WHO: | Notre Dame 16-7, 9-3 vs. Louisville 11-12, 5-8 |
WHAT: | Irish look for sweep of season series vs. Cardinals |
WHERE: | Purcell Pavilion | Notre Dame, IN |
WHEN: | Wednesday, February 9, 2022 | 7 p.m. ET |
TICKETS: | Limited number available at und.com/buytickets |
LIVE STATS: | Available at und.com/mediastats |
TV: | ESPNU | Play-by-Play: Anish Shroff | Analyst: Jordan Cornette |
RADIO: | Play-by-Play: Tony Simeone | Live locally on WSBT-AM 960/FM 96.1, worldwide on und.com |
The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball returns home to cap the two-game Atlantic Coast Conference series with Louisville (11-12, 5-8) on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET, ESPNU). The Irish will look to improve to 10-1 at Purcell Pavilion this season and earn two victories over Louisville in the same season for the first time in program history.
GAME TRENDS
In 2021-22 the Notre Dame is…
… 13-0 when they shoot better than their opponent.
… 10-0 when they make 10-or-more three-point field goals.
… 8-1 when a Notre Dame player scores 20-or-more points.
… 10-1 when the Irish out-rebound their opponent.
A NOTRE DAME WIN WOULD…
… mark the first time in program history the Irish would defeat the Cardinals twice in the same season.
… improve the Irish to 10-1 at Purcell Pavilion this season.
… push 2021-22 to the 14th season under Mike Brey the Irish have earned double digit wins in conference play.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
23 |
Dane Goodwin |
SR |
6-4 |
202 |
Upper Arlington, OH |
14.5 ppg |
5.0 rpg |
.504 FG |
.472 3FG |
.886 FT |
• Has established himself as one of the most efficient and skilled scorers in the country.
• The only major conference player in the nation with 14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, .500 FG, .400 3FG, .850 FT numbers.
• Has scored in double figures in 22 of 23 games this season.
• ACC Co-Player of the Week (12/27/21) who has become an All-ACC level guard this season.
0 |
Blake Wesley |
FR |
6-5 |
185 |
South Bend, IN |
14.1 ppg |
3.3 rpg |
2.6 APG |
26 STL |
• One of two true freshmen in the country with 300 points, 70 rebounds, 60 assists and 25 steals (Dillon Jones, Weber State).
• National Freshman of the Week on January 10 (CBSSports/BWAA) and three-time ACC Freshman of the Week (including this week).
• In his first career start in Purcell Pavilion, hit the game-winning jump shot with :12 left to defeat No. 10/12 Kentucky.
• First South Bend, IN, public school MBB prospect to attend Notre Dame since 1985.
• See page 4 for more breakdowns of Wesley’s noteworthy rookie season.
20 |
Paul Atkinson Jr. |
GR |
6-9 |
230 |
W. Palm Beach, FL |
12.3 ppg |
6.8 rpg |
.599 FG |
.768 FT |
17 BLK |
• Averaged 17 pts and 10 reb in three games last week to earn ACC Player of the Week accolades.
• Turned in his best game in an Irish uniform with 23 points and 11 rebounds at Miami, shooting 11-of-16 from the field.
• 2019-20 Ivy League Player of the Year at Yale, did not participate in 2020-21 as the Ivy League canceled all intercollegiate athletics.
• Ranked by ESPN+ as the fourth-best transfer prospect in 2020-21.
3 |
Prentiss Hubb |
SR |
6-3 |
176 |
Upper Marlboro, MD |
8.7 ppg |
2.7 rpg |
3.6 apg |
• Leads the country in assist/turnover ratio in conference games (6.1).
• Has continued his penchant for game-winning plays this season, securing the win over Virginia on Saturday with two free throws at :04 remaining; a driving lay up with :19 left to be the game-sealing basket at Howard (his first game back at the DMV after playing he area during his prep career) and the game-winning jumper at Pittsburgh with :05 left.
• Preseason All-ACC Second Team.
14 |
Nate Laszewski |
SR |
6-10 |
235 |
Jupiter, FL |
8.4 ppg |
7.0 rpg |
.489 FG |
.444 3FG |
• Suffered a leg bruise in the first half at NC State that limited him to just five minutes played.
• Became the 67th player in Notre Dame men’s basketball history to surpass 1,000 career points against Duke.
• Led ND to victory over NC State with 18 pts, 11 reb, including a personal 8-0 run to erase a five point deficit early in the second half.
• Scored over 20 points four times last season and has six 20-point games in his career.
OFF THE BENCH
5 |
Cormac Ryan |
SR |
6-5 |
195 |
New York, NY |
7.0 ppg |
4.6 rpg |
.337 3FG |
.737 FT |
• The team’s best on-ball defender who routinely assumes the assignment of the opponents best perimeter scoring threat.
• Filled up the stat line against No. 10/12 Kentucky with seven points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal.
• Scored 21 points in the first half in the victory at Duke last year, eventually scoring career-best 28 points.
