Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Notre Dame Hit With First Loss

Dec. 5, 2000

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – (AP)- Tom Coverdale scored 30 points to more than double his career high and Indiana held No. 10 Notre Dame to a season-low 38.2 percent shooting in an 86-78 victory Tuesday night, the Hoosiers’ sixth straight win over the Irish.

The streak is the longest in the history of the series, which Indiana (4-3) leads 45-19, and marked the 11th victory in 12 years for the Hoosiers.

The Hoosiers, who had beaten the Irish in overtime the past two seasons, were in control through much of the game, although the Irish did manage to tie it briefly late in the first half. The Hoosiers went on a 13-0 run early in the second half and led by double figures most of the rest of the game. The Irish finished the game with a 7-0 run to make it closer.

Kirk Haston, who did not play Saturday because of a sprained toe, had 19 points and eight rebounds for Indiana, while Jared Jeffries added 14 points and Kyle Hornsby had 11.

Ryan Humphrey had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Irish, while Troy Murphy had 15 points on 5-of-18, shooting. David Graves added 14 points, Matt Carroll had 12 and Martin Ingelsby scored 11.

The Irish simply couldn’t stop the Hoosiers, who shot 53.3 percent.

After Humphrey scored early in the second half, Indiana went on the 13-0 run to open a 50-36 lead.

The Irish cut the lead to 67-59 on a 3-pointer by Graves. But the Irish turned the ball over and Murphy was called for an intentional foul as he reached out and grabbed Coverdale’s shirt on a fastbreak. Coverdale hit both free throws and Haston hit a jumper inside on the next possession to make it 71-59.

Coverdale, who twice before had scored 13 points, had 16 points at halftime, hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Hoosiers a 37-34 halftime lead.

Early on it appeared as though it might be a repeat of last season when the Hoosiers jumped to a 22-point lead and thoroughly flustered the Irish. Indiana used an 8-0 run early to open an 11-4 lead. Notre Dame made just one of its first 10 shots while the Hoosiers made six of their next eight shots to improve their shooting percentage to .733 and take a 23-16 lead.

The Irish managed to fight back for the only time in the game when Ingelsby hit a 3-pointer midway through the half to start a 16-7 run that gave the Irish a 32-30 lead when Murphy made two free throws.