Dec. 22, 2017
As Glenn and Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Brey closes in on the all-time record for coaching wins at the University of Notre Dame, Fighting Irish Media will be highlighting 18 of the top moments from the Mike Brey era.
Fans can follow along all year via the hashtag #Breyteen – celebrating Coach Brey’s 18th season at Notre Dame in 2017-18. Fans also will be able to monitor and celebrate Coach Brey’s run to the record – five wins will set the all-time mark – with the hashtag #BreysChase.
For our first #Breyteen moment (which will be presented in random order this season) we look back at the Notre Dame’s three consecutive wins over top-10 ranked opponents in 2002…
Previous #Breyteen moments:
Irish Post 45 Straight Home Court Wins
Sweet Notre Dame Ending For Dan MillerIrish Take Out Three Straight Top-10 TeamsIrish Outlast Butler In Overtime Thriller
Irish End Boston College 20-Game Run
Joyce Center crowd, Colin Falls three-pointers end BC’s winning streak.
By Alan Wasielewski
It doesn’t necessarily roll off the tongue, but if you hear it repeated enough times, the chant will stick with you.
“Twenty,” clap-clap, “and one,” clap-clap.
The chant probably stuck with Boston College more than anyone else on Feb. 8, 2005. The Eagles brought a 20-0 record into Purcell Pavilion, a venue where UCLA, DePaul and San Francisco learned 20-plus-game undefeated streaks end, to face 13-6 Notre Dame.
The Notre Dame student section started the 20-and-one chant while Boston College warmed up 40 minutes before the game started. They continued the chant throughout the contest and, of course, chanted it even louder after the Irish held off a Boston College rally to earn a 68-65 victory.
Notre Dame shot 51 percent in the contest, led by 23 points from Colin Falls and 19 points from Chris Thomas. The Irish built an 11-point lead utilizing zone defense and great shooting, but the Eagles had one final run left in them as Jared Dudley scored inside with 30 seconds left. BC forced a turnover and had a chance to cut the lead to two points, but Dudley drove the lane and as he passed to Smith, he ran into Falls and was called for the offensive foul.
Every time Notre Dame needed a big basket, Falls hit a 3-pointer. He hit two 3-point field goals six minutes into the second half to give the Irish an 11-point lead, and when BC cut the lead to 54-41 with 8:25 left he hit another. He did it again when the Eagles cut the lead to three with 6:43 left.
“I was a little shocked they left him,” Brey said. “But if they want to let him play HORSE, that’s fine.”
“Certainly there have been some parallels drawn (to our historic wins), but we aren’t independent anymore, and our next BIG EAST game is coming, so we are going to enjoy it a little and then get back to work.”