2 |
Trey Wertz |
SR |
6-5 |
192 |
Charlotte, NC |
4.0 ppg |
1.9 rpg |
2.4 apg |
• Keyed ND’s second half surge at NC State with ball handling against pressure and 12 points off the bench.
• Went three-for-three from three point range at Louisville, surpassing 1,000 career points (747 scored at Santa Clara).
• Planned to sit out 2020-21 after transferring from Santa Clara until all underclassmen transfers were given immediate eligibility in 12/20
• Hit the game-winning three pointer at the buzzer in the first round ACC tournament victory over Wake Forest last season.
BREY FACES FORMER PLAYER FOR SECOND TIME THIS SEASON, FOURTH TIME OVERALL
Glenn and Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Brey will be facing off against Louisville interim head coach Mike Pegues for the first time on Wednesday evening.
Pegues starred for Brey at Delaware from 1996-2000, played overseas for five years and worked his way up the coaching ladder from high school to VCU, Delaware, Xavier and Louisville.
Earlier this season Notre Dame paid a visit to Howard on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and faced Bison head coach Kenny Blakeney, earning a 71-68 victory. Blakeney was recruited by and played for Brey when he was an assistant at Duke from 1991-95. Brey is 2-0 against Blakeney, as the two teams also met on November 12, 2019, a 79-50 Irish victory.
The other former player Brey has coached against was Martin Ingelsby, the current head coach at Delaware who played for Brey at Notre Dame in 2000-01 and was a member of the Irish coaching staff from 2009-16. Brey made a trip back to Delaware on December 9, 2017, and earned a 92-68 victory over the Blue Hens.
GOODWIN NUMBERS ARE EYE CATCHING
Senior Dane Goodwin has been flirting with the coveted 50/40/90 shooting splits all season, but also contributes points and rebounds. Taking a look across the country, only four players can boast the numbers of 14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, .500 FG%, .400 3FG% and .850 FT%
Goodwin is the only member of that crew from a major conference.
Name |
School |
PPG |
RPG |
FG% |
3FG% |
FT% |
Dane Goodwin |
Notre Dame |
14.5 |
5.0 |
.504 |
.472 |
.886 |
Isiaih Mosley |
Missouri State |
20.7 |
5.6 |
.504 |
.435 |
.919 |
Jalen Adaway |
St. Bonaventure |
15.5 |
6.5 |
.505 |
.436 |
.860 |
Felipe Haase |
Mercer |
14.5 |
5.8 |
.509 |
.467 |
.861 |
BLAKE WESLEY AMONG THE NATION’S TOP FRESHMAN
Freshman Blake Wesley, the reigning ACC Freshman of the Week (his second such award of the season) is among college basketball’s top scoring true freshmen.
ACC TRUE FRESHMAN SCORING
1. |
Paolo Banchero |
Duke |
22 |
17.5 |
2. |
Terquavion Smith |
NC State |
24 |
15.8 |
3. |
Blake Wesley |
Notre Dame |
22 |
14.1 |
4. |
Trevor Keels |
Duke |
19 |
11.4 |
5. |
Matthew Cleveland |
Florida State |
21 |
10.3 |
MAJOR CONFERENCE TRUE FRESHMAN SCORING
1. |
Paolo Banchero |
Duke |
22 |
17.5 |
2. |
Bryce McGowens |
Nebraska |
23 |
16.7 |
3. |
Terquavion Smith |
NC State |
24 |
15.8 |
4. |
Jabari Smith |
Auburn |
23 |
15.3 |
5. |
Blake Wesley |
Notre Dame |
23 |
14.1 |
6. |
Aminu Mohammed |
Georgetown |
21 |
13.6 |
7. |
Kennedy Chandler |
Tennessee |
21 |
13.2 |
8. |
Ty Ty Washington Jr. |
Kentucky |
22 |
12.9 |
Expand to all true freshmen in the country and Wesley is 16th in points per game.
HUBB’S CLUTCH MOMENTS
Senior Prentiss Hubb has posted three game-winning moments this season to further enhance his legacy of stepping up in clutch situations throughout his Irish career.
2018-19 – thrust into the starting lineup due to an illness to T.J. Gibbs, Hubb scores 16 points and puts the Irish ahead 67-66 with two free throws with 2.8 left against Boston College. The Irish eventually won the game 69-66.
2019-20 – his three pointer with 1:20 left ties the game at Syracuse, then his two free throws with :18 left seal the 88-87 victory.
2019-20 – converts five of six free throws in the final minutes of the game as the Irish win 78-74 at Georgia Tech.
2019-20 – drives the length of the court in the closing seconds at Boston College, finding T.J. Gibbs for the game-winning jumper in the lane at the buzzer.
2020-21 – scores the final 11 points of the game against Kentucky, including the game-winning drive to the bucket for a 64-63 win.
2020-21 – his 28-foot three pointer with :37 seconds left puts Notre Dame up five in the 93-89 victory at Duke.
