Feb. 28, 2011

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2010-11 Notre Dame Men’s Basketball
Notre Dame 93, Villanova 72
February 28, 2011
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center – Notre Dame, Ind.

Post-Game Notes

• The 93-72 win improved Notre Dame to 24-5 overall and 13-4 in BIG EAST play. The 24 victories are tied for the second-most during the Mike Brey era at Notre Dame (11 seasons). The Irish also had 24 victories in the 2002-03 and 2006-07 campaigns. The most wins for a Brey-coached Irish team are 25 (25-8) from the 2007-08 season. This season’s 13 BIG EAST victories are the second-most in program history behind the 14 league wins (14-4) during the 2007-08 season.
• The Fighting Irish concluded their 2010-11 home slate with a perfect 17-0 mark. It’s the third undefeated season at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center in the last five years and the fifth overall for Notre Dame since the building opened at the start of the 1968-69 campaign. The other perfect home seasons occurred in: 1973-74 (15-0), 1985-86 (15-0), 2006-07 (18-0) and 2007-08 (17-0). Over the last five seasons, Notre Dame is 84-6 (.933) overall at Purcell Pavilion and 40-5 (.889) in BIG EAST play. The Irish have won 19 straight games overall at home.
• Notre Dame has posted a 93-40 record over the past four seasons. The 93 wins ties the program record for most victories in a four-year span. It matches the win total from 2006-10 (93-43). The past four seasons also has produced the most regular-season BIG EAST victories (45-26) