Feb. 11, 2018
WHO: Notre Dame (15-10, 5-7 ACC) at North Carolina (19-7, 8-5 ACC)
WHAT: ESPN Big Monday contest
WHERE: Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
WHEN: Monday, Feb. 12, 7:00 p.m. ET
TICKETS: Gain access via the Vivid Notre Dame Ticket Exchange.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
ESPN Big Monday national broadcast with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Jay Bilas (analyst) and Allison Williams (sideline). Also available on the WatchESPN app.
Notre Dame Basketball Radio Network with Jack Nolan (play-by-play) and Zach Hillesland (analyst). Available locally on WSBT AM 960/FM 96.1, worldwide on WatchND.tv and via any network affiliate (list on page 8 of the notes package).
Here are Five Things To Know about Notre Dame’s contest at North Carolina…
IRISH FACE REMATCH WITH NORTH CAROLINA ON BIG MONDAY
The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team (15-10, 5-7 ACC) brings the momentum of a two-game win streak into an ESPN Big Monday meeting with one the hottest teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference – North Carolina (19-7, 8-5 ACC).
After a three-game losing streak from Jan. 22 through Jan. 30, the Tar Heels have rebounded to win three straight, with victories over Pittsburgh, Duke and at NC State.
The Irish have recovered from a seven-game losing streak in league play with two wins their last two outings.
QUICK FACTS
- The Irish face their second of three Saturday – Monday turnarounds this weekend. Notre Dame and Duke are the only two teams in the ACC faced with the challenging schedule quirk. The Irish will have yet another Saturday – Monday turnaround next week and are the only team in the league scheduled to travel on all three Saturday – Monday turnarounds.
- T.J. Gibbs has hit double-digit scoring in a career-best 13 straight games, tied for the seventh-best streak in the ACC. Senior Bonzie Colson still leads the league in consecutive double-digit scoring games with 31.
- Matt Farrell reached two career milestones on Saturday against Florida State – 350 assists (he has 342current) and 150 made 3FGs (155 current). He is the seventh Irish player to dish out 350 assists and make 150 three-point field goals – Chris Thomas, Kyle McAlarney, Chris Quinn, Jerian Grant, Eric Atkins and Martin Ingelsby are the others – see page 3 of this notes package for a full breakdown.
- Martinas Geben has scored in double figures in nine of the last 13 games, while pulling down nine or more rebounds in 10 of the last 14 games.
- Rex Pflueger is coming off a career-best 19 points against Florida State on Saturday and has scored 32 points in the past two games for the Irish.
NOTRE DAME – NORTH CAROLINA SERIES HISTORY
Notre Dame and North Carolina will be meeting for the 30th time on Monday evening, with the Tar Heels leading the all-time series 23-7. The Irish won the last game between the two teams at the Dean Smith Center in 2015, 71-70 – delivering the program its first victory in Chapel Hill. A scheduled meeting in 2017 was moved to the Greensboro Coliseum as a water main break in the Chapel Hill area deemed the Smith Center unable to host the game.
The Notre Dame – North Carolina series dates back to the 1957-58 season when the Irish and Tar Heels first met as ranked opponents in Chicago Stadium. The No. 17/15 Irish defeated defending national champion No. 11/10 North Carolina 89-70 behind 33 points from Notre Dame Ring of Honor inductee Tommy Hawkins.
The Irish and Tar Heels have a knack for meeting each other in big games over the course of the series, including four NCAA tournament matchups and the 2015 ACC Championship game (a 90-82 victory for Notre Dame).
FARRELL DOING WHAT BREY GUARDS DO
Senior guard Matt Farrell has reached two key career milestones – 350 assists and 150 made three-point field goals. Only seven players in Notre Dame basketball history have hit those numbers and all seven are what could be described as prototypical Mike Brey guards (ability to pass and shoot).
350 Assist / 150 Made Three Point Field Goals at Notre Dame
|
Name |
Years |
Assists |
3FGM |
|
Chris Thomas |
2001-05 |
833 |
302 |
|
Kyle McAlarney |
2005-09 |
376 |
298 |
|
Chris Quinn |
2002-06 |
428 |
239 |
|
2011-15 |
690 |
179 |
|
|
Eric Atkins |
2010-14 |
589 |
178 |
|
Martin Ingelsby |
1997-2001 |
526 |
167 |
|
2014-present |
352 |
155 |
BY THE NUMBERS – NOTRE DAME vs. NORTH CAROLINA
|
3.10 |
Senior guard Matt Farrell leads the ACC in three-point field goals made per game with a 3.10 average (62 total). Farrell has connected on four-or-more three-point field goals in nine games this season, including 11 over the past two games (five vs. Boston College, career-best six vs. Florida State). |
|
2 |
More weeks of game action expected to be missed by senior Bonzie Colson after fracturing a bone in his foot on Friday, December 29. Colson was averaging 21.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and over two steals and two blocks per game – the only college player to hit those averages this year and the only player to reach those averages since Sports Reference started tracking statistics in the 1992-93 season. |
|
4 |
Mike Brey is the fourth-longest tenured head coach among power five conference teams – now in his 18th season at Notre Dame. Jim Boeheim (42), Mike Krzyzewski (38) and Tom Izzo (23) are the only other power five conference head coaches with a longer tenure at their current institution. |
|
11.6 |
Sophomore guard T.J. Gibbs has improved his scoring by 11.6 points per game this season (4.7 to 16.3), the second-best mark in the ACC. |
|
14 |
Consecutive free throws by T.J. Gibbs, who leads the ACC in free-throw percentage (league game only) at .930. It is the second-best streak of the season for Gibbs, who hit 25 straight from Jan. 3 – Jan. 27. |
|
21 |
Combined games missed due to injury by Bonzie Colson (10), Matt Farrell (5) and freshman D.J. Harvey (6) – three of the top six players on the Irish roster. Harvey is expected back against Boston College (Feb. 17), while Colson could return by the end of the regular season. |
|
23.5 |
Points-per-game average for Matt Farrell and T.J Gibbs during the team’s two-game win streak. |
|
26 |
Three-point field goals made over the past two games for the Irish. It marks the best two-game stretch of the season (24 vs. Chaminade & LSU) and most since 1/18/17 – 1/21/17 (15 at Florida State, 11 vs. Syracuse). |
|
97 |
The senior class of Bonzie Colson, Matt Farrell, Martinas Geben, Matt Gregory and Austin Torres (graduate student) has matched the 2016-17 and 2012-13 senior classes as the all-time winningest senior class in Notre Dame basketball history. |
|
180 |
Points scored by Notre Dame in its last two ACC games (96 vs. Boston College, 84 vs. Florida State). That is a program-best two-game ACC stretch, besting the 178 from 2016 (95 at Duke, 83 vs. Virginia Tech). It is the second-best two-game total of the year (188 vs. Chicago State, 105, and Chaminade, 83). |
|
922 |
Career points scored for Matt Farrell who is on pace to become the 64th Notre Dame player to reach the 1,000 point milestone. |