Irish To Face Kentucky In DIRECTV SEC/BIG EAST Invitational

Dec. 7, 2010

#23/23 Notre Dame vs. #17/16 Kentucky
Wednesday, December 8 º 9:30 p.m. (EST)
Freedom Hall (18,865) º Louisville, Ky.
DIRECTV SEC/BIG EAST Invitational

Complete Notes in PDF Format

Irish Set To Meet Kentucky In DIRECTV SEC/BIG EAST Invitational

• Notre Dame will make its first-ever appearance in the DIRECTV SEC/BIG EAST Invitational on Wednesday as the Irish meet Kentucky at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. Tip-off is slated for 9:30 p.m. (ET). The game will be preceded by Seton Hall versus Arkansas, which also is part of the DIRECTV SEC/BIG EAST Invitational. The doubleheader will be aired by ESPN.
• This will be the 60th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Kentucky. The Wildcats lead the series 41-18. The Fighting Irish won the last meeting, 77-67, during the 2009 postseason NIT at the Joyce Center. That snapped a 10-game winning streak for Kentucky in the series.
• Notre Dame and Kentucky have met at Freedom Hall on 32 occasions with the first contest played in January 1937. The Wildcats own a 32-9 advantage in the games the two schools have played at Freedom Hall. The last time Notre Dame and Kentucky faced each other at Freedom Hall was on Jan. 31, 1988, as the Wildcats earned a 78-69 victory.
• Notre Dame has a five-game winning streak against SEC teams. Earlier this season, the Fighting Irish topped SEC foe Georgia 89-83 in double-overtime during the first round of the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla. Notre Dame’s last loss to an SEC team was a 71-63 setback to Kentucky on Jan. 25, 2004, at the Joyce Center. The Fighting Irish are 7-6 against SEC competition during Mike Brey’s tenure at Notre Dame. Brey is 1-4 all-time against Kentucky. All of those meetings have occurred during his time at Notre Dame.
• Kentucky will bring a 5-2 record into Wednesday’s contest. The Wildcats fell at North Carolina, 75-73, on Saturday.
• Notre Dame is ranked 23rd in both the Associated Press poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. It marks the highest the Irish have been ranked this season. Kentucky is 17th in the AP poll and 16th in the coaches poll. The Wildcats are the first ranked opponent the Fighting Irish have faced this season.

So Far So Good

• Notre Dame is off to an 8-0 start for the fifth time in program history and for the first time since the 1973-74 campaign. That Irish squad opened 12-0. Notre Dame’s best start ever was 13-0 in 1945-46 (see box on page 3 of this notes packet for detailed information on undefeated starts).
• o While Notre Dame’s 8-0 start is the best ever for the Irish under Brey, it also matches the longest win streak for an Irish team coached by him. Notre Dame’s last eight-game win streak came during Brey’s first season when his 2000-01 squad rattled off eight straight BIG EAST conference regular-season victories. A win tonight would be the longest win streak for a Notre Dame team under Brey and the longest since the 1986-87 campaign when that Irish team won 11 straight. They concluded the season by winning the final nine regular-season contests and two NCAA Tournament games before falling to North Carolina (74-68) in the Sweet 16.

Irish On A Roll

• With an eight-game win streak to start the season, Notre Dame is 14-2 in its last 16 games dating back to last season. Following a double-overtime loss (91-89) to Louisville in Freedom Hall on Feb. 17, 2010, the Irish won their final four regular-season games in 2009-10 (Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Connecticut and Marquette) and won two games in the BIG EAST Tournament (wins over Seton Hall and Pittsburgh) before losing to West Virginia in the conference championship semifinals and to Old Dominion in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament.

