#21/20 Irish Go To #22/22 Marquette For Key BIG EAST Battle

Feb. 28, 2013

Game Notes

#21/20 NOTRE DAME (22-6, 10-5) vs. #22/22 MARQUETTE (20-7, 11-4)

March 2, 2013 – 1 p.m. (CT)
Bradley Center (18,600)
Milwaukee, Wis.

TV/INTERNET:
ESPN
WatchESPN.com
Mike Patrick (play-by-play)
Len Elmore (analyst)

RADIO:
Broadcast on UND.com (free)
Sirius 85, XM 85
Jack Nolan (play-by-play)
Sean Kearney (analyst)

LIVE STATS: Gametracker on UND.com

#21/20 IRISH AT #22/22 MARQUETTE FOR KEY BIG EAST BATTLE

• No. 21/20 Notre Dame (22-6, 10-5) will travel to Milwaukee, Wis., to face No. 22/22 Marquette (20-7, 11-4) in a key BIG EAST showdown. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. (CT) inside the Bradley Center. The Golden Eagles currently are tied with Louisville for second place in the BIG EAST, while the Irish are tied with Syracuse for fourth in the standings.
• Saturday’s game can be seen on ESPN and WatchESPN.com. Mike Patrick (play-by-play) and Len Elmore (analyst) will be on the call.
• Jack Nolan (play-by-play) and Sean Kearney (analyst) will call the action for the Notre Dame Basketball Radio Network and that broadcast can be heard for free on UND.com (full affiliate listings on Pg. 3). The game also is available on Sirius 85, XM 85.
• The Fighting Irish have won four of their last five games.
• Notre Dame is 4-1 against ranked teams this season.

MEETING MARQUETTE

• Saturday will be the 117th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Marquette. The Irish have won the last two showdowns and own an 80-36 advantage in the series. The Fighting Irish are 5-6 against the Golden Eagles in BIG EAST play.
• Notre Dame topped Marquette 76-59 inside Purcell Pavilion in last season’s only meeting (Feb. 4, 2012). Pat Connaughton had 23 points and 11 rebounds in the game. He was 5-of-8 from three-point range. Eric Atkins added 18 points in the Irish victory.
• The Irish are 33-23 all-time at Marquette (1-3 in BIG EAST play).
• Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey is 6-7 all-time against Marquette.

IRISH BOAST BIG EAST SUCCESS

• Notre Dame has clinched its fourth straight 10-win season in BIG EAST play. It’s the first time in program history the Irish have compiled four straight 10-win seasons in the BIG EAST. Notre Dame has won 10 or more league games nine times in 13 seasons under head coach Mike Brey.
• Notre Dame, Louisville and Syracuse are the only BIG EAST squads to win 10 or more league games in each of the last four seasons.

GETTING IT DONE DEFENSIVELY

• The Irish have limited their last two opponents (Pittsburgh & Cincinnati) to a combined 33-100 (.330) from the field, including a 2-20 mark from three-point range, and just 41.5 points per game in those two contests.
• Cincinnati’s 41 points were the fewest ever for a Notre Dame opponent in BIG EAST play (regular season or tournament). The previous low was 42 by Pittsburgh last Monday and Seton Hall last season (1/25/12).
• The combined 83 points from Pittsburgh and Cincinnati were the fewest ever allowed by the Irish in consecutive BIG EAST games.
• Cincinnati’s 15 first-half points were the fewest ever allowed by Notre Dame in any half of BIG EAST play (regular season or tournament).

CLEANING UP THE GLASS

• Notre Dame has a +31 rebound advantage in the last two games. The Irish grabbed 15 more rebounds (40-25) than Pittsburgh in a 51-42 and then outrebounded Cincinnati by 16 (43-27) in Sunday’s 62-41 victory.

IRISH KNOW HOW TO FINISH STRONG IN LEAGUE PLAY

• Over the last seven seasons, Notre Dame has gone 25-7 (.781) in its final five games of the BIG EAST regular-season slate. That includes wins over Pittsburgh and Cincinnati this season.

FIGHTING IRISH FACTS

• Over the last three seasons, Notre Dame is 31-1 (11-0 this season) when shooting 50% or above from the field, 53-2 (16-0 this season) when outrebounding its opponent and 55-5 (18-1 this season) when leading at halftime.
• The Fighting Irish are 4-1 against ranked teams this season. Over the last four seasons, Notre Dame is 21-13 (.618) against teams ranked in the Associated Press top-25 poll, including a 12-2 mark at home.

