Jan. 25, 2001

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Like every college student, Troy Murphy sets goals for himself.

His ambitions became truly evident last year when he made it clear that another year of school was the right choice.

A large part of his decision came from him wanting to improve certain aspects of his game. Tuesday the All-American achieved another goal on his lengthy list. Murphy and his teammates defeated Syracuse for the first time in the past five meetings.

It is a long time to wait.

“Until today, Syracuse was a team that I had never played well against,” Murphy said. “I had my worst game ever as a freshman.”

The five-point performance haunts Murphy so much so that he remembers it in detail. He remembers walking off the court and former Syracuse player Elvir Ovcina talking “junk” to him.

Murphy classified that as “something I won’t forget.”

The Irish suffered a severe punishment, courtesy of the Orangemen, back in December of 1998, losing 63-75. Murphy would go on to become Big East Rookie of the Year that season but that moment against Syracuse would haunt him for years to come.

It is that reason why Murphy eagerly checked this one of his list of goals. Tuesday’s game not only registered as a win for the team but as one of Murphy’s best Big East performances.

His 34 points is his second best Big East performance this season. Murphy registered 37 points against Rutgers. His 16 boards is the next best outing for him compared to the 20 rebounds he grabbed against Seton Hall.

Don’t be fooled, Murphy’s checklist is not a short one. He wants to achieve a lot more before is collegiate career is over. Saturday’s game against Georgetown is a momentous one for the Murphy and the Irish.

It gives him an opportunity to check another goal off his list. The unranked Irish will go on the road to face the llth-ranked Hoyas. This game marks another first for Notre Dame, the first time the team plays for a lead in a conference.

Wouldn’t it be great if Murphy could check more than one thing off his list on Saturday?

If the Irish win, it would mark the first time in the history of the men’s basketball program where Notre Dame has held the top spot in a conference.