Looking To Break The Freedom Hall Jinx

• Freedom Hall has not been kind to the Irish of late. Heading into the game against Kentucky, Notre Dame teams are 11-34 all-time playing at Freedom Hall, including a 9-23 record against the Wildcats. Notre Dame has lost 10 straight games at Freedom Hall (seven straight to Louisville).
• The last win for an Irish team at Freedom Hall was against Kentucky (67-61) on Dec. 27, 1980.
• Three of the last four times Notre Dame has played at Freedom Hall (all against Louisville), the final outcome has been decided either in overtime or double overtime.
• Here are the last four games:
  lost 91-89 (2ot) on Feb. 17, 2010
  lost 87-73 (ot) on Jan. 12, 2009
  lost 90-85 on Feb. 29, 2008
  lost 89-86 (ot) on Feb. 4, 2006

BIG EAST Teams Find Success In Preseason Tournaments

• Notre Dame won the Old Spice Classic and was one of six BIG EAST teams to come away with an in-season tournament title during the month of November.
• Champions
  Connecticut – EA Sports Maui Invitational
  Pittsburgh – 2K Sports Classic
  Notre Dame – Old Spice Classic
  Syracuse – Legends Classic
  Georgetown – Charleston Classic
  St. John’s – Great Alaska Shootout
  Runner-Up
  Villanova – Preseason NIT Tip-Off
  West Virginia – Puerto Rico Tip-Off

No Loss League

• As of Dec. 5 there were 19 teams in NCAA Division I men’s basketball that were undefeated. Joining Notre Dame (8-0) in that group are six other BIG EAST squads, Pittsburgh (9-0), Georgetown (8-0), Syracuse (8-0), Cincinnati (7-0), Connecticut (7-0) and Louisville (6-0).

Career-High Night For Hansbrough

• Senior guard Ben Hansbrough netted a career-high 24 points against Indiana State on Nov. 30. Hansbrough shot 8-12 from the field, including 4-5 from three-point range, and he hit all four of his free throw attempts in the Irish victory. His previous high was 23 against Texas A&M Corpus Christi during the 2006-07 campaign when he played at Mississippi State.
• Hansbrough has reached double-digits 56 times in his career, including 30 times with the Irish. He has reached double digits in seven of eight games this season. Hansbrough is first on the team with a 15.8 ppg. average this season. He also has a team-best 32 assists (4.0 apg).
• Hansbrough has scored 20 or more points three times this season. Against Chicago State on Nov. 17, Hansbrough hit a single-game career-high six three pointers en route to tallying 22 points. He has scored 20-plus points 10 times during his career, including six times while at Notre Dame.
• Hansbrough currently ranks ninth nationally in three-point field goal percentage by shooting at a 54.8 percent clip (23-42) from beyond the arc.

Spreading The Wealth

• o All five of Notre Dame’s starters reached double figures in the 81-72 win over Indiana State on Nov. 30. Ben Hansbrough had a career-high 24 points, while Tyrone Nash notched 16 points. Scott Martin matched a season-high total with 15 points and Tim Abromaitis and Carleton Scott registered 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Notre Dame Basketball Raises $250,000 For Haiti

• Fundraising efforts held in conjunction with the Notre Dame men’s basketball game against DePaul (Jan. 23) and women’s basketball contest versus West Virginia (Jan. 24) raised more than $250,000 in donations for the relief efforts in Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. Notre Dame donated full gate receipts and net concession revenue from both games. In addition, a collection organized by the Notre Dame Student-Athlete Advisory Council raised more than $25,000 from fans and alumni who contributed during the games. The Notre Dame Monogram Club also added a $10,000 matching gift to the student total.

Veteran Presence

• Seniors Tim Abromaitis (F), Ben Hansbrough (G), Scott Martin (G), Tyrone Nash (F) and Carleton Scott (F) have started seven of Notre Dame’s eight games this season. The only game that quintet did not start was Chicago State (Nov. 17) when Martin was out with back spasms.

Clamping Down

• Notre Dame held California (16-61) and Wisconsin (20-57) to a combined 36-118 (.305) from the field during the final two games of the Old Spice Classic.
• Overall this season, Notre Dame opponents are shooting just 38.0% (183-482) from the field, including 29.8% (48-161) from three-point range.

Strong Defensive Starts

• The Irish held California and Wisconsin to five and 19 points, respectively, in the first half of play during the Old Spice Classic.
• Notre Dame opponents are averaging just 25.5 points in the first half this season. Notre Dame is averaging 39.1 points during the first stanza.

