Notre Dame guard Kyle McAlarney, right, heads up court as Connecticut guard Jerome Dyson defends during the first half (AP Photo)

McAlarney Scores 32 in Irish Victory

Jan. 5, 2008

Notre Dame Connecticut Box Score

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Kyle McAlarney scored a career-high 32 points, including a key 3-pointer after a Rob Kurz 3-pointer gave Notre Dame the lead for good, pacing the Fighting Irish to a 73-67 victory over Connecticut on Saturday night.

Notre Dame (12-2, 2-0 Big East) led by 21 points in the first half and by 15 at halftime, but UConn (10-3, 1-1) rallied back in the second half and used an 8-0 run to take its only lead at 58-57 on a basket inside by Jeff Adrien with 6:25 left.

The lead lasted only 22 seconds, though, as Zach Hillesland scored on a rebound. Kurz hit a 3 with 3:08 left to give the Irish a 64-61 lead, then Kurz blocked a shot by Adrien. McAlarney then hit his sixth 3-pointer and UConn never got closer than two points again.

Notre Dame won its 11th straight overall and its 30th straight at home. It was the third straight time the Irish beat the Huskies at the Joyce Center, but UConn still leads the overall series 12-6.

The Huskies, who were 2-8 on the road last season, fell to 2-1 on the road this season.

Kurz finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Luke Harangody added 14 points and 10 rebounds despite going 5-of-23 from the field.

Tory Jackson, who went to the locker room with 17 seconds left in the first half with a cornea abrasion on his right eye after a collision with Hasheem Thabeet, finished with 11 assists.

Adrien led the Huskies with 16 points and 11 rebounds and A.J. Price and Jerome Dyson had 13 points each.