Feb. 12, 2011

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

2010-11 Notre Dame Men’s Basketball
Notre Dame 78, USF 55
February 12, 2011
Sun Dome – Tampa, Fla.

Post-Game Notes

• Today was the eighth meeting all-time between Notre Dame and USF. The Irish lead the series 7-1, including five straight victories over the Bulls.
• Notre Dame’s 21-4 record signifies the best 25-game start under head coach Mike Brey. It’s the first time the Irish have won at least 21 of their first 25 games since the 1980-81 campaign.
• Notre Dame’s 10-3 BIG EAST record matches the best 13-game start in BIG EAST play in program history. The Irish also began the 2000-01 league campaign with a 10-3 mark. That was Mike Brey’s first season on the Irish sideline. The Irish have secured their second straight 10-win BIG EAST campaign and it’s the seventh time (in 11 seasons) under Brey that Notre Dame has notched at least 10 league victories.
• Notre Dame has won its last seven BIG EAST games. That matches the second-longest BIG EAST regular-season win streak in program history. The Irish won the final five conference games of the 2006-07 season and the first two league contests of the 2007-08 campaign. This is the first seven-game conference win streak within the same season since the Irish won a program-record eight straight during the 2000-01 campaign, which was Mike Brey’s first year on the Notre Dame sideline.
• The Irish have compiled two win streaks this season of at least seven games. Notre Dame opened the campaign with an 8-0 mark.
• Notre Dame has won its last three BIG EAST road games. It’s the first three-game BIG EAST road win streak for the Irish since they strung together five straight league victories on the road during the 2000-01 campaign.
• The Irish had six players reach double-figures in points for the first time ever in a BIG EAST game. Jack Cooley (18), Carleton Scott (13), Tim Abromaitis (12), Ben Hansbrough (12), Scott Martin (10) and Tyrone Nash (10) all netted double-digits. It’s the second time this season Notre Dame has had six double-figure scorers. These same six players all did so against Maine (Nov. 22).
• Sophomore forward Jack Cooley made a career-high 15 straight field goal attempts (over the past three games). Cooley made his final field goal attempt versus Rutgers last Sunday and made all five of his tries against Louisville on Wednesday. He made his first nine shots in today’s contest before finishing 9-for-10 from the field.
• Jack Cooley scored a career-high – and team-best – 18 points. His previous high was 13 versus Maine earlier this season. It’s the first time the sophomore forward has ever led the Irish in scoring during his career. He has reached double-figures in the past two games and four times overall this season. It’s the first time in his career that he’s scored in double-digits in back-to-back games. Cooley also tied a career-high mark with eight rebounds.
• Senior forward Carleton Scott (13 points) scored in double-figures for the 15th time this season (out of 21 games played). He has reached double-digits in five of seven games since returning from a hamstring injury.
• Carleton Scott notched his team-high sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. It was his ninth career double-double.
• Carleton Scott blocked two shots. That was the 13th time this season – and fourth straight contest – he has blocked at least two shots in a game.
• Notre Dame is 19-2 this season when Carleton Scott has played. He missed four games earlier in the season with a hamstring injury.
• Senior guard Ben Hansbrough (12 points) has reached double-figures a team-high 23 times this season (out of 25 games). He has a team-best eight-game double-digit scoring streak.
• Tim Abromaitis (12 points) netted double-digits for the 21st time this season.
• Senior guard Scott Martin (10 points) reached double-figures in points for the 12th time out of the past 14 games. He has scored in double-figures 15 times overall this season.
• Senior forward Tyrone Nash (10 points) scored in double-figures for the 12th time this season. Notre Dame is 12-0 this season when Nash scores 10 or more points.
• Freshman point guard Eric Atkins tied a career-high assist total with seven and only committed one turnover. Over the past six games, Atkins has compiled 25 assists and just three turnovers in 131 minutes of play.
• Scott Martin’s three-pointer four minutes into the contest extended Notre Dame’s streak to 399 straight games with a made three-pointer. The Fighting Irish have made at least one three pointer during every game of the Mike Brey era.
• Notre Dame shot 55.7% (34-61) from the floor for the game. That is Notre Dame’s highest shooting percentage in a BIG EAST game this season. A 53.5% effort against Marquette (Jan. 22) was the previous high. Notre Dame has shot 50% or above from the floor eight times this season (four times in BIG EAST play).
• Notre Dame’s 34 made field goals matched a season-high total. The Irish also made 34 shots against Chicago State (Nov. 17) and Stony Brook (Dec. 19).
• The Fighting Irish held USF to just 30.4% (21-69) shooting from the floor. That is the lowest shooting percentage for an Irish opponent in a BIG EAST game this season.
• Notre Dame led 41-17 at halftime. The Irish are 17-0 this season when leading at the intermission.
• Notre Dame’s 41 first-half points signified the 11th time this season (third in BIG EAST play) the Irish have netted at least 40 points in the first half of play.
• Notre Dame shot 66.7% (18-27) from the field in the first half. That was the best shooting percentage in a half for the Irish this season.
• The Irish held USF to just 17 first-half points. That marked the fourth time this season Notre Dame has held an opponent to under 20 points in the first half. The other times were against California (5 points), Wisconsin (19) and Cincinnati (19).
• Notre Dame matched a season-high total with eight blocked shots. Scott Martin led the way with a career-high tying three blocks. The Irish also had eight blocked shots versus California (Nov. 26).
• The Fighting Irish tied a season-high total with eight steals. Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough both led the team with two steals apiece. The Irish also had eight steals versus Georgia Southern in the season opener.
• Seniors Carleton Scott (F), Tyrone Nash (F), Tim Abromaitis (F), Ben Hansbrough (G), and Scott Martin (G) started tonight’s contest. It marked the 19th time this season that quintet has started. Notre Dame is 17-2 this season when that group of seniors comprise the starting five.
• Tyrone Nash, Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough have started all 25 games this season, while Scott Martin has 24 starts. Carleton Scott, who missed four games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, has started 20 contests.
• Senior forward Tyrone Nash extended his consecutive games played streak to a team-best 75 contests. Nash, Tim Abromaitis (Sr./F) and Ben Hansbrough (Sr./G) all have played in the past 60 games. Nash and Hansbrough both have started all 60 of those contests.