Dec. 21, 2006
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – Colin Falls scored 24 points and Notre Dame made 15 3-pointers, both season highs, to beat Army 88-47 on Thursday night for its ninth straight victory – its longest winning streak in 20 years.
With Falls making all seven shots he took in the first half, Notre Dame (10-1) led 46-20 at halftime. The 46 points were the most given up by the Black Knights (9-3) in a half this season – it also was more points than they had given up in any of their previous three games.
Matt Bell hit a 3-pointer and converted on a three-point play to cut the lead to 47-26 early in the second half. But Falls hit another 3-pointer to spark a 15-2 run as Notre Dame moved ahead 63-30.
The 88 points by the Irish were the most allowed by Army this season. The previous high was 72 by VMI. The 47 points by the Knights also was a season low. The previous low was 56 points against Cornell.
The loss ended a six-game win streak for the Black Knights, their longest winning streak since the 1984-85 season.
Russell Carter added 12 points – ending a streak of three straight games with at least 20 points. Luke Harangody added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Irish – who had a 45-22 rebounding advantage. Falls was 9-of-11 shooting, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range.
Bell had 15 points to lead Army, which shot a season-low 35 percent.
The 15 3-pointers by the Irish were just two shy of the school record set against St. John’s in March 2004.
Army was just 23-of-14 from 3-point range. Jarell Brown, who entered the game averaging 17.6 points a game, finished with five points, making just 2-of-10 shots, including 0-of-4 from 3-point range.
Falls, who missed the previous two games after receiving shock wave therapy for an inflammation in his left foot, scored on a layup and a pair of 3-pointers to ignite a 19-4 run early that gave the Irish a 26-10 lead. The Irish went ahead 38-15 when Falls hit a 3-pointer with 4:30 left in the half – giving Falls two more points than the entire Army team at that point.
His only miss in the half was from the free-throw line. He left the game midway through the second half and sat at the end of the bench with his foot on ice.
The games against Elon and Portland were the first Falls had missed since arriving as a freshman in 2003 – ending a streak of 99 straight games. He underwent the same procedure on the same foot in June to treat plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the tissue that connects the heel to the base of the toes.
The last time the Irish won nine straight was during the 1986-87 season, when they won 11 straight before losing to North Carolina in the third round of the NCAA tournament.