Dec. 19, 2011

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

2011-12 Notre Dame Men’s Basketball
Notre Dame 106, Sacred Heart 65
December 19, 2011
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center o Notre Dame, Ind.

• Tonight was the second meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Sacred Heart. The Irish have won both encounters with the Pioneers. The first meeting was Mike Brey’s first game at Notre Dame, a 104-58 home win for the Irish on Nov. 18, 2000.
• Tonight’s victory upped Notre Dame’s home win streak to 27 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.
• 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 second straight game – and second time overall this season – that quintet has started. Grant and Martin both have a team-high 12 starts this season.
• Notre Dame scored a season-high 106 points … the previous high was 93 against Delaware State (Nov. 18). It marked the first time the Irish scored 100-plus points since a 102-62 win over Chicago State on Nov. 17, 2010. Tonight’s point total for the Irish was the largest since a 108-62 win over Northern Illinois on Dec. 8, 2007. It signified the 14th time during the Mike Brey era that the Irish have scored 100 or more points.
• Notre Dame had five players score in double-figures (Jack Cooley 19, Jerian Grant 15, Eric Atkins 13, Joey Brooks 12, Alex Dragicevich 12). That marked the second time this season the Irish have had five double-digit scorers. Notre Dame also had five in double-figures against Bryant on Nov. 27.
• The 41-point margin of victory was Notre Dame’s largest of the season … the previous high was 33 against Sam Houston State (74-41) on Nov. 16.
• Notre Dame shot a season-best 61.4% (35-57) from the field … the previous high was 52.9% (27-51) against Sam Houston State (Nov. 16). The 35 made field goals were a season-high total for Notre Dame.
• Notre Dame led 48-37 at halftime. The Irish are 7-0 this season when leading at the intermission.
• Notre Dame’s 48 first-half points were the most for the Irish in a first half of play this season. The previous high was 47 versus Bryant (Nov. 27).
• The Fighting Irish committed a season-low four turnovers … the previous low was seven on two occasions (Maryland & Dartmouth)
• Notre Dame had a season-high 25 assists (on 35 made baskets) … the previous high was 24 (Bryant)
• An Alex Dragicevich three-pointer in the first half upped Notre Dame’s streak of consecutive games with a made three-pointer to 421.
• The Irish are 62-15 in December under head coach Mike Brey.

Eric Atkins (So./G)

• Scored in double-figures (13 points) for the eighth time this season
• Matched a career-high total with nine assists … also had nine assists earlier this season vs. Bryant (Nov. 27)

Joey Brooks (Jr./G)

• Scored in double-figures (12 points) for the fourth time this season

Jack Cooley (Jr./F)

• Scored in double-figures (19 points) for the fourth straight game and for the fifth time overall this season. The four-game double-digit scoring streak is a career-best. The team-high 19 points signified the second time this season that he has led the Irish in scoring.
• Was 7-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line

Patrick Crowley (So./G)

• Scored five points … those were the first points of his Notre Dame career

Alex Dragicevich (So./G)

• Scored in double-figures (12 points) for the fifth time this season
• Hauled down a career-high five rebounds … his previous high was four on two occasions

Jerian Grant (So./G)

• Scored in double-figures (15 points) for the 10th time this season. That is a team-best total.
• Matched a career-high total with seven assists … had seven assists on two other occasions this season

Tom Knight (Jr./F)

• Scored a career-high nine points … his previous high was eight against Dartmouth on Dec. 10