• Living Large At The Line

  • The Fighting Irish have 58 more made free throws than their opponents have attempts from the charity stripe. The Fighting Irish are 179-240 (.746) from the free throw line this season, while their opponents are 82-121 (.678).
  • During the Old Spice Classic, Notre Dame held a decisive free throw advantage in all three games. The Irish made 20 more free throws than both Georgia (30-10) and California (26-6). Notre Dame made 16 more free throws (20-4) than Wisconsin in the title game.
  • Notre Dame went a combined 13-14 from the charity stripe during both overtime periods in the 89-83 triumph of Georgia. The Irish made a season-high 30 free throws, on 43 attempts, versus Georgia.

  On A Run

  • Notre Dame used several key runs during the Old Spice Classic to secure the tournament title.
  • After falling behind Georgia 38-25 early in the second half, Notre Dame erased the deficit by going on a 27-10 run to claim a four-point lead with 7:22 left in regulation. The Irish wound up winning 89-83 in double-overtime.
  • After surrendering the game’s first basket to California, the Irish went on to hold a 21-5 halftime advantage over the Golden Bears. The Irish defeated Cal 57-44.
  • In the championship game, Notre Dame fell behind Wisconsin 43-32 with 9:21 left in regulation. The Fighting Irish finished the game on a 26-8 run to claim the 58-51 victory. Included in that stretch was a 15-0 run for the Irish.

  Hitting The Glass

  • Notre Dame ranks fifth nationally in rebound margin (+12.4). The Fighting Irish have out-rebounded their opponents in every game this season. Notre Dame owns a 349-250 advantage on the glass. That mark includes a 108-77 edge in offensive boards.
  • Notre Dame out-rebounded Wisconsin 43-28 in the title game of the Old Spice Classic.
  • Carleton Scott has a team-best 62 rebounds (7.8 rpg), while Tyrone Nash is second with 56 (7.0 rpg), including a team-high 23 offensive rebounds.

  A Passing Grade

  • Against Indiana State, Notre Dame eclipsed the 20-plus assist mark for the fourth time this season by dishing out 21 assists. The Irish had a season-high 29 assists (on 34 made field goals) versus Chicago State (Nov. 17).
  • Notre Dame has registered 142 assists on its 206 made field goals this season (.689). The Irish have just 88 turnovers and they boast a 1.61 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranks sixth nationally. Notre Dame’s 17.8 assist-per-game average ranks 14th in the country.
  • Senior guard Ben Hansbrough leads the Irish with 32 assists (4.0 apg). Senior forward Tyrone Nash and freshman point guard Eric Atkins are tied for second with 26 apiece (3.3 apg). Atkins has a team-best 2.36 assist-to-turnover ratio.

  Abro On Attack

  • Tim Abromaitis has scored in double figures in seven of eight games this season. The only time he was held under 10 points was a seven-point effort against California (Nov. 26). The senior forward has 35 career games in double figures. His three-game stretch of 20-plus point efforts this season versus Chicago State (21), Maine (26) and Georgia (25) marked the first time that he’s hit for 20 or more points in three straight games during his Notre Dame career. He has 11 career games with 20-plus points.
  • Abromaitis is second among all Irish players with a 15.6 ppg. average this season. He was named the MVP of the Old Spice Classic as he averaged 14.0 ppg. and 8.7 rpg. during the three-game run.

  Great Scott

  • Carleton Scott provided Notre Dame with a consistent effort each night during the Old Spice Classic. Scott was the only Irish player to reach double figures in points during every game of the event. He notched double-doubles against both Georgia (11 pts., 11 rebs.) and California (16 pts., 10 rebs.). Scott registered 12 points and seven boards against Wisconsin and joined teammate Tim Abromaitis on the all-tournament team. His point totals against California and Wisconsin were team-best figures. That marked the first time in his career that he’s led the Irish in scoring.
  • Scott tied a career-high total with a season-high four blocked shots against Indiana State (Nov. 30).

  Martin Makes An Impact

  • Senior guard Scott Martin matched a season-high total with 15 points against Indiana State on Nov. 30. He also tallied 15 points versus Maine (Nov. 22). Those were his highest point outputs since he netted a career-high 17 points against Missouri State on Dec. 23, 2007, during his freshman season at Purdue.
  • Martin did not play in 2008-09 due to NCAA transfer rules and he missed all of last season with an ACL injury.
  • Martin reached double figures again with 11 points, to go along with six rebounds, against California (Nov. 26). He hauled down a season-high seven rebounds against Wisconsin (Nov. 28).

