7.9).
– Connaughton has 1,349 points and 753 rebounds during his Irish career. He is the 10th player in program history with 1,300 points and 700 rebounds.
A DYNAMIC DUO
– Jerian Grant leads all current ACC players in career points (1,578), while Pat Connaughton is fourth (1,349).
– Connaughton leads all ACC players in career rebounds (753) and Grant is first in career assists (609).
– Grant is 14th on Notre Dame’s career scoring list, while Connaughton is 26th.
– The senior duo has combined for 236 games played (218 of them starts), 2,927 points, 1,059 rebounds, 851 assists and 248 steals.
– Connaughton and Grant also have accounted for 7,979 minutes played on the court (33.8 mpg.). Grant and Connaughton rank second and fourth, respectively, in the ACC in minutes played this season.
– Grant boasts a 14.6 points-per-game average during his career and Connaughton has a 10.5 mark.
STARTING FIVE CONSISTENCY
– Demetrius Jackson, Jerian Grant, Steve Vasturia, Pat Connaughton and Zach Auguste have been Notre Dame’s starting five in 25 of 27 games this season.
– Jackson, Grant, Vasturia and Connaughton have started every game this season, while Auguste has 25 starts.
– Last season, the Irish used 12 different starting lineups.
AUGUSTE STAYS HOT FROM THE FIELD
– Junior forward Zach Auguste boasts a team-best .608 field goal percentage. That mark would rank ninth nationally if he had enough attempts.
– 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 are 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 12.7 points per game after posting a 6.7 ppg. mark last season (+6.0).
ACTION JACKSON
– Sophomore point guard Demetrius Jackson has scored in double-figures in 11 of 14 ACC games this season.
– Jackson pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds in the win over Boston College on Feb. 4. He is the third different Irish player with 10 or more rebounds in a game this season (Zach Auguste and Pat Connaughton are the others).
– Jackson ranks sixth in the ACC in steals (43).
– He has netted a career-high 22 points twice this season (Michigan State & Purdue).
– Jackson is averaging 12.4 points per game after notching a 6.0 mark last season (+6.4).
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
– The Irish are 7-2 this season in games decided by five points or less (6-1 in ACC play).
– Ten of Notre Dame’s 14 ACC contests have been decided by eight points or less and the Irish are 8-2 in those games.
– 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 (vs. Michigan State, vs. Georgia Tech [2ot], at 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.
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.
IRISH PRODUCE 600TH WIN AT PURCELL PAVILION
– The 77-73 victory over Duke on Jan. 28 was the 600th win for Notre Dame at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Irish teams are 602-157 (.793) since the building opened during the 1968-69 campaign.
– The Fighting Irish are 16-1 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).
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 422-215 (.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 323-163 (.665) 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.
IRISH 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.