QUITE A CLASS

• Notre Dame’s current senior class needs three more victories to become the program’s all-time winningest class. The group already has compiled the most BIG EAST victories in any four-year period since the Irish joined the conference in 1995. Here is a breakdown of Notre Dame’s top classes based on wins:
  2007-11: 96-42 overall/46-26 BIG EAST
  2009-13: 94-37 overall/47-22 BIG EAST
  2006-10: 93-43 overall/43-27 BIG EAST

NOTRE DAME NOTCHES ANOTHER 20-WIN CAMPAIGN

• The Irish have clinched their seventh straight 20-win season. It’s the first time in program history Notre Dame has compiled seven consecutive 20-win campaigns. The Fighting Irish have reached the 20-win plateau 10 times in 13 seasons under head coach Mike Brey.

BREY FOURTH ON BIG EAST WINS LIST

• The five-overtime win over Louisville on Feb. 9 moved Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey past former St. John’s head coach Lou Carnesecca and into sole possession of fourth place on the BIG EAST all-time wins list (both regular-season and tournament). Brey has a 143-94 (.603) BIG EAST record.
• Brey is in his 13th season along the Irish sidelines. He is the second-longest tenured coach in the BIG EAST, behind only Jim Boeheim of Syracuse.
• Notre Dame was just 36-58 (.383) in five seasons of BIG EAST play prior to Brey’s arrival.

BIG EAST UPS AND DOWNS

• Notre Dame has averaged 74.4 points-per-game in its 10 BIG EAST victories, while the Irish averaged just 53.8 points in their five league losses. The Fighting Irish have shot 47.0% from the field in the victories and 39.6% in the setbacks. From three-point range, Notre Dame has shot 42.1% in the wins and 22.2% in the defeats.
• The Irish are +6.2 in rebounds in the wins and -7.2 in the losses.

PLAYING WELL IN PURCELL

• The Fighting Irish are 116-9 in their last 125 games played at home. That .928 home winning percentage over the course of the last seven seasons ranks second nationally. Kansas is first with a .960 mark.
• Notre Dame is 51-3 (.944) in its last 54 home games.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE DOMINANCE

• Senior forward Jack Cooley is tied for third nationally with 18 double-doubles this season (nine in BIG EAST play). He has 31 career double-doubles, which all have occurred in the last two seasons.
• Cooley has produced a double-double in the first half alone twice this season (Niagara 20 pts, 10 rebs; BYU 12 pts, 10 rebs).

COOLEY A CONSISTENT PERFORMER

• Senior forward Jack Cooley is tied for third nationally in double-doubles (18), sixth in rebounds per game (11.0) and seventh in field-goal percentage (.589). Cooley and Duke’s Mason Plumlee are the only players to rank in the top 10 of each of those categories.
• In BIG EAST play, Cooley is second in rebounding (10.7) and first in offensive rebounds per game (3.9). He is third in field-goal percentage (.549).
• Cooley has scored in double-figures in 26 of 28 games this season (14 of 15 BIG EAST games). He has grabbed 10 or more rebounds 19 times this season (10 times in league play). Cooley has hauled down 15 or more rebounds in a game three times this season.
• Cooley is seventh in the BIG EAST (all games) in blocked shots per game this season (1.4).

COOLEY A NAISMITH CANDIDATE AND ON WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON TOP 25 LIST

• Senior forward Jack Cooley is one of 30 candidates named by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the 2013 Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award list. The top 30 candidates for the award, which is presented by AT&T, were selected by the Atlanta Tipoff’s Club Board of Selectors and bases its criteria on player performances to date during the 2013 men’s college basketball campaign. In late March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will narrow down the list to four finalists and the winner will be named on April 7, 2013 in Atlanta, Ga. at the NCAA Men’s Final Four.
• Cooley also has been named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list by the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The list is comprised of 25 student-athletes who are the front-runners for college basketball’s most prestigious honor.

KNIGHT TIME

• Senior forward Tom Knight is 14-of-19 (.737) from the field in the last three games. He is averaging 9.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in those three contests.
• He was 6-of-7 from the floor en route to 12 points in Sunday’s win over Cincinnati. Knight also had seven rebounds against the Bearcats.
• Knight is averaging 1.4 blocked shots per game in BIG EAST play. That figure ranks seventh in the league.

PRODUCTION IN THE PAINT

• Jack Cooley (Sr./F) and Garrick Sherman (Sr./C) rank second and fifth, respectively, in field-goal percentage among all BIG EAST players this season. Cooley is shooting 58.9% from the field, while Sherman has a 56.6% mark.

EFFICIENT EFFORTS

• Notre Dame ranks first nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.60). The Irish are second nationally in assists per game (17.7).
• The Fighting Irish rank 16th nationally in fewest turnovers per game (11.0). Notre Dame has turned the ball over fewer than 10 times in eight games this season (six times in BIG EAST play). The Irish have turned the ball over five times or less in two games this season.
• Notre Dame has had an assist on 67.3% of its made field goals this season.
• The Irish have dished out 20 or more assists in 11 games this season (four times in BIG EAST play).