  Shooting Stars

  • The Fighting Irish shot a season best 57.7% (30-52) from the field in a 97-72 victory over Maine on Nov. 22.
  • Against Maine, Notre Dame shot 92.6% from the free throw line (25-27). Prior to that performance, the last time the Irish shot above 90% from the charity stripe was on Jan. 30, 2010 vs. Rutgers (9-10).
  • Six Notre Dame players (Abromaitis, Nash, Scott, Hansbrough, Cooley, Martin) reached double figures in points against Maine. It marked the first time the Irish had six double-digit scorers since Jan. 14, 2003 (vs. DePaul).

  Tyrone Takes Control

  • Senior forward Tyrone Nash netted a career-high 18 points versus Georgia on Nov. 25 during the first round of the Old Spice Classic. He followed that up with an 11-point effort against California (Nov. 26). That was his fifth straight game in double figures. It was the first time in his career that he reached double figures in five consecutive contests.
  • Nash has two double-doubles this season. He registered 11 points and 10 rebounds, in addition to seven assists, versus Chicago State (Nov. 17) and followed that with 13 points and 11 boards against Maine (Nov. 22).
  • Nash is tied for second on the team with 26 assists (3.3 apg) and is second in rebounds with 56 (7.8 rpg). His points-per-game total (12.5) also ranks third among all Irish players.

  Double-Double Times Three

  • Tim Abromaitis, Tyrone Nash and Carleton Scott all notched a double-double in the win over Chicago State on Nov. 17. It marked the first time three Irish players all recorded a double-double in the same game since Jan. 23, 2010, versus DePaul when Luke Harangody Ben Hansbrough and Nash accomplished the feat.

  Novembers To Remember

  • Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey never has lost a home game in November during his 10-plus seasons with the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame is 35-0 all-time at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center in November under Brey.
  • Notre Dame teams traditionally have played well under Brey during the month of November. In his 11 seasons on the Irish bench, Brey’s teams have compiled a 49-7 (.875) record.

  Hansbrough Hits 1,000 Career Points

  • Senior guard Ben Hansbrough posted 20 points in the season opener against Georgia Southern (Nov. 12). With his 12th point of the contest, Hansbrough reached the 1,000th point mark for his career that spans two playing seasons at Mississippi State (2006-08) and one at Notre Dame (2009-10).

  Ironmen

  • Tim Abromaitis, Ben Hansbrough and Tyrone Nash all have played in the past 43 contests. Nash and Hansbrough both have started all 43 of those contests. Overall, Nash has played in a team-best 58 straight contests. The last game he did not play in was at Cincinnati on Feb. 4, 2009.

  Draining From Deep

  • The Irish drained 10 or more three pointers in three straight games earlier this season. Notre Dame went 10-28 from behind the arc against Liberty (Nov. 14) and followed that up with 12 treys, on 31 attempts, against Chicago State (Nov. 17). Notre Dame also hit 12 three-pointers, on 18 attempts, versus Maine on Nov. 22.
  • Notre Dame went 8-11 from three-point range in the first half against Maine on Nov. 22. The eight made treys matched a season-high total for a half for the Irish. Notre Dame made eight three-pointers in the second half versus Chicago State.
  • The Fighting Irish are 63-174 (.362) from three-point range this season.

  382 And Counting

  • Heading into tonight’s contest against Kentucky, Notre Dame has made at least one three-pointer in 382 straight contests dating back to the 1998-99 campaign. The Fighting Irish have made at least one three pointer during every game of the Mike Brey era. The last time an Irish team failed to hit a three-pointer in a game was in a 101-70 loss to Connecticut at the Hartford Civic Center on Jan. 12, 1999. Notre Dame finished 0-7 from beyond the arc in that contest. In 2008-09, the Irish set a single-season three-point record with 319.

