Jan. 25, 2014

Recap | Box Score | USATSI Gallery

Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Postgame Notes
Wake Forest 65, Notre Dame 58
January 25, 2014
Joel Coliseum – Winston-Salem, N.C.

– This was the second meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Wake Forest … the Demon Deacons captured the first encounter, 71-61, during the title game of the 2000 Postseason NIT in New York City.

– Eric Atkins (Sr./G), Pat Connaughton (Jr./G), Demetrius Jackson (Fr./G), Zach Auguste (So./F) and Garrick Sherman (Sr./C) started today’s contest … the Fighting Irish are 1-3 this season with this starting five … Notre Dame has used three different starting lineups in the last four games … Atkins, Connaughton and Sherman have started all 20 games this season … Jackson has started the last 15 contests, while it was the fourth start of the season (and career) for Auguste.

– The game featured five ties and seven lead changes … Wake Forest’s largest lead was nine points (25-16) and Notre Dame’s was four points (4-0).

– The 58 points were a season low for the Fighting Irish.

– Notre Dame trailed 25-21 at halftime … the Irish are 2-8 this season when trailing at the intermission.

– Notre Dame’s 21 first-half points were the fewest in a half for the Irish since they netted 19 in the opening half against Pittsburgh last season (Feb. 18, 2013) … Notre Dame won that game, 51-42.

– All five of Notre Dame’s ACC losses have been by eight points or fewer.

– Notre Dame made a season-low two three-pointers (on 16 attempts) … it was Notre Dame’s lowest three-point total since the Irish netted one last season against Providence (Feb. 16, 2013).

– The Irish held a 33-32 rebound edge, including 9-3 in offensive boards … Notre Dame is 8-2 this season when outrebounding its opponent (both losses have been in the last two games).

– Notre Dame matched a season-low total in turnovers with five (the Irish also had five turnovers against Cornell) … it marked the 10th time this season (fourth in ACC play) that the Irish had fewer than 10 turnovers in a game.

– The Fighting Irish held a 44-30 advantage in points in the paint.

– Notre Dame is 0-4 this season when wearing blue uniforms.

– A three-pointer from Eric Atkins in the first half upped Notre Dame’s streak of consecutive games with a made three-pointer to 497.

Eric Atkins (Sr./G)
– Scored 13 points to up his career-best double-figure scoring streak to nine games, which is the longest active streak on the team … has reached double-figures 16 times this season and 65 times during his career. – Dished out a game-high six assists.

Pat Connaughton (Jr./G-F)
– Scored in double-figures (10 points) for the 16th time this season and the 39th time of his career … has reached double-figures in points in six of seven ACC games. – Pulled down a game-high eight rebounds. – Played all 40 minutes for the second straight game … has played 38 or more minutes in 11 games this season, including six straight contests.

Tom Knight (GS/F)
– Played for the first time since Jan. 7 (NC State) … missed the last four contests due to injury and illness. – Scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds … was 4-of-4 from the field.

Garrick Sherman (Sr./C)
– Scored in double-figures (20 points) for the 16th time in the last 17 games … has a team-high 17 double-digit efforts this season and 27 in his career (26 at Notre Dame). – Netted 20-plus points for the second straight game and the fourth time this season (third time in ACC play) … has five 20-plus point efforts in his career (all at Notre Dame) … this is the first time in his career that he’s netted 20 or more points in consecutive games.