The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team (14-18) saw its 2018-19 season come to a close with a 75-53 loss to Louisville (20-12) in the second round of the 2019 ACC Championship at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
With just seven scholarship players available due to a handful of injuries, the Irish shot just 27 percent from the field while the rested Cardinals hit nine three pointers and out-rebounded Notre Dame by 12.
T.J. Gibbs led the Irish with 21 points, while Juwan Durham added 12 points and nine rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After trading baskets early, Louisville took control via a 14-2 run to build a 21-12 lead with 11:19 remaining in the first half. The Cardinal lead built to as many as 16 points, but the Irish kept battling to stay within reach at halftime.
Notre Dame’s switch to man-to-man kept Louisville scoreless over the final 4:02 of the first half and the Irish trailed by just nine, 35-25, at the break even though they shot just 21 percent from the field.
Notre Dame was able to cut the lead to seven early in the second half, but Louisville pushed it back to 13 points at 16:02 with three offensive rebound put-backs. The Louisville lead would push to as many as 22 in the second half as the undermanned Irish just ran out of gas.
NOTRE DAME PLAYER OF THE GAME
-
T.J. Gibbs led the team with 21 points, shooting six-of-15 from the field.
NOTRE DAME STATS OF THE GAME
-
T.J. Gibbs had 21 points for the Irish, the 22nd time this season he has reached double figures and 56th time in his career. It was his third 20-point game of the season.
-
Notre Dame is now 9-5 in the ACC Championship since joining the league in 2013-14.
-
John Mooney finished with a game-high 12 rebounds, grabbing double-digit rebounds for the 24th time in 2018-19.