SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Notre Dame men’s basketball took care of business Wednesday night, defeating South Carolina State, 99-59. The Fighting Irish achieved the first step of the season - take a 4-0 record to Las Vegas for the Players Era 8 starting next week.
It was the Ethan Roberts show tonight inside Purcell Pavilion. The fifth-year guard dropped 25 points in the first half on 9-of-10 shooting, and was a blistering 7-of-8 from three-point range - already eclipsing his career best in made triples by half.
He then went on to tie the program record for made three-pointers in the game with 10, setting a new career high of 36 points in the process. Roberts finished an unreal 10-of-13 from deep, 13-of-17 overall from the field. He also finished with a season-high seven rebounds.
His 25 points in the first half were the most since Matt Farrell recorded 26 in the first half at Boston College on Feb. 17, 2018. In that same game, Farrell tied Kyle McAlarney (North Carolina on Nov. 26, 2008) for the most three-pointers recorded in a game, which was 10.
Thus, Roberts has now etched his name forever in the Notre Dame record book next to Farrell and McAlarney.
As a team, the Irish sank 19 triples, falling just one shy of the all-time record. Notre Dame finished 19-of-33 (.576) from three.
Overall from the field, the Blue & Gold shot 33-of-59 (.559). It marked the first time since the 2020-21 season in which Notre Dame had shot over 55 percent in back-to-back games. In addition, the Irish recorded 26 assists on 33 field goals.
Brady Koehler recorded 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. He was 3-for-5 from deep. He’s now 10-for-15 from three to start the season. Furthermore, Koehler has scored at least 14 points in all four games.
Logan Imes posted 10 points behind a 3-for-3 night from beyond the arc, marking his seventh career game in double figures. Next, Jonathan Sanderson registered his first collegiate game in double figures with 10 tonight.
Logan Duncomb nearly captured his first double-double of the season with nine points and a season-best 10 rebounds. Lastly, Braeden Smith continued to do Braeden Smith things, leading the Irish in assists with eight. He now boasts 29 assists through four games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Ethan Roberts was absolutely in a flow state in the first half. He scored 13 of the team’s first 14 points. A Logan Imes three at 12:50 then made it 17-9, Irish.
The Roberts three barrage then fueled a Notre Dame 23-3 scoring run which lasted from 10:00-5:51. Roberts hit four of his triples during this flurry, starting 7-of-8 from beyond the arc. Brady Koehler and Braeden Shrewsberry also contributed during the ND scoring run.
Koehler and Imes each tacked threes on before the half as the Irish garnered a 50-28 advantage at the midway point.
Roberts dropped 25 points in the first half, making seven of the team’s 11 made threes. Koehler, Shrewsberry and Imes combined for the other four triples. Thus, as a team, the Irish went 11-of-17 (.647). Overall, from the floor, ND shot 16-of-28 (.571).
The three-pointers kept raining from above in the second half, as the Irish made their first five from deep. It was none other than Roberts, who supplied three of them, as Koehler added the other two.
Roberts’ program-tying 10th three-pointer came at the 15:33 mark in the second half. His 10th three raised his point total to a new career high of 36 points. The five threes in the first five minutes also brought the team total to 16.
Soon after, Koehler registered a dunk on the fast break, followed by easy putaways for Logan Duncomb. The starting five were then pulled with 9:57 on the clock and a 79-46 lead.
The scoring frenzy continued as scoring from Sanderson, Imes, Ruglass-Dortch, and Diallo extended the Irish to a 90-49 lead after an 11-3 run.
South Carolina St responded with a 9-3 run of their own to make it 93-58 with 2:02 remaining. Junior Brady Stevens would follow with his first points of the season, knocking down a pair of free throws.
With 55 seconds left, sophomore Luke Devine recorded his first points in an Irish uniform as his pull-up jumper in the paint put the Irish up by 39. To close out the win, freshman Gan-Erdene Solongo scored his career basket for the Irish as his dunk capped off the 40-point victory.
UP NEXT
A giant opportunity awaits Notre Dame in Las Vegas, for the Irish will open the Players Era 8 bracket with No. 1 Florida on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Notre Dame will play three games in three days while there.
– ND –