Dec. 29, 2000

Notre Dame vs. Long Island Box Score

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Troy Murphy had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Ryan Humphrey added 20 and 11 as No. 22 Notre Dame coasted to a 97-49 win over Long Island University on Friday night.

Murphy had his fifth double-double of the season and 37th of his career for the Irish (8-2), who have won four straight.

“I think because our defense was active, it caused us to get some easy baskets in transition,” Brey said. “It was a key for us to be alert defensively early in the game.”

The loss ruined the homecoming for Long Island coach Ray Martin, who played at Notre Dame from 1973-77. The Blackbirds (2-8) dropped their sixth straight.

“It was a great trip until we had to play the game. Then it didn’t work the way we wanted,” Martin said.

The Irish, who led 47-22 at halftime, scored the game’s first 11 points and were never seriously threatened.

After Murphy’s two-handed, reverse dunk gave the Irish an 11-0 lead, he was whistled for a technical foul by referee Ted Valentine for hanging on the rim. LaForest Knox hit the free throw to get the Blackbirds on the board.

The Irish steadily built on their lead until David Graves’ short jumper just before halftime gave the Irish a 25-point cushion.

“We couldn’t hit the side of a barn. We couldn’t hit the ocean from the beach,” Martin said.

Graves and Matt Carroll each scored 14 points.

“Our best offense comes off our defense,” Carroll said. “That’s when we score and that’s when we have some fun.”

The Blackbirds’ second-leading scorer, Maurice Yearwood, didn’t make the trip because of surgery to remove a wisdom tooth. JaJa Bey led Long Island with 12 points.