HOT SHOTS

• Notre Dame is shooting 47.6% from the floor this season. That figure ranks 21st nationally and it leads all BIG EAST squads.
• The Fighting Irish are shooting 44.6% from the field in BIG EAST play. That percentage is the third-best mark in the league.
• The Irish are 11-0 this season when they shoot 50% or above from the floor and they are 11-6 when shooting below 50%.

DRAINING FROM DEEP

• The Irish lead the BIG EAST (all games) in three-point shooting percentage (.374). Notre Dame is shooting 36.2% from beyond the arc in BIG EAST play. That is the third-best percentage in the conference.
• The Irish were 12-for-18 from three-point range in the BIG EAST opener against Seton Hall (Jan. 5). The 66.7% three-point shooting clip is the best ever for Notre Dame in a BIG EAST contest. The 12 treys tied a season-high total for the Irish and it marked the third time this season the Irish made 10 or more three-pointers in a game.
• Notre Dame is averaging 6.4 made three-pointers per game this season (5.9 in BIG EAST play).

GRANT BRINGING HIS GAME IN LEAGUE PLAY

• Junior guard Jerian Grant has scored in double-figures in 13 of 15 BIG EAST games this season. He is averaging 13.7 points per game in league play. Grant has posted a team-high point total in five of the last six games.
• His 5.8 assist-per-game average in BIG EAST contests ranks fourth in the conference.
• Grant has made his last 11 free throw attempts. He was 9-for-9 against Cincinnati on Sunday. The nine made free throws were a season high for any Irish player this season. Grant made 18 consecutive free throw attempts earlier this season.

ATKINS ASSISTING THE IRISH EFFORT

• In BIG EAST play, junior point guard Eric Atkins is second in three-point shooting percentage (.460).
• Atkins is 13th nationally and second in the BIG EAST (all games) in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.74).
• Atkins is 21st nationally and fourth in the BIG EAST (all games) with a 6.0 assist-per-game average this season. He has four double-doubles this season (points & assists). He has dished out 10 or more assists in a game five times this season.

ATKINS PLAYING MAJOR MINUTES

• Junior point guard Eric Atkins tied a Notre Dame record by playing 60 minutes in the five-overtime victory against Louisville on Feb. 9. Atkins leads the BIG EAST by averaging 40.2 minutes per game in league play. Atkins has played 40 or more minutes in seven BIG EAST games this season.

DYNAMIC DUO

• Junior point guard Eric Atkins is fourth in the BIG EAST (21st nationally) in assists per game (6.0), while fellow junior guard Jerian Grant is fifth in the league (32nd nationally) by averaging 5.6 assists per game. They are the only set of teammates ranked in the top five of the league assists-per-game standings.
• Atkins is second in the BIG EAST (all games) in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7), while Grant is seventh (2.0).
• In BIG EAST play, Atkins is first minutes played per game (40.2) and Grant is second (38.5).

AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT

• Junior point guard Eric Atkins had 130 assists and a 1.83 assist-to-turnover ratio last season. He currently has 167 assists and a 2.74 assist-to-turnover ratio this season.
• Atkins shot 39.4% from the field last season and is currently shooting at a 45.8% clip. He has improved his three-point shooting from 37.5% last season to a current mark of 43.2%.
• Sophomore guard/forward Pat Connaughton had 30 assists during his freshman campaign and already has dished out 69 assists this season. He had a 1.25 assist-to-turnover ratio last season, but has improved that to 2.88 this season.

MARTIN OUT INDEFINITELY

• Scott Martin (GS/G) is out indefinitely due to ongoing issues with his left knee. He has started all 18 games he has played this season. He has missed the last nine contests. The Irish have gone 7-2 in those contests.
• Martin is averaging 7.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season. He is shooting 46.3% from three-point range this season after shooting 26.1% from distance last season.
• Martin has deposited 31 treys this season after making 30 all of last season. He was 6-for-7 (.857) from three-point range against Seton Hall in the BIG EAST opener. The six made treys were a career-high total and a season-best total for the Irish.

SPREADING THE WEALTH

• Seven different Irish players have posted a team-high point total this season.
• The Fighting Irish have seven players who are averaging at least 7.1 points per game, including three with a double-figure average.
• Nine different Irish players (Atkins, Auguste, Biedscheid, Connaughton, Cooley, Grant, Knight, Martin, Sherman) have notched a double-digit scoring effort this season.
• Notre Dame has had at least four double-figure scorers in 13 games this season. The Fighting Irish have boasted at least five double-digit performers seven times. The Irish had a season-high six double-digit scorers against Chicago State (Nov. 26) and Louisville (Feb. 9).

