Irish Earn Big ACC Road Win, Take Down First-Place Miami

ND MBB at Miami Box Score

The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team (15-7, 8-3) claimed a big 68-64 Atlantic Coast Conference victory at Miami (16-6, 8-3), who entered the day alone in first place in the league, at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida, on Wednesday evening. 

Keyed by a 22-6 run in the second half and a stellar 23-point, 11-rebound effort from Floridian Paul Atkinson Jr., the Irish won on the road after playing a game at home just 48 hours prior. Senior Prentiss Hubb was solid all night with 16 points, six assists and two steals for Notre Dame, while Isaiah Wong paced the Hurricanes with 18 points. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

After two quick buckets at the rim to start the game for Miami, Notre Dame answered with a 7-0 run to take an early lead into the first media timeout. Dane Goodwin hit a corner three, then grabbed a rebound for a lay up. Blake Wesley, looking to distribute early, found Atkinson Jr. for a dunk as well. 

Atkinson Jr. ended up hitting his first five shots at the rim and the Irish offense moved the ball well during their offensive possessions. Miami kept pace, however, working one-on-one against Notre Dame’s man-to-man defense. Behind Atkinson Jr.’s 11 points the Irish owned a 22-20 lead with 5:48 left in the first half. 

Atkinson Jr. eventually started the game 7-for-7 from the field (and his eighth shot was a missed goaltending call) to pile up 15 points and match Goodwin from the Virginia Tech game earlier this year for the most points by an Irish player in the first 20 minutes. 

The Notre Dame offense continued to share the ball and see several wide open three point looks not fall late in the first half. The Irish were just 1-for-15 from behind the arc with at least 10 of the shots very clean looks. After missing on seven of their final eight shots, Notre Dame entered the locker room with a 30-28 advantage. 

Miami scored twice to start the half and earn a 34-33 lead, but the Irish answered with a 12-2 run kick started by a Prentiss Hubb steal and run out lay up. He then hit back-to-back three pointers, the first a step back and the second on a great find in the corner by Wesley. 

The run continued with a Wesley lay up, then Atkinson Jr. rebounded a miss off a Wesley drive and the Irish forced a Miami timeout by claiming a 42-34 lead. 

Miami came back with two consecutive threes which were offset by Hubb connecting on a deep three pointer to keep the Irish up 47-40 with 11:43 left. The Irish then ripped off six straight field goals during a 22-6 run. Hubb had two drives in the streak, Atkinson Jr. continued to score at the rim and Cormac Ryan connected on a three pointer off a great feed from Trey Wertz. 

While the Irish offense was something to behold, the team’s defense was equally up to the task. Miami was just 2-for-10 from the field during the 22-6 run. 

The home team tried to chip away at the lead, but Notre Dame had an answer for every mini run. Nate Laszewski stopped one small burst with a drive and score. Atkinson Jr. continued to dominate inside with back-to-back dunks. The final nail, however, might have been Goodwin’s wing three pointer to put the Irish up eight with 1:51 left. 

NOTES

The 21-point, 11-rebound effort for Atkinson Jr. is his first 20-point game at Notre Dame and first 20/10 game by an Irish player since John Mooney in 2020 • the Irish dished out 20 assists with a team-high seven from Blake Wesley • the 20 assists mark the second time this season the Irish have piled up 20 or more (21 vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi) and a high for an ACC game this year • Dane Goodwin, held scoreless for the first time this season on Monday night against Duke, bounced back with 14 points and four rebounds against Miami.

NEXT UP

The Irish will continue their two-game road swing at NC State on Saturday, February 5, 2022, at 3 p.m. ET on the ACC Network.