  Jack Attack

  • Sophomore forward Jack Cooley scored a career-high 13 points on 6-7 shooting from the field against Maine on Nov. 22. It was the second double-digit scoring output this season for Cooley, who netted a then career-high 11 points versus Georgia Southern in the season opener. Cooley is 15-24 (.625) from the field this season.

  Home Cooking

  • Notre Dame opened the season by playing its first four games at home and will play eight of its 12 non-league opponents at home before opening up BIG EAST play against Georgetown on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
  • Notre Dame’s first games away from Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center were at the Old Spice Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 25-28.
  • Notre Dame’s marquee matchup at home will be against Gonzaga on Saturday, Dec. 11. The first-ever matchup between the two schools is part of a two-game series. The Irish will head to Spokane during the 2011-12 campaign.

  Home Court Advantage

  • Notre Dame has won 74 of its last 80 (.925) home games and is 31-5 (.861) in its last 36 BIG EAST regular-season home contests.

  Impressive Opening Debut

  • With its 98-61 win over Georgia Southern, Notre Dame now is 88-18 (.830) in season openers and 37-6 (.860) all-time in openers at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.
  • Irish teams now are 11-0 all-time in season openers under head coach Mike Brey.
  • The 98 points put up by the Irish were the highest point total in a season opener since a 99-53 victory over New Hampshire to start the 2001-02 season.
  • The 37-point margin of victory was the largest in a season opener since a 43-point win (92-49) against IPFW to start the 2006-07 campaign.
  • The 62 points scored by the Irish in the first half en route to a 62-23 halftime lead matched the most ever by Notre Dame team under head coach Mike Brey. Previously, Notre Dame had 62 points in the first half against Loyola-Chicago on Nov. 22, 2000.

  Tom Knight Gets Into The Act

  • After sitting out all of last season, sophomore forward Tom Knight scored the first points of his career in the season opener against Georgia Southern as he finished with seven points and four rebounds in nine minutes of action.

  No Opening Game Jitters For These Rookies

  • Freshmen Eric Atkins and Alex Dragicevich showed little signs of opening night jitters in their collegiate debuts against Georgia Southern (Nov. 12). Atkins played 22 minutes and scored nine points, grabbed three rebounds and dished off three assists. He made all four of field goal attempts and turned the ball over just twice. Dragicevich played 10 minutes and finished with nine points and grabbed three rebounds.
  • Against Chicago State on Nov. 17, Atkins became the first Irish freshman to start a game since Luke Harangody and Tory Jackson started against Winthrop in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
  • By scoring 10 points against Liberty (Nov. 14) and 12 more versus Chicago State (Nov. 17), Atkins became the first Irish freshman to reach double figures in consecutive games since Harangody did so during the 2006-07 campaign.
  • Atkins is averaging 7.4 points per game and he is tied for second on the team with 26 assists (3.3 apg). He is averaging 26.6 minutes per game and boasts a team-best 2.36 assist-to-turnover ratio.

  Conference Call

  • Notre Dame will face three America East Conference schools during the 2010-11 campaign – Maine (Nov. 22), Stony Brook (Dec. 19) and UMBC (Dec. 22). Irish teams are 12-0 all-time versus schools from the America East, including the 97-72 win over Maine on Nov. 22. The Irish also will meet two SEC foes during the season. Notre Dame topped Georgia 89-83 in double-overtime in the Old Spice Classic. The Irish face Kentucky on Wednesday in the SEC/BIG EAST Invitational.

  Irish Take Shot At Fifth Straight 20-Win Campaign

  • Notre Dame will be aiming for its fifth consecutive 20-win campaign and eighth in the last 11 seasons under head coach Mike Brey. The last time Irish teams reached the 20-win mark in five straight campaigns was from 1983-89 when those Notre Dame squads under Digger Phelps strung together six consecutive 20-win seasons.

  Postseason Stretch

  • Notre Dame has earned appearances in the postseason in each of the last 11 years, which marks the longest stretch in school history. The Irish have been to the NCAA Tournament on six occasions and the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) five times during this current stretch. Under head coach Mike Brey, Notre Dame has played in the NCAAs six times and NIT four times.

