Jan. 10, 2012
2011-12 Notre Dame Men’s Basketball
Notre Dame 60, USF 49
January 10, 2012
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center – Notre Dame, Ind.
Post-Game Notes
- Tonight was the ninth meeting all-time between Notre Dame and USF. The Fighting Irish lead the series 8-1, which includes six straight victories against the Bulls. Every meeting between the two schools has occurred since USF joined the BIG EAST in 2005. USF is 0-5 at Notre Dame.
- Tonight’s victory upped Notre Dame’s home win streak to 29 games. That is the second longest Irish win streak inside Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center in program history. The Fighting Irish won 45 straight at the Joyce Center from March 4, 2006-Jan. 10, 2009. Notre Dame’s last home loss was a 69-68 setback to St. John’s on Feb. 14, 2010.
- Notre Dame is off to a 3-1 start in BIG EAST play for the sixth straight season.
- Eric Atkins (So./G), Jack Cooley (Jr./F), Alex Dragicevich (So./G), Jerian Grant (So./G) and Scott Martin (Sr./G) started tonight’s contest. It was the sixth straight game – and sixth time overall this season – that quintet has started. It is the most-used starting lineup for the Irish this season. Notre Dame is 4-2 when that quintet starts. Grant and Martin both have a team-high 16 starts this season (out of 17 games played).
- Notre Dame never trailed in tonight’s contest.
- Notre Dame led 30-24 at halftime. The Irish are 8-0 this season when leading at the intermission.
- The 49 points scored by USF were the fewest for an Irish opponent since they surrendered 41 to Sam Houston State earlier this season (Nov. 16). It’s the fewest allowed by Notre Dame in a BIG EAST game since Seton Hall tallied 48 last season in a 60-48 Irish victory on Feb. 26, 2011. Notre Dame has held three opponents under 50 points this season (Sam Houston State 41, Dartmouth 47, USF 49).
- Notre Dame is 10-0 at home and 1-6 in road/neutral site contests this season.
- A Scott Martin three-pointer in the first half upped Notre Dame’s streak of consecutive games with a made three-pointer to 425.
Jack Cooley (Jr./F)
- Registered a game-high 16 points … has scored in double-figures seven times in the last eight games and eight times overall this season
- Led the Irish in points for the fourth time this season
Jerian Grant (So./G)
- Scored in double-figures (14 points) for the 14th time this season, which is a team-high total … currently has a career-best six-game double-figure scoring streak
Scott Martin (Sr./G)
- Posted his second straight double-double (third career double-double) with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds … his previous rebound high was 12, which occurred on Saturday at Louisville
- Reached double-figures in rebounds for the third time in his college career
- Scored in double-figures for the seventh time this season