CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Irish were able to take their second-straight win in the ACC against the Hurricanes in the Watsco Center by a final score of 73-59.
Offensively, Notre Dame continued to be accurate beyond the arc. On the defensive end, Notre Dame exhibited an incredible effort on the boards, outrebounding the hosts 37-28, and recorded eight steals.
Prentiss Hubb (19 points), Nate Laszewski (16 points) and Juwan Durham (16 points) all contributed double digits scoring on Sunday. Laszewski also led the team in rebounding, recording his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
With a new starting lineup, the Irish took some time to work out the kinks. After trailing for the first eight minutes of play, Notre Dame stuck to their “Fighting Irish” label and took an aggressive defensive strategy. After forcing seven turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, the Irish scored eight points which helped them take back the lead. The Irish went into halftime with a 30-22 advantage.
It was an impressive final 20 minutes as the Irish were able to maintain the lead for the entire second half – leading by as many as 19 points. Notre Dame made 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, providing a crucial boost to the lead. Hubb and Laszewski were key offensive contributors with 24 combined points, sinking 4-of-5 attempts from beyond the arc. The Irish lead never dipped below seven points over the final 18 minutes of play en route to the 73-59 win..
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Hubb had a stellar game making 5-of-7 shots from beyond the arc, on his way to a team-high 19 points in the victory. Sunday’s game matched his season high for three-pointers made. Hubb nearly picked up a double-double, dishing out a team-high nine assists.
STAT OF THE GAME
Notre Dame turned in its best three-point shooting display of the season from a percentage aspect, knocking down 10-of-18 shots from distance (55.6 percent).
NOTES OF THE GAME
- With Sunday’s win, the Irish are now 13-12 against the Hurricanes.
- Notre Dame boosted their three-point percentage with 10 shots made from beyond the arc (55.6%)
- The Irish forced 10 turnovers against the Hurricanes and managed to score 14 points off those opportunities
- Matt Zona, Tony Sanders Jr. and Elijah Morgan saw their first starts as members of the Fighting Irish
- Hubb matched a personal season record with five threes-pointers made (71.4%)
- Laszewski had an impressive second half performance earning him a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds
UP NEXT
Notre Dame plays Virginia Tech for the second time this season on Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. EST. The game will air on RSN and will be available in the Northern Indiana market on Marquee Sports Network.