TOPPING 20

• Five different Notre Dame players – Eric Atkins, Jack Cooley, Jerian Grant, Scott Martin and Garrick Sherman – have scored 20 or more points in a game this season.

IRISH HAVE OVERTIME EDGE

• Notre Dame defeated Louisville, 104-101, in five overtimes on Feb. 9 and then topped DePaul, 82-78, in overtime on Feb. 13. The Louisville contest was the longest game in Notre Dame history and the longest regular-season BIG EAST affair.
• Notre Dame is 9-2 in its last 11 overtime affairs (3-1 this season). The Fighting Irish are 13-9 in overtime under head coach Mike Brey.

UNI WATCH

• The Fighting Irish are 3-2 this season when wearing the black uniforms. The Irish are 13-14 all-time in black. Notre Dame first wore black jerseys during the 2005-06 season.
• Notre Dame is 5-0 this season when donning gold jerseys. The Irish have worn their gold jerseys in each of the last four home games.
• The Irish are 13-2 when wearing white uniforms and 1-2 when playing in blue jerseys.

BIG EAST BEASTS

• Notre Dame is 41-14 (.745) over its last 55 BIG EAST regular-season contests.
• The Irish have gone 80-41 (.661) in BIG EAST regular-season play over the past seven seasons.
• Notre Dame has gone 53-8 (.869) at home in BIG EAST play over the last seven seasons. That is the best home winning percentage for any BIG EAST school in league play over that time period. The Irish are 25-3 in their last 28 BIG EAST home contests.

FEW FOULS FOR THE FIGHTING IRISH

• Notre Dame ranks fifth nationally in fewest personal fouls per game (13.7).

108 SEASONS AND GOING STRONG

• The 2012-13 campaign marks the 108th season of basketball at Notre Dame and the 18th season as a member of the BIG EAST Conference. Notre Dame teams have posted an all-time record of 1745-945 for a .649 winning percentage. In 17 seasons as a member of the BIG EAST, the Irish own a 170-135 (.557) record in conference regular-season play.

POSTSEASON STRETCH

• Notre Dame has earned appearances in the postseason in each of the last 13 seasons, which marks the longest stretch in school history. The Irish have been to the NCAA Tournament on eight occasions and the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) five times during this current stretch. Under head coach Mike Brey, Notre Dame has played in the NCAAs eight times and NIT four times.

DOUBLE-DUTY

• Sophomore guard/forward Pat Connaughton also is a pitcher on the Fighting Irish baseball team. Last spring, he appeared in 12 games, including 10 starts, and posted a 4-4 record with a 3.18 earned-run average. He logged 45.1 innings on the mound and registered 40 strikeouts.
• Connaughton was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 50th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

IRISH HELP HURRICANE SANDY VICTIMS

• During the first timeout of the Rutgers game on Jan. 19 inside Purcell Pavilion, a check was presented to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in the amount of $10,033 to help with relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. A special online auction was held from Jan. 7-18 on Notre Dame’s official athletic web site UND.com and fans had the opportunity to bid on several unique items with the proceeds going to help with the relief efforts. Governor Christie is a longtime friend of Irish head coach Mike Brey.

JACKSON NAMED MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN

• Demetrius Jackson, who signed a national letter of intent in November and will join the Fighting Irish next season, has been named to the 2013 McDonald’s High School All-America Team. The 2013 McDonald’s All-American Game will take place April 3 at the United Center in Chicago.
• Jackson (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian) is the 15th McDonald’s All-American to play at Notre Dame and the fifth under head coach Mike Brey. Jackson is Notre Dame’s first McDonald’s All-American since Luke Zeller in 2005.
• Jackson is part of a talented four-man class that will join the Fighting Irish for the 2013-14 campaign. Joining him will be V.J. Beachem (Fort Wayne, Ind./New Haven), Austin Torres (Mishawaka, Ind./Penn) and Steve Vasturia (Medford, N.J./St. Joseph’s Prep).

IRISH RANK NUMBER ONE IN 2012 GSR

• University of Notre Dame athletic programs again rank as the best in the country in graduation rates, based on Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figures released by the NCAA–including first-place ratings in the sports of football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and ice hockey.
• Among the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision institutions, Notre Dame had the highest percentage of its sports with 100 percent scores (for the seventh time in eight years), with a .863 figure (19 of 22).
• In men’s basketball, Notre Dame achieved a perfect 100 GSR rating, with only Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Utah State, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Western Kentucky also reaching the top slot.
• The four-year GSR data is based upon the entering classes from 2002 to 2005.