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Head Coach Mike Brey | Guard Matt Carroll | Forward Troy Murphy
Dec. 9, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – (AP)–Mike Ensminger had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Alex Shorts added 16 points as Miami of Ohio controlled the boards to beat No. 10 Notre Dame 73-64 Saturday.
The RedHawks (4-4) had a 44-26 rebounding advantage, repeatedly following misses with putback baskets. Miami had 18 offensive rebounds, with Ensminger and Rich Allendorf pulling down six each. The Irish (4-2), who lost their second straight, managed just eight offensive rebounds.
The 64 points was the fewest scored this season by the Irish, who had been averaging 87 points a game.
Miami, which upset Temple earlier this season, has held opponents to 68 points or less in every game this season.
Notre Dame All-American Troy Murphy, who did not start for the first time ever as part of a punishment for using a fake identification to get into a bar, cut Miami’s lead to 60-59 with a basket underneath with 4:45 left.
But Allendorf scored on a rebound off his own miss and Ensminger scored on an inbounds pass from under the basket with five seconds left on the shot clock to give the RedHawks a five-point lead.
Jason Grunkemeyer then made a pair of free throws for the RedHawks and then stole the ball from Martin Ingelsby and scored on a fastbreak layup to make it 68-61. The RedHawks hit four of five free throws in the final 64 seconds to extend the lead.
Grunkemeyer had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Julius Jones added 12 points and Allendorf had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Murphy, wearing a brace on his right ankle after spraining it Monday, had 22 points and just four rebounds, Ryan Humphrey had 17 points, David Graves scored 13 and Matt Carroll 12.
The Irish shot 42.6 percent and were just 7-of-23 from 3-point range. Their biggest problem, though, was an inability to consistently stop the RedHawks. And when Miami missed, it got the rebound and frequently scored.
The Irish, who trailed 28-27 at halftime, opened the second half with an 8-2 run on 3-pointers by Graves and Carroll to open a 35-30 lead. But Johnson hit a 3-pointer for Miami and the RedHawks quickly tied the score at 37.
Murphy made a 3-pointer to start a 6-0 run by the Irish, but the RedHawks responded with an 11-0 run. The game remained close until Miami took command down the stretch.
The RedHawks controlled most of the first half, although the Irish made a run late to make it a one-point game at halftime.