  BIG EAST Formula For Success

  • Since his arrival at Notre Dame, head coach Mike Brey has led the Irish to a 98-68 (.590) record in BIG EAST regular-season games and a 6-10 mark in tournament play for an overall record of 104-78 (.571) against league foes. Brey’s Irish teams have won 10 or more conference regular-season games in six of his 10 seasons. Prior to his arrival at Notre Dame, Irish teams had just a 35-53 (.398) regular-season record from 1995-2000.

  BIG EAST Turnaround

  • During head coach Mike Brey’s tenure, Irish teams have only had two losing seasons in BIG EAST play – 6-10 in 2005-06 and 8-10 in 2008-09. Since the 2005-06 campaign when the Irish finished 6-10 after beginning the BIG EAST regular-season with a 1-8 record, Notre Dame has gone 48-29 (.623) over the last 77 regular-season contests. In addition to Notre Dame, only four other BIG EAST teams have had records of .500 or better eight or more times – Pittsburgh and Syracuse (nine times) and Notre Dame, Connecticut and Villanova (eight times).

  BIG EAST Repeats

  • For the fourth consecutive season, Notre Dame will meet Connecticut in a home-and-home series during the 2010-11 BIG EAST regular season. In addition to the Huskies, the Irish also are slated to play Marquette and St. John’s twice this season. This will be the fourth year since the expansion to 16 teams that the Conference will employ an 18-game regular-season slate with all team playing each other once and three opponents twice in a home-and-away format. Notre Dame’s single-game home opponents will be Cincinnati, Georgetown, Louisville, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Villanova. The road slate also will feature visits to DePaul, Pittsburgh, Providence, USF, Syracuse and West Virginia.

  Irish To Appear On Three BIG Monday Broadcasts

  • As part of its 18-game national television slate in 2010-11, Notre Dame will be part of three ESPN Big Monday broadcasts. The first appearance for the Fighting Irish will be when head coach Mike Brey’s squad travels to the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis., to take on Marquette at 7:00 p.m. (ET) on Jan. 10 in a game that will be shown on ESPN2. Notre Dame’s matchup at Pittsburgh on Jan. 24 at 7:00 p.m. (ET) at the Petersen Events Center will be shown on ESPN. The ESPN Big Monday cameras will make their only appearance at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center at 7:00 p.m. (ET) on Feb. 28 when the Irish take on Villanova.

  Lights, Camera, Action

  • More than half of the 144 regular-season BIG EAST Conference men’s basketball games will be seen on national television during the 2010-11 season, once again giving BIG EAST teams unprecedented exposure on the nation’s leading television outlets. In total, 73 of the regular-season contests will be on national television – either on CBS Sports, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. This will mark the fourth straight season in which all 144 regular-season league games will be televised.

  106 Years Young

  • The 2010-11 campaign marks the 106th season of basketball at Notre Dame and the 16th season as a member of the BIG EAST Conference. Notre Dame teams have posted a 1682-920 record for a .646 winning percentage. In 15 seasons as a member of the BIG EAST, the Irish own a 133-121 (.523) record all-time in conference regular-season play.

  The Captains

  • Seniors Tim Abromaitis, Ben Hansbrough, Tyrone Nash and Carleton Scott will serve as captains during the 2010-11 season. All four are captains for the first time in their careers.

  Elder Statesman

  • Mike Brey is in his 11th season along the Irish sidelines and is the third-longest tenured coach in the BIG EAST, behind only Jim Boeheim of Syracuse and Jim Calhoun of Connecticut. Brey stands sixth all-time in the BIG EAST with 100 victories (104-78 overall that includes regular-season and tournament contests). He is the sixth coach in BIG EAST history to record 100 conference wins.

