Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Postgame Notes

Jan. 14, 2015

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Postgame Notes

TEAM

This was the 12th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech and the fourth as ACC rivals … the Yellow Jackets lead the series 7-5, but the Irish have won the last three matchups … it was the second encounter of the season … the Fighting Irish topped the Yellow Jackets 83-76 in double-overtime on Jan. 3 inside Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center … this was Notre Dame’s first-ever win at Georgia Tech (1-4).
Notre Dame has won its first two conference road games for the first time since the 2004-05 season (Seton Hall & West Virginia) … it’s the third time under head coach Mike Brey that the Fighting Irish have started conference road play 2-0 (2001-02 & 2004-05).
Notre Dame’s 16-2 record matches the best 18-game start for the Fighting Irish since they also began 16-2 during the 1978-79 season.
The Fighting Irish are 4-1 in conference play for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
Notre Dame improved to 44-43 under head coach Mike Brey in games decided by three points or fewer.
Notre Dame had five players score in double-figures (Grant 12, Vasturia 11, Connaughton 10, Colson 10, Beachem 10) … this was the sixth time this season the Irish had at least five players score in double-figures … Bonzie Colson became the ninth different Notre Dame player to score in double-figures this season.
The Fighting Irish had an assist on 16 of their 20 made field goals.
The Irish only committed nine turnovers … it signified the 11th time this season (third straight contest) Notre Dame had fewer than 10 turnovers in a game.
Notre Dame trailed 38-30 at halftime … the eight-point halftime deficit was Notre Dame’s largest of the season … the Irish are 2-1 this season when down at the intermission … the eight-point halftime deficit was the largest overcome by the Irish en route to a victory since they came back from a 16-point margin (39-23) in a 74-70 overtime win at Villanova on Feb. 18, 2012.
Georgia Tech shot 53.6% (15-28) in the first half, but Notre Dame limited the Yellow Jackets to just 26.1% (6-23) in the second half … that’s the lowest second-half percentage ever for an Irish opponent in an ACC contest.
Georgia Tech’s 59 points were the fewest ever allowed by Notre Dame in an ACC game.
Demetrius Jackson (So./G), Jerian Grant (Sr./G), Steve Vasturia (So./G), Pat Connaughton (Sr./G-F) and Martinas Geben (Fr./F) started tonight’s contest … this was just the second different starting lineup of the season for Notre Dame … it was the first career start for Geben, while Jackson, Grant, Vasturia and Connaughton have started every game this season.
A three-pointer from V.J. Beachem early in the first half upped Notre Dame’s streak of consecutive games with a made three-pointer to 527.

PLAYERS

V.J. Beachem (So./F)

Scored in double-figures (10 points) for the second straight game … it’s the second time of his career that he’s reached double-digits in consecutive contests … has netted double-figures five times this season (two ACC games) and seven times during his career.
Was 3-of-5 from three-point range … is 9-of-15 from beyond the three-point arc in the last three games.

Bonzie Colson (Fr./F)

Scored a career-high 10 points … previous high was seven against Binghamton in the season opener.
Was 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
Played a career-best 22 minutes.

Pat Connaughton (Sr./G-F)

Scored in double-figures (10 points) for the 15th time this season (fourth ACC game) and the 63rd time of his career … he has reached double-figures in each of the last seven games, which ties a career-best streak and is the longest active streak for the Irish.
Tied a season-high mark with five made free throws (on five attempts).
Became the third player in program history to make his 100th consecutive start (Chris Thomas 128, Pat Garrity 111 the others) … it was his 103rd career start overall … has played in all 119 games during his Notre Dame career.

Jerian Grant (Sr./G)

Scored in double-figures (team-high 12 points) for the 16th time this season (third time in an ACC game) … has 81 career double-digit efforts.
Dished out a game-best six assists.

Demetrius Jackson (So./G)

Had his career-best eight-game double-figure scoring streak snapped (9 points).
Matched a career-high mark with eight rebounds, which were a team-high total for the game.
Handed out five assists and committed just one turnover … has only one turnover in the last three games.

Steve Vasturia (So./G)