Feb. 9, 2011

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2010-11 Notre Dame Men’s Basketball
Notre Dame 89, Louisville 79 (OT)
February 9, 2011
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center – Notre Dame, Ind.

Post-Game Notes

• Tonight was the 26th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Louisville. The Cardinals lead the series 16-10.
• Notre Dame and Louisville have gone to overtime five times in the last nine encounters between the two schools. The Irish are 1-4 in those overtime contests versus the Cardinals.
• The Irish out scored the Cardinals 15-5 in overtime, including a 14-0 run to open the extra session.
• Notre Dame is 2-0 in overtime games this season. The other overtime contest was an 89-83 double-overtime victory over Georgia during the first round of the Old Spice Classic (Nov. 25). Mike Brey is 7-7 in overtime games during his Fighting Irish tenure.
• Notre Dame’s 20-4 record signifies the best 24-game start under head coach Mike Brey and it’s the quickest (date wise) Notre Dame has ever reached the 20-win mark.
• Notre Dame now has secured its fifth-straight 20-win campaign. It’s the eighth 20-win season under head coach Mike Brey.
• Notre Dame’s 9-3 BIG EAST record matches the best 12-game start in BIG EAST play in program history. The Irish also began the 2000-01 league campaign with a 9-3 mark. That was Mike Brey’s first season on the Irish sideline.
• Notre Dame has won its last six BIG EAST games. It’s Notre Dame’s first win streak of that length in BIG EAST regular-season play since the Irish won the final five conference games of the 2006-07 season and the first two league contests of the 2007-08 campaign. It’s the first six-game conference win streak within the same season since the Irish won eight straight during the 2000-01 campaign, which was Mike Brey’s first year on the Notre Dame sideline.
• Notre Dame is 5-2 versus ranked teams this season. Five of Notre Dame’s nine BIG EAST victories have come against a ranked opponent.
• The Irish had four players reach double-figures in points (Hansbrough – 25, Abromaitis – 23, Scott – 16, Cooley – 10) for the third straight game. That marked the 10th time this season Notre Dame has had at least four players score in double-digits in the same contest.
• Senior guard Ben Hansbrough (25 points) has scored 20-plus points a team-best 10 times this season, including in four of the past five contests. He has reached double-figures a team-high 22 times this season (out of 24 games).
• Ben Hansbrough has led the Irish in scoring a team-best 14 times this season. He has led the team in scoring in the past seven games and in nine of the past 10 contests.
• Tim Abromaitis (23 points) netted double-digits for the 20th time this season. It was his eighth 20-plus point game of the season and the first since the BIG EAST opener against Georgetown.
• Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough both scored 20 or more points in the same game for the second time this season. The other time was against Chicago State (Nov. 17).
• Senior forward Carleton Scott (16 points) scored in double-figures for the 14th time this season (out of 20 games played). He has reached double-digits in four of six games since returning from a hamstring injury.
• Carleton Scott blocked two shots. That was the 12th time this season – and third straight contest – he has blocked at least two shots in a game.
• Notre Dame is 18-2 this season when Carleton Scott has played. He missed four games earlier in the season with a hamstring injury.
• Sophomore forward Jack Cooley (10 points) reached double-figures for the third time this season. All 10 points came in the first half on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor.
• Ben Hansbrough’s three-pointer less than a minute into the contest extended Notre Dame’s streak to 398 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.
• The Fighting Irish were 20-28 from the free throw line, while Louisville was 8-11. The Irish are 18-0 this season when making more free throws than their opponent. This was the 12th time this season that Notre Dame has made more than 20 free throws.
• Carleton Scott made his first 14 free throws in BIG EAST play this season before missing an attempt at the 15:20 mark of the second half. He was 5-7 from the line on the night.
• Notre Dame matched a season-low total by committing just seven turnovers. The Irish have committed fewer than 10 turnovers in three straight games. The Irish have had fewer than 10 turnovers in a game nine times this season (five times in BIG EAST play).
• Freshman point guard Eric Atkins had six assists and no turnovers in 26 minutes of play. Over the past five games, Atkins has compiled 18 assists and just two turnovers in 114 minutes of play. This was his second straight game with six assists. He has dished out six or more assists in a game three times this season.
• Notre Dame held a 42-30 rebound advantage. Notre Dame is 17-0 this season when out-rebounding its opponent.
• Seniors Carleton Scott (F), Tyrone Nash (F), Tim Abromaitis (F), Ben Hansbrough (G), and Scott Martin (G) started tonight’s contest. It marked the 18th time this season that quintet has started. Notre Dame is 16-2 this season when that group of seniors comprise the starting five.
• Tyrone Nash, Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough have started all 24 games this season, while Scott Martin has 23 starts. Carleton Scott, who missed four games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, has started 19 contests.
• Senior forward Tyrone Nash extended his consecutive games played streak to a team-best 74 contests. Nash, Tim Abromaitis (Sr./F) and Ben Hansbrough (Sr./G) all have played in the past 59 games. Nash and Hansbrough both have started all 59 of those contests.
• Notre Dame is 15-0 at home this season. The Irish have won 17 straight games at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.
• Notre Dame trailed 44-40 at halftime. The Irish are 4-3 this season when trailing at the intermission.
• Notre Dame’s 40 first-half points signified the 10th time this season (second in BIG EAST play) the Irish have netted at least 40 points in the first half of play.
• Louisville’s 44 first-half points marked the third time this season Notre Dame has surrendered at least 40 points in the first half. The other times were against Kentucky (40 on Dec. 8) and Marquette (45 on Jan. 22).
• Notre Dame scored 80-plus points in a game for the 11th time this season (third time in BIG EAST play). The Irish have eclipsed 80 points at home nine times this season.