  BIG EAST All-Time Winningest Coaches By Victories
  (Includes conference regular-season and championship games)

  1. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse	371
  2. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut	289
  3. John Thompson, Georgetown	231
  4. Lou Carnesecca, St. John’s	139
  5. Rollie Massimino, Villanova	104
  6. Mike Brey, Notre Dame	104

  Basketball Bloodlines

  • This year’s Notre Dame roster features several players with some strong basketball bloodlines:
  • • Tim Abromaitis – His father, Jim, played basketball at the University of Connecticut (1975-80) and was drafted by the New Jersey Nets. His brother, Jason, played basketball at Yale (2003-07).
    • Mike Broghammer – His uncle, Christian Laettner, played professional basketball for 13 seasons and was a member of the 1992 gold medal Dream Team. He played for Duke University (1988-92) and led the Blue Devils to national championships in 1991 and 1992.
    • Joey Brooks – His father, Lott J. Brooks, III, played college basketball at Eckerd College (1974-78).
    • Jerian Grant – His father, Harvey, played basketball at the University of Oklahoma (1986-88), and was the 12th pick overall in the 1988 NBA Draft and played from 1988-99 in the NBA. His uncle, Horace Grant, played at Clemson, and was the 10th overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. He is the owner of four NBA championship rings. His older brother, Jerai, is a senior on the Clemson basketball team, while a younger brother, Jerami is a junior on the DeMatha basketball team.
    • Ben Hansbrough – His brother, Tyler, played basketball at the University of North Carolina (2005-09). A three-time All-American, he was the 2008 National Player of the Year and led the Tar Heels to the 2009 national championship. Currently, he is in his second season with the Indiana Pacers, and was the 13th pick overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.
    • Tom Knight – His father, Karl, played basketball at Bowdoin (1976-80).

  DeMatha Connection

  <>>Jerian Grant is the first Irish basketball player from DeMatha High School to attend Notre Dame during the Mike Brey era. Brey played and coached at DeMatha and also is the alma mater of assistant coach Rod Balanis. Former Irish players who also played at DeMatha include Bob Whitmore (1967-69), Sid Catlett (1969-71) and Adrian Dantley (1974-76).

  Irish Ink One For 2011s

  • Pat Connaughton, a 6-5, 195-pound swingman from Arlington, Mass., was the lone early-November 2011 signee for head coach Mike Brey.
  • A four-year starter at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass., Connaughton averaged 24.0 points and 17.9 rebounds in 2009-10 as he led St. John’s to one of the best seasons in program history as the squad finished with a 21-3 mark that included a 15-game win streak during the season. In addition, his squad won the Catholic Conference championship and finished the regular season with a 7-1 league record. His team was ranked seventh in the final Massachusetts state poll after making the school’s first appearance since 1974 in the Division 1 state finals.
  • Connaughton was the only junior selected to the Boston Globe Super Team and the Boston Herald High Dream Team. He was selected as Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Catholic Conference and was named to the Catholic Conference All-Star Team. In addition, he was selected as his team’s MVP and served as team captain.
  • He is ranked 73rd nationally by Scout.com and 100th by ESPNU.

  Brey Serving as Chairman of NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee

  • Mike Brey was elected chair of the 2010-11 NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee in May 2010 and is serving his fourth year on the rules committee.

  Adidas And Notre Dame Unveil Lightest, Most Technologically Advanced College Basketball Uniforms

  • At the start of the 2010-11 basketball season, adidas and the University of Notre Dame basketball teams unveiled the lightest and most technologically advanced college basketball uniforms ever. Designed and developed by adidas, the uniforms are 30 percent lighter and dry twice as fast as previous uniforms to help enhance the Fighting Irish’s performance by keeping players cooler, drier and more comfortable on the court.
  • The new Notre Dame uniforms, made from 60 percent recycled materials, feature adidas’ Formotion technology, which reduces seams, decreases friction between the garment and the player’s skin and optimizes the player’s natural movement through specially constructed material. adidas reduced uniform weight and increased player comfort by switching front and back numbers from heavier, dense materials to a more breathable mesh.
  • The new Notre Dame uniform absorbs moisture in less than three seconds as a result of adidas CLIMACOOL fabrics. The jersey moves heat and sweat away from the body through a combination of moisture management materials, ventilation channels and three dimensional garments, helping the uniform dry twice as quickly.
  • Along with Notre Dame, 10 other schools will debut the new uniforms this season, including Cincinnati, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Tennessee, UCLA and Wisconsin.
  • In addition to the NCAA teams wearing the new uniforms, all 30 NBA teams will wear Revolution 30 jerseys this season featuring similar adidas technology.