2021-22 – connects on the game-winning turnaround jump shot with :05 left in the 68-67 victory at Pittsburgh.
2021-22 – turns in a clutch drive to the hoop at Howard with :19 remaining, turning a one-point lead into the three-point winning margin (71-68). It was Hubb’s first game back in the DMV after his prep hoops career at Gonzaga.
2021-22 – steps to the line with :04 left and sinks both free throws to secure a 69-65 victory over Virginia.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTED BY 1,000 POINT SCORERS
Notre Dame has produced 67 1,000 point scorers throughout the history of the program with 26 of those players having been recruited by Mike Brey and exhausted their eligibility (or turned professional early).
Just this season alone, Dane Goodwin, Trey Wertz (who scored 747 of his career points at Santa Clara) and Nate Laszewski have reached the 1,000-point plateau. Along with Paul Atkinson Jr. and Prentiss Hubb, Notre Dame is the first program in the nation this year to have five players with over 1,000 point scored in a career.
School |
All-Time 1,000 Point Scorers |
North Carolina |
77 |
Louisville |
69 |
NOTRE DAME |
67 |
Duke |
67 |
Villanova |
67 |
Syracuse |
63 |
Kansas |
62 |
IRISH INK NATIONALLY-RANKED RECRUITING CLASS
The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball program and Glenn and Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Brey have announced that three prospective student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Notre Dame and compete for the Fighting Irish in 2022-23.
The three-member class is composed of forwards Dom Campbell and Ven-Allen Lubin, along with guard J.J. Starling. All three are consensus top-100 players and four-star prospects which provide the Irish the 15th-ranked recruiting class by 24/7 Sports (fifth-best in the ACC) and the 18th-rated (fourth-best in the ACC) group from Rivals.
“Our new staff started with a plan in June and I really like how we stayed focused and committed while being on the road in June and July, then followed through when the visits on campus took place,” Brey said.
“It was a fabulous team effort by our coaching staff to get a three man class that will be part of a bright future for Notre Dame basketball. Our fans will love to watch these guys play and grow as part of our program.”
Dom Campbell | Forward | 6-9, 265 | Phillips Exeter Academy (NH) | Scarborough, ME
“Dom is a gifted low post guy with great hands and footwork. He has the ability to carve out space and step out as well. He can make really good decisions with the ball in his hands.”
– Mike Brey
Rivals 4 Star – 96th overall, 11th power forward
24/7 4 star – 123rd overall, 22nd power forward, 2nd state
Ven-Allen Lubin | Forward | 6-8, 220 | Orlando Christian Prep | Orlando, FL
“Ven-Allen is a position less basketball player. He has the ability to post up, face up, run and change ends. He also brings great length on the defensive end.”
– Mike Brey
Rivals 4 Star – 63rd overall, 8th power forward
24/7 4 Star – 73rd overall, 14th power forward, 14th state
ESPN 4 star – 91st overall, 13th power forward, 14th state
J.J. Starling | Guard | 6-4, 195 | La Lumiere School (IN) | Baldwinsville, NY
“J.J. is an explosive guard. You can’t pigeonhole him as a point guard or a two man, he does a little bit of everything. The most infectious thing is his energy and charisma that he plays with. He really engages his teammates and leads on the floor.”
– Mike Brey
Rivals 4 Star – 40th overall, 8th point guard
24/7 – 30th overall, 5th point guard, 1st state
ESPN – 17th overall, 4th point guard, 3rd state
STARLING EARNS A SPOT ON MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN TEAM
J.J. Starling, a 6-4, 185-pound guard from Baldwinsville, New York, and currently competing at La Lumiere School in Indiana, has been named to the 2022 McDonald’s All-America Boys Basketball Team. Starling has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Notre Dame and compete for the men’s basketball team in 2022-23.
The selections will appear in the 2022 McDonald’s All-American Game, which will be held in Chicago, Illinois, in March of 2022 at WinTrust Arena.
Starling is the 17th rated national recruit from ESPN, 25th by 24/7 Sports and 40th by Rivals.com.
He will become the fifth McDonald’s All-American recruited during Glenn and Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Brey’s tenure and the eighth to suit up for the Irish under Brey.
Notre Dame Men’s Basketball McDonald’s All-Americans
J.J. Starling, 2022
Demetrius Jackson, 2017
Luke Zeller, 2005
Torin Francis, 2002
Chris Thomas, 2001
Danny Miller, 1998 (transferred from Maryland)
Ryan Humphrey, 1997 (transferred from Oklahoma)
LaPhonso Ellis, 1988
Keith Robinson, 1986
Mark Stevenson, 1985 (transferred to Duquesne)
Matt Beeuwsaert, 1984 (transferred to California)
Ken Barlow, 1982
Tim Kempton, 1982
Joe Kleine, 1980 (transferred to Arkansas)
Tom Sluby, 1980
Barry Spencer, 1980
Tim Andree, 1979
John Paxson, 1979
Tracy Jackson, 1977