| Game 14: Notre Dame (10-3, 0-0) at Virginia Tech (11-1, 0-0) | |
|---|---|
| Date | Tuesday, January 1, 2019 | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| Location | Cassell Coliseum | Blacksburg, VA |
| Tickets | Vivid Seats |
| Event | The 2018-19 Atlantic Coast Conference Opener |
| TV | ESPNU with Kevin Brown and Jordan Cornette |
| Radio | Notre Dame Basketball Network (also available on the Notre Dame app) – with Jack Nolan and Zach Hillesland |
| Live Stats | Notre Dame Athletics StatBroadcast Home Page |
| Where to Watch/Listen | More Information On Where To Watch/Listen To The Irish |
| 2018-19 Stats | Notre Dame | Virginia Tech |
| Shop | Online Store |
| Social Media | @NDMBB | @FightingIrish | @ndmbb  | NDmbb on Facebook |
IRISH FACE TOP-10 VIRGINIA TECH IN FIRST ACC GAME OF THE YEAR
The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team (10-3, 0-0 ACC) travels to Blacksburg, Virginia, for a New Years Day meeting with #10/10 Virginia Tech (1 p.m. ET, ESPNU). The Irish and Hokies are not only kicking off 2019, they are competing in the first ACC game of the season.
NOTRE DAME VERSUS VIRGINIA TECH
- Notre Dame and Virginia Tech are meeting for the 11th time on Tuesday afternoon and seventh time as ACC opponents. The Irish lead the all-time series 8-2 and 5-1 in ACC action (see page 8 for a complete list of the entire series).
- In the last meeting between the Irish and Hokies, Notre Dame utilized a 45-18 run in the final 15 minutes of the game to erase a 21-point second-half deficit and defeat Virginia Tech 71-65 in the second round of the 2018 ACC Championship in the Barclays Center. The 21-point rally marked the greatest comeback victory in Notre Dame basketball history.
- Notre Dame is 4-0 at Cassell Coliseum, including a victory in the program’s first visit to Blacksburg on February 24, 2001. That 85-61 win delivered Notre Dame its first conference title, as the Irish earned the BIG EAST West Division Championship in that game. Current Irish coaching staff members Ryan Humphrey (12 pts, 7 rebs, 5 asts) and Harold Swanagan (2 pts, 11 min played) both appeared in that contest.
- Mike Brey is 9-3 all-time against Buzz Williams.
NOTRE DAME ON NEW YEARS DAY
Through 113 seasons of Notre Dame basketball the Irish have played on New Years Day just three times – and on only two dates. The 1908-09 team embarked on an epic 13-game road swing and a double header sweep over the Mobile YMCA in Mobile, Alabama, helped ring in the New Year in 1909.
The Irish also faced Syracuse on New Years Day in 2011, falling 70-58 to the fifth-ranked Orange.
|
Date |
Opponent |
City |
Site |
Outcome |
|
1/1/1909 |
Mobile YMCA |
Mobile, AL |
Mobile YMCA |
W, 41-18 |
|
1/1/1909 |
Mobile YMCA |
Mobile, AL |
Mobile YMCA |
W, 23-14 |
|
1/1/2011 |
Syracuse |
Syracuse, NY |
Carrier Dome |
L, 58-70 |
MOONEY LEADS ACC IN DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Junior forward John Mooney has raised his level of play to an all-conference level in 2018-19 and currently stands third in the ACC in rebounding (9.3 per game) and leads the league in double-doubles (six in 13 games played).
Close to averaging a double-double this season (12.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg), Mooney entered the season with 4.5 ppg and 3.3 rpg averages.
MOONEY DOUBLE-DOUBLES IN 2018-19
|
Radford |
11/14/18 |
24 |
12 |
|
William & Mary |
11/17/18 |
13 |
11 |
|
Duquesne |
11/20/18 |
16 |
10 |
|
vs. Oklahoma |
12/4/18 |
15 |
14 |
|
at UCLA |
12/8/18 |
12 |
11 |
|
Binghamton |
12/18/18 |
12 |
12 |
DURHAM SHOT BLOCKING MAKES EARLY IMPRESSION
Even though Juwan Durham is listed as a junior on the Notre Dame roster, he is really just experiencing the first significant minutes in a series of collegiate games this season. Durham saw limited minutes in his freshman season at UConn (2016-17) after sitting out his senior year of high school to recover from an ACL tear in his right knee. He also had wrist surgery while sitting out during his transfer season last year with the Irish.
In his first game in a Notre Dame uniform against UIC (11/6/18) he became the first Notre Dame player since 2012 to block six shots in a game. Durham also sparked the Irish with 10 points and five blocks in the second half of a victory over Illinois (11/27/18) and has 39 blocks in his first 12 games (has one DNP-CD this year) at Notre Dame.
During the Mike Brey era (2000-01 – present) only six other players have blocked five or more shots multiple times, putting the Tampa, Florida, native – with two full years of eligibility remaining after this season – among some notetworthy Irish players early in his career.
