Feb. 18, 2001

Notre Dame vs. Seton Hall Box Score

By TOM COYNE
Associated Press Writer

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – Seton Hall didn’t need Eddie Griffin when it beat Notre Dame earlier this season. The Pirates sure needed him Sunday, though.

Griffin had 24 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots as Seton Hall ended its five-game losing streak and No. 14 Notre Dame’s eight-game winning streak with a 74-64 victory.

Griffin came up with big plays every time Notre Dame appeared poised to make a run on the Pirates, who haven’t been able to survive too many runs the past month.

“He was phenomenal,” Seton Hall coach Tommy Amaker said. “I thought he played as well as you can have a person play. He got baskets for us, big-time rebounds. He bailed us out with a couple of big-time blocks late.”

Not bad for 28 minutes on the court.

When Notre Dame closed to 70-64 in the final minute and David Graves stole the ball for Notre Dame, Griffin knocked the ball away from behind to Pirate guard Andre Barrett. When Notre Dame cut the lead to three points early in the second half, Griffin scored back-to-back baskets. He also blocked two shots by Troy Murphy in the opening two minutes and had seven points as the Pirates jumped to a 12-4 lead.

Griffin credited Amaker, saying the coach showed he had confidence in him.

“He kept calling my number,” he said. “I was just ready to play.”

Griffin may have been, but the Irish definitely weren’t. They missed 11 straight shots early in the game and shot a season-low 32 percent for the game, making just 2 of 23 3-pointers.

“When you shoot 8 percent from the 3-point line, you’re not going to win,” Irish forward David Graves said.

Barrett added 17 points and seven assists for the Pirates and Darius Lane had 15 points.

Troy Murphy led the Irish with 24 points and 16 rebounds, Matt Carroll had 13 points and nine rebounds and Ryan Humphrey scored 12. Notre Dame never led in the game and the only tie was at 2-2.

“We got flat-out beat today,” Irish coach Mike Brey said.

The Pirates (13-10, 4-8 Big East) had been in a funk ever since Griffin returned from a one-game suspension for a locker room fight with Kevin Wilkins following a loss at Georgetown. The Pirates beat Notre Dame with Griffin sitting out, but had won just once in the seven games since he returned.

“It felt like we hadn’t won for months,” center Samuel Dalembert said. “After losing several games some of us were strong enough to say, ‘No we’re winners.”‘

Seton Hall players said a prayer service held at the team hotel Saturday night helped bring them together.

“After we prayed yesterday with the priest we were feeling confident about ourselves,” Dalembert said. “I told the guys after we started to lose we need to start to pray.”

Griffin, who needed six stitches after the game after being elbowed under his right eye, was among those attending the prayer service.

“It helped,” he said. “It just helped us spiritually”

The victory was only the second in the past nine games for the Pirates, who won for just the second time on the road this season and the first time in a Big East road game.

Defense had keyed Notre Dame’s win streak, its longest in 14 seasons, but the Irish could do nothing to stop Griffin on Sunday. The Irish (17-6, 9-3) also played uncharacteristically sloppy, taking off-balance and quick shots and at times getting caught in the Pirates’ fast tempo.

“They took everything away from us and rattled us,” Brey said.

Troy Murphy, who led the Irish with 24 points and 16 rebounds, said the Irish need to quickly put the loss behind them.

“We’re still in first place,” he said. “We’re still in the driver’s seat.”