March 16, 2013

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Postgame Notes
#4/4 Louisville 69, #24/RV Notre Dame 57
BIG EAST Championship Semifinal
March 15, 2013
Madison Square Garden – New York, N.Y.
  • Notre Dame moved to 25-9 this season
  • This was Notre Dame’s fourth straight appearance (sixth overall) in the BIG EAST Championship semifinals … the Irish are 0-6 in the semifinals of the league tournament … this was the third straight season that the Irish fell to Louisville in the semifinals
  • The Fighting Irish are 11-18 all-time in BIG EAST Championship play, including a 10-13 mark under head coach Mike Brey
  • This was the 32nd meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Louisville … the Cardinals lead the series 20-12 … Notre Dame is 5-8 against Louisville since the Cardinals joined the BIG EAST in 2005 … Notre Dame is 0-3 versus Louisville in the BIG EAST Championship
  • Notre Dame is 5-4 against ranked teams this season
  • The Fighting Irish are 58-48 all-time inside Madison Square Garden
  • Notre Dame trailed 32-25 at halftime … the Irish are 5-8 this season when trailing at the intermission … Notre Dame never had a lead in tonight’s contest
  • Eric Atkins (Jr./G), Pat Connaughton (So./G), Jack Cooley (Sr./F), Jerian Grant (Jr./G) and Tom Knight (Sr./F) started tonight’s contest … it was the 15th straight game – and 15th time overall this season – that quintet has started … the Irish are 10-5 with that starting lineup … Atkins, Connaughton and Cooley have started all 34 games this season, while Grant has 33 starts and Knight has started 15 games
  • A three-pointer from Pat Connaughton in the first half upped Notre Dame’s streak of consecutive games with a made three-pointer to 476

Pat Connaughton (So./G-F)

  • Was 3-of-6 from three-point range … finished the tournament 15-of-24 (.625) from three-point range … the 15 made treys are the fourth-most ever in a single BIG EAST Championship
  • Notched nine points and eight rebounds

Jack Cooley (Sr./F)

  • Scored in double-figures (14 points) for the 28th time this season and for the 51st time of his career … it snapped a three-game stretch in which he did not reach double-figures in points
  • Was 8-of-8 from the free throw line

Jerian Grant (Jr./G)

  • Scored in double-figures (14 points) for the third straight game and for the 28th time this season … has 54 career double-figure scoring efforts
  • The only Notre Dame player to score in double-figures in all three BIG EAST Championship games