Jan. 25, 2018
WHO: Notre Dame (13-7, 3-4 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech (14-6, 3-4 ACC)
WHAT: Key ACC matchup on ESPN2, first game of a Saturday-Monday turnaround for Notre Dame.
WHERE: Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center
WHEN: Saturday, January 27, 2018, 8:00 p.m. ET
TICKETS: Limited number still available at und.com/buytickets.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
ESPN2 national broadcast with Mike Couzens (play-by-play), Dan Dakich (analyst), Gene Wojchiechowski (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 AM960/FM 96.1, worldwide on WatchND.tv, via network affiliates (listed on page 8 of the notes package) and SiriusXM channel 84.
Here are Five Things To Know about the Notre Dame – Virginia Tech game…
QUICK FACTS
- Notre Dame is the only team in the ACC faced with three Saturday – Monday turnarounds this season in which they need to travel to complete the two-game weekend. Duke faces three Saturday – Monday turnarounds, but will remain at home for one of the two quick turnaround weekends. The Irish also are the only conference team asked to play an 8 p.m. late game on Saturday before traveling to play on the road Monday evening.
- Brey vs. Buzz – Mike Brey is 7-3 all-time vs. Buzz Williams – 4-3 at Marquette (2-1 at home) and 3-0 at Virginia Tech (1-0 at home).
- Notre Dame and Duke are the only two ACC teams to have two players ranked in the top 10 in the league in assist/turnover ratio (all games) – Matt Farrell is sixth at 2.25 and T.J. Gibbs is seventh at 2.21. As a team, the Irish are third in the ACC in assist/turnover ratio (1.41). See page 9 of the notes package for a complete list of Notre Dame’s ACC team statistical rankings and NCAA national rankings.
- Matt Farrell leads the ACC in three-point field goals made per game (all games) at 2.76.
ON THIS DATE
- Jan. 27, 2001 – Notre Dame knocks off #10/11 Georgetown at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. – the third victory in an eight-game win streak.
- Jan. 27, 1945 – Notre Dame takes down Kentucky 59-58 in overtime at the Jefferson County Armory in Louisville, Kentucky. The Irish held on to the victory after a controversial foul in the back court. With the Irish up two points, Kentucky stole the ball and seemed destined for the game-tying layup, but Notre Dame’s Frank Gilhooley caught up with the UK player, grabbed his jersey for a foul and the Wildcat player was only able to hit one of two free throws.
- Jan. 27, 1915 – The Irish hold off Polish Seminary (from Orchard Park, Mich.) 36-20 at the Fieldhouse.
- Jan. 27, 1909 – Notre Dame defeats Buter 74-11 at College Gym in Indianapolis, Indiana.
NOTRE DAME – VIRGINIA TECH SERIES HISTORY
Notre Dame leads the all-time series with Virginia Tech 7-1 and carry a seven-game win streak over the Hokies into Saturday night’s game. Virginia Tech’s win in the series came in the two team’s first meeting – the 1973 National Invitational Tournament championship game, a 92-91 Hokies victory in overtime on a buzzer-beating, 23-foot jump shot from Bobby Stevens.
The 85-61 victory for the Irish at Virginia Tech on Feb. 24, 2001, secured Notre Dame’s first conference title – the BIG EAST West Division Championship.
The Irish are 4-0 against the Hokies as ACC opponents.
IRISH FACE SEVENTH-STRAIGHT GAME WITHOUT TWO STARTERS
Notre Dame has been tasked to take on the daunting ACC schedule without its full roster and will play host to Virginia Tech down two starters for the seventh-consecutive game.
All-American Bonzie Colson has been sidelined since the NC State game (Jan. 3) and will miss at least the next six weeks.
Senior captain and Wooden Award Watch List selection Matt Farrell sprained his left ankle in the team’s first game without Colson (NC State) with five minutes remaining in the first half and missed the next three games – returning to the starting lineup against Louisville on Jan. 16.
With Farrell back, the Irish then lost freshman D.J. Harvey with 8:25 remaining in the first half against Louisville with a bone bruise in his left knee – meaning that once Farrell returned to the lineup, the Irish were down just one starter for only 11 minutes, 35 seconds.
IRISH vs. HOKIES – BY THE NUMBERS
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1 |
Notre Dame leads the country in least amount of personal fouls committed per game with a 13.2 average. The Irish are also third in the NCAA in terms of total fouls committed (264). |
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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. |
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4 |
There are only four players in the ACC avearging a double-double in league play, including senior forward Martinas Geben. Geben is averaging 12.6 ppg and 10.9 rpg in seven ACC games, joining Marving Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr. from Duke and Luke Maye (UNC) as the four ACC players to average a double-double in league competition. |
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7 |
Notre Dame is 7-1 all-time against Virginia Tech and 4-0 against the Hokies in ACC conference play. |
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6 |
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. |
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6 |
Notre Dame has out-rebounded six of its first seven ACC opponents this season, including +8 vs. North Carolina, +11 vs. Louisville and +15 at Syracuse. |
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21 |
Sophomore T.J. Gibbs is 21-of-22 from the free throw line in ACC play (.955), good for second in the league behind UNC’s Joel Berry II with .958. |
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28 |
Notre Dame has made 28 appearances (8-28) on ESPN’s Big Monday in the Mike Brey era. Monday will mark the second-consecutive ND-Duke meeting on Big Monday (Duke won at ND 84-74 last season). Monday’s meeting with Duke marks the first of three Big Monday games for Notre Dame this season (2/12 at UNC, 2/19 vs. Miami). |
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95 |
The senior class of Bonzie Colson, Matt Farrell, Martinas Geben, Matt Gregory and Austin Torres (graduate student) is three wins away from becoming the all-time winningest senior class in Notre Dame basketball history. The 2016-17 and 2012-13 senior classes currently hold the record with 97 wins over a four-year span. See page 3 of this notes package for more details. |
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95.9 |
Defensive efficiency rating for the Irish from KenPom.com – the highest of the Mike Brey era (ND’s highest final season ranking was 43rd at the end of the 2007-08 season). |