Irish Finally Back In Purcell Pavilion To Face No. 10/12 Kentucky

Notre Dame Game Notes vs. Kentucky

2021-22 FIGHTING IRISH – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team (3-4) returns home after a 25-day road trip to face No. 10/12 Kentucky in Purcell Pavilion. The University will induct LaPhonso Ellis into the Purcell Pavilion Ring of Honor at halftime of the contest.   

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

#20 | PAUL ATKINSON JR. | Graduate Student | 6-9 | 230 | West Palm Beach, FL

Saw double-digit game scoring streak end at Illinois, still averaging 11.1 ppg and 6.0 rpg in 2021-22 • 2019-20 Ivy League Player of the Year at Yale • did not participate in 2020-21, as the Ivy League cancelled all intercollegiate athletics • ranked by ESPN+ as the fourth-best transfer prospect in  2020-21 • boasts a .661 career field goal percentage – top for any returning NCAA Division I player this year – and led Ivy League in FG% all three seasons in which he competed.

#5 CORMAC RYAN | Senior | 6-5 | 195 | New York, NY

Pulled down a season and team-high seven rebounds at Illinois • started 16 of 25 games in his first year with the Irish last season • scored 21 points in the first half in the victory at Duke last year, eventually scoring career-best 28 points • shot .344 from 3FG range last season.

#23 DANE GOODWIN | Senior | 6-4 | 202 | Upper Arlington, OH

Has scored in double figures in all seven games this season and leads the team with 15.0 ppg, to match his career-best streak (seven straight in 2019-20 – final four games – and 2020-21 – first three games) • averaging 14.3 ppg and 5.4 rpg • one of the best free throw shooters on the team, boasting a .831 career average from the stripe (15-16 this season).

#14 NATE LASZEWSKI | Senior | 6-10 | 235 | Jupiter, FL

Scored 13 points with three three-point field goals at Illinois • leads the Irish in rebounding at 9.1 per game • improved FG% 19 percent, 3FG% 11% and RPG by 3.1 last season • scored over 20 points four times last season and has five 20-point games in his career.

#0 BLAKE WESLEY | Freshman | 6-5 | 185 | South Bend, IN

Exploded for 24 points, 18 in the second half at Illinois in the first true road game of his career • logged his first career start at Boston College • has hit double figures in five of his seven career games played • first Mike Brey freshman to score 20 points in a career debut (vs. CSUN) since Chris Thomas in 2001 • first South Bend, IN, public school MBB prospect to sign with Notre Dame since 1985 • consensus four-star prospect • athletic backcourt player expected to be an immediate key contributor.

OFF THE BENCH

#3 PRENTISS HUBB | Senior | 6-3 | 176 | Upper Marlboro, MD

Preseason All-ACC Second Team • led the team with 15 points against Boston College, coming off the bench for the first time since the victory at Miami last season • leads all active ACC players in career assists (466) • led the Irish in  scoring (14.6) and three-point field goals made (65) last season • one of five major conference players to reach 100 assists in league play last season.

#2 TREY WERTZ | Senior | 6-5 | 192 | Charlotte, NC

Led the Irish with five assists vs. St. Mary’s (CA) and played a season-high 26 minutes • planned to sit out 2020-21 season after transferring from Santa Clara until all underclassmen transfers were given immediate eligibility in December of 2020 • appeared in 21 games making 14 starts, shooting .429 from three-point range • hit the game-winning 3FG at the buzzer vs. WF in 2021 ACC tournament.

#22 ELIJAH TAYLOR | Sophomore | 6-8 | 242 | Philadelphia, PA

Has worked his way into Notre Dame’s eight-man rotation • earned earliest minutes of his career in the first half at Illinois, eventually scored four points in career-high seven minutes • made Irish debut vs. Chaminade and scored his first career field goal • missed CSUN game as a precaution due to minor lower leg injury, then the High Point game with the flu • missed 2020-21 while recovering from ankle surgery • athletic front court player will provide depth on the Irish front line.

#1 J.R. KONIECZNY | Freshman | 6-6 | 195 | South Bend, IN

(pronounced Ko-NEZZ-knee) Saw action in first career game vs. CSUN, scored first career points vs. Chaminade • all-time leading scorer in St. Joseph County history (1,996) • joins classmate Blake Wesley as the first Northern Indiana Conference players to sign with Notre Dame since 2012 (D. Jackson, A. Torres).

IRISH ITEMS – BY THE NUMBERS

LAPHONSO ELLIS TO ENTER PURCELL PAVILION RING OF HONOR

Glenn and Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Brey has announced that LaPhonso Ellis will be the program’s 10th individual inducted into the Purcell Pavilion Ring of Honor on Saturday, December 11, 2021.

“LaPhonso Ellis is one of the greatest athletes and gentlemen to ever suit up for Notre Dame basketball,” Brey said.

“A dominant player on the court, ‘Phonz’ faced his share of challenges at Notre Dame, but overcame them all to become a great ambassador not only for our program, but our entire University. The Ring of Honor was meant to celebrate amazing individuals like LaPhonso and we can’t wait to induct him in December.”

Ellis dominated the front line, both offensively and defensively, during his career with the Irish from 1988 through 1992. He finished his career as the all-time leading shot blocker (200), third leading rebounder (1,075) and eighth on the all-time scoring list (1,505 – those rankings have changed over the years). Upon completion of his time at Notre Dame, Ellis was just the fourth Irish player to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in a career.

One of the elite athletes in college basketball during his time, Ellis exploded for 27 points in 27 minutes in his first college game and never let up through his 97 career contests. He saved his best performances for some of Notre Dame’s best competition. During his senior season in 1991-92, Ellis averaged 20.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and shot .679 from the field against ranked opponents.

That final season for Ellis at Notre Dame is one of the finest for a front court player in program history. Recording 22 double-doubles (third best for a single season), Ellis played 1,194 minutes (36.2 per game, a school-record at the time), shot 63 percent from the field while scoring 17.7 points per game and pulling down 11.7 rebounds per contest. On February 29, 1992, Ellis connected on 16 of 16 free throws against Rutgers which earned him a share of the school record for free throw percentage in a game.

Ellis helped three Irish teams to postseason appearances, including a first-round NCAA tournament victory over Vanderbilt in 1989. He capped the 1992 season by leading the Irish to the NIT Championship game, earning all-tournament honors with 18 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. In keeping with Ellis’ penchant for stepping up against the best competition, he averaged 17.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and shot 55 percent from the field in seven postseason performances.

While Ellis missed 20 games during his career when he fell behind academically, he graduated on time with a degree in accounting in 1992. He was the fifth overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, earning first-team all-rookie honors with the squad after the 1992-93 season. He helped the Nuggets make history in the 1994 postseason as they became the first No. 8 playoff seed to defeat at No. 1 seed (Seattle). Over his 11 year NBA career, Ellis played for the Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat, scoring over 7,400 points (11.9 average) with over 4,000 rebounds (6.5 average).

Ellis joined the Notre Dame Basketball Radio network after his retirement from professional basketball as a color commentator, eventually working his way to ESPN in 2009 as a college basketball analyst. Ellis became a part of the popular College GameDay crew at ESPN starting in the 2019-20 season.

The Purcell Pavilion Ring of Honor was established in 2010 by the University of Notre Dame Athletics Department to honor former or current men’s and women’s basketball coaches and student-athletes who have made distinguished and noteworthy contributions during their careers at the University.

RING OF HONOR GAME HISTORY

All told, Notre Dame has inducted 16 individuals into the Purcell Pavilion Ring of Honor  – nine from men’s basketball and six from women’s basketball. The Irish are 16-0 in those games. Former women’s basketball head coach Muffet McGraw will be inducted into the Ring of Honor on Sunday, December 12, 2021.

IRISH BACK AT HOME AFTER LONGEST ROAD TRIP OF THEY BREY ERA

Notre Dame returns to Purcell Pavilion this weekend to face No. 10/12 Kentucky after a five-game, 25-day road trip that included the 2021 Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Las Vegas, the ACC/Big Ten Challenge game at Illinois and last weekend’s ACC opener at Boston College.

The 25-day run is the longest of the Mike Brey era and longest since the Irish went 29 days between home games in the 1993-94 season under John MacLeod.

Here is a look at four of the longest road trips they Irish have experienced since 1993-94, including the previous longest of the Brey era from 2017-18.