MULTIPLE GAMES WITH FIVE OR MORE BLOCKED SHOTS
|
Players |
Years |
Games |
|
Ryan Humphrey |
2000-2002 |
7 |
|
Juwan Durham |
2018-present |
4 |
|
Jordan Cornette |
2001-2005 |
4 |
|
Torin Francis |
2002-2006 |
4 |
|
Bonzie Colson |
2014-2018 |
2 |
|
Luke Harangody |
2006-2010 |
2 |
DURHAM AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS IN BLOCKED SHOTS
Piling up 11 blocked shots in the last two Notre Dame games, junior Juwan Durham has moved up the list in national leaders for blocks-per-game, currently sitting at sixth in the country (as of December 30, 2018). He joins Oregon State’s Kylor Kelley as the only power-five conference player in the nation’s top six in the statistical category.
|
National Rank |
Players |
Statistic |
Blocks |
Games |
|
1. |
Kylor Kelley |
Oregon State |
4.08 |
12 |
|
2. |
Brandon Gilbeck |
Western Illinois |
3.79 |
14 |
|
3. |
Jakeenan Gant |
UL-Lafayette |
3.42 |
12 |
|
4. |
Tacko Fall |
UCF |
3.33 |
12 |
|
5. |
Brandon Clarke |
Gonzaga |
3.29 |
14 |
|
6. |
Juwan Durham |
Notre Dame |
3.25 |
12 |
|
7. |
Dominic Robb |
Niagara |
3.17 |
12 |
NOTRE DAME vs. VIRGINIA TECH – BY THE NUMBERS
|
1 |
Notre Dame and Virginia Tech are meeting in the first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the 2018-19 season on New Years Day. The second ACC game of the season will take place Thursday, January 3, when NC State travels to Miami. |
|
3.25 |
Junior Juwan Durham leads the ACC in blocked shots per game with a 3.25 average (39 total in 12 games played). He has blocked three or more shots in eight of 12 games played this season – including 11 in the last two Notre Dame victories over Jacksonville (12/20/18) and Coppin State (12/29/18). |
|
3 |
Notre Dame is the only ACC team with three players among the top 10 in the league for assist/turnover ratio. Junior T.J. Gibbs is second (3.50), senior Rex Pflueger is fifth (2.69) and freshman Prentiss Hubb is seventh at 2.26. The Irish are 13th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio at 1.58. |
|
4 |
Notre Dame begins its sixth season of ACC competition this year and are 4-1 in conference openers and 3-2 in its first ACC road game of the season. |
|
5 |
Only five major conference teams have completed a season with a free throw percentage over .742 six or more times since the start of the Mike Brey era. Villanova (10) and Arizona (9) lead the way, followed by Notre Dame, Michigan and Oregon with six seasons each. The Irish are .750 from the charity stripe this season. |
|
6 |
Junior John Mooney leads the ACC in double-doubles (6) and has seven his career. Mooney also paces the ACC in 10-rebound performances with seven. |
|
8 |
The Irish have lost three players out of the top 11 on their roster entering the season to transfer or injury. Senior Elijah Burns left the team in November (has since announced intention to transfer to Siena), senior guard Rex Pflueger tore the ACL in his left knee against Purdue on December 15, 2018, and freshman Robby Carmody will miss the remainder of the season with a left shoulder injury. |
|
9 |
Irish head coach Mike Brey and Hokie head man Buzz Williams have met 12 times as head coaches – with Brey leading the all-time series between the two coaches 9-3. |
|
10 |
The Irish have faced an Associated Press top-10 opponent four times under MIke Brey, posting a 2-2 record. Notre Dame will be looking to notch its first win over an AP top-10 team since the 2000-01 season on Tuesday afternoon. |
|
11 |
Juwan Durham has 11 blocked shots in the last two Notre Dame games (5 vs. Jacksonville, 6 vs. Coppin State) and ranks sixth in the country in blocks-per-game at 3.25. |
|
19 |
How eye-opening is Juwan Durham’s block total this year (39)? He is already 19th on the single-season list at Notre Dame and just 13 away from the top 10 (full list on page 9 of this notes package). With assistant coach Ryan Humphrey (’02) on the Irish bench and Jordan Cornette (’05) as the ESPNU analyst, three of the top Notre Dame basketball shot blockers of all-time will be part of the game at Virginia Tech on Tuesday. |
|
13.7 |
Notre Dame, on average, is committing just 13.7 personal fouls per game – ranked third in the nation behind Furman (13.3) and Michigan (13.4). |
|
73.1 |
Since the start of the Mike Brey era (2000-01) Notre Dame is third among major-conference schools in team free throw percentage at .731. Villanova ranks first (.744), followed by Arizona (.731). |
|
512 |
With 512 career wins, Mike Brey is the 11th active coach to reach 500 wins coaching at just one or two institutions. |