Postgame Notes

March 17, 2012

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

Notre Dame finishes the season with a 22-12 record.
This was the second time that Xavier and Notre Dame met in the NCAA Championship. The sixth-seeded Fighting Irish topped the 11th-seeded Musketeers, 83-71, in the first round of the 2001 tournament. That was the last meeting between the two schools prior to tonight.
Tonight was the 19th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Xavier. The Irish lead the series 15-4.
This was Notre Dame’s 32nd appearance in the NCAA Championship. The Irish are 31-36 all-time in the tournament, including a 6-8 mark under head coach Mike Brey. Brey is 5-3 in opening-round games of the NCAA Championship during his Notre Dame tenure.
Notre Dame was a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Championship for the second time. The first time was in 1985. The Irish are 1-2 as the No. 7 seed.
This was Notre Dame’s third time in the South Region of the NCAA Championship. The Irish are 1-3 all-time in that region.
Junior forward Jack Cooley was 8-for-8 from the field. That is the most made field goals without a miss in an NCAA Championship game in Notre Dame history. The previous mark was David Graves’ 7-for-7 effort against Xavier in the first round of the 2001 tournament.
Notre Dame had an assist on 19 of its 25 made field goals.
Notre Dame led 33-31 at halftime. The Irish were 16-2 this season when leading at the intermission.
Eric Atkins (So./G), Pat Connaughton (Fr./G), Jack Cooley (Jr./F), Jerian Grant (So./G) and Scott Martin (Sr./G) started tonight’s contest. It was the 15th straight game – and 15th time overall this season – that quintet has started. The Irish were 11-4 with that starting lineup. Grant and Martin both had a team-high 33 starts this season.
Notre Dame was 16-1 at home, 5-5 in true road games and 1-6 in neutral site contests this season.
An Eric Atkins three-pointer in the first half upped Notre Dame’s streak of consecutive games with a made three-pointer to 442.

Pat Connaughton (Fr./G-F)

Scored in double-figures (10 points) for the ninth time this season

Jack Cooley (Jr./F)

Scored a team-high 18 points … that was his 19th double-digit scoring effort of the season
Was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field … that was the most made field goals without a miss in a game during his career … the previous best was a 7-for-7 effort against Sacred Heart earlier this season (Dec. 19)

Jerian Grant (So./G)