NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Irish got the 2018 season underway on Thursday evening inside Purcell Pavilion, defeating Central State by a final score of 76-54 in the team’s lone preseason exhibition.
Junior T.J. Gibbs led the Irish offense, scoring a game-high 17 points in the contest. Two other Notre Dame players finished in double figures, as junior John Mooney added 11 and freshman Dane Goodwin chipped in 10.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame controlled the first half, building a 10-point lead at 17-7 with just under 12 minutes left in the frame. After the Marauders cut the lead to four at 28-24 the Irish closed the opening 20 minutes strongly, scoring 14 of the final 16 points to take a 42-26 lead into the halftime break. Gibbs led the squad in scoring at the intermission with nine points.
The Irish continued to grow their lead in the second stanza, quickly extending the lead to 20-points at 48-28 with 17:30 left in the game. The Notre Dame led by as many as 30 points in the second half before winning by a score of 76-54.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Gibbs was the catalyst for the Irish, posting 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including three makes from beyond the arc. The guard also grabbed two rebounds, dished out two assists and registered two steals in the victory.
NOTRE DAME STAT OF THE GAME
The Irish showed their depth off in Thursday’s exhibition, as the bench scored 36 points. Goodwin led the way for the reserves with 10 points in his first taste of collegiate action.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- With the win, the Irish are 38-0 in exhibitions under Brey.
- Notre Dame outrebounded the Marauders 48-35 on the evening.
- The Irish totaled seven steals and seven blocks on the defensive end.
- Sophomore D.J. Harvey led Notre Dame in rebounding with eight boards and added nine points.
- Freshman Robby Carmody scored nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame opens the regular season against UIC at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 6 in Purcell Pavilion. The game will air live on ACC Network Extra via the WatchESPN app.
To purchase tickets visit UND.com/BuyTickets.
— ND —