Dec 8, 2001

Notre Dame at Miami Ohio Box Score

By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

OXFORD, Ohio (AP) – Ryan Humphrey had a pair of baskets, two assists and a block during a late run that rallied Notre Dame to a 70-69 victory Saturday over Miami University.

Held in check for most of the game by Miami’s collapsing defense, Humphrey asserted himself during an 11-2 run that gave Notre Dame its first lead since the opening minutes, 66-59, and extended its best start in 23 years.

The Irish are 8-1 for the first time since Digger Phelps’ 1978-79 team started 12-1 behind Bill Laimbeer. That team finished 24-6, reaching the final eight in the NCAA tournament.

Miami (2-4) led most of the game but couldn’t hold on to get its fourth win over Notre Dame in the last four years.

Alex Shorts made two free throws and Chester Mason scored off Doug Davis’ steal, cutting it to 68-67 with 24 seconds left. David Graves made both ends of a one-and-one with 15 seconds to go and Miami had one 3-pointer blocked and another miss before settling for Bryan Reed’s basket at the buzzer.

Chris Thomas led Notre Dame with 19 points and Humphrey had 18 points and six blocks. Shorts led Miami with 20 points.

For the second straight game, Notre Dame fell behind by double digits, then struggled to catch up. The Irish lost to Indiana 76-75 on Tuesday, ending a 7-0 start that tied for third-best in school history.

Just like a year ago, Miami’s defense bracketed Humphrey and collapsed on him when he got the ball, holding him to 2-for-7 shooting and five points in the first half.

The RedHawks have a recent history of outplaying the Irish up front. Last December, Miami clamped down on Humphrey and Troy Murphy, outrebounded the Irish by 18 and won 73-64 at South Bend.

Humphrey opened Saturday’s game with an emphatic block of Davis’ jumper, then vanished in the clutter under the basket – five points, two rebounds in the half.

The RedHawks opened with a 10-3 run and led the rest of the half first half, pushing the lead to 41-28 on Shorts’ two free throws with 2:26 to go. Graves hit a 3-pointer and a jumper – his first shots of the game – as Notre Dame cut it to 41-35 at halftime.

The RedHawks were passed the ball patiently – they didn’t have a turnover in the first 10 minutes – and hit open shots as Notre Dame tried a man-to-man defense and a zone without success.

Notre Dame pushed the pace in the second half and tied it at 43 on Thomas’ 3-pointer, the first of three second-half ties.

Humphrey took over down the stretch, hitting a turnaround jumper that tied it at 57, then passing to Harold Swanagan for the go-ahead basket in the 11-2 spurt that made it 66-59 with 3:55 left.