Jan. 31, 2008

Notre Dame Providence Box Score

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – Luke Harangody scored a career-high 31 points and Notre Dame used a 14-5 run in overtime to take control and beat Providence 81-74 on Thursday night to extend its home winning streak to 32 games.

After Notre Dame’s Rob Kurz and Providence’s Dwain Williams traded 3-pointers to open the overtime, Harangody made a pair of free throws to give the Irish (15-4, 5-2 Big East) a 66-64 lead. Then Ryan Ayers hit a 3-pointer for the Irish. Jamine Peterson scored on a rebound to cut the lead to three again, but Harangody answered with a powerful two-handed dunk to give the Irish a 71-66 lead.

Ray Hall, who missed a key free throw for Providence (12-8, 3-5) late in regulation, then missed four straight free throws. Harangody then scored inside again and Tory Jackson, who had 14 points, scored in the paint to give the Irish a 75-66 lead.

Brian McKenzie made a pair of 3s as Providence cut the lead to 75-72, but the Friars couldn’t get any closer.

Providence outrebounded the Irish 48-38 and outscored them in the paint 36-26, but Notre Dame shot 44 percent – including making 5 of 6 shots in overtime. Providence shot 41 percent, but was just 8-of-33 from 3-point range and 6-of-16 from the free-throw line.

Dwain Williams led Providence with 20 points and Geoffrey McDermott, Jeff Xavier, Brian McKenzie and Hall had 10 points each. Kurz added 11 points and seven rebounds, Harangody added 14 rebounds and Jackson had seven assists.

At the end of regulation, Williams hit a 3-pointer to ignite a 9-0 run, with Providence taking its first lead of the second half when Xavier made a 17-foot jumper with 61 seconds left.

The Friars had a chance to extend the lead to four but Hall, who shot an airball from the free-throw line earlier, hit the front of the rim on the first shot of a one-and-one. The Irish then missed two shots and Providence rebounded, but Harangody stole the ball from McDermott and was fouled. He made both shots to tie the score at 61.

With McDermott dribbling the ball looking to make a last play, Jackson stole the ball and his 30-foot shot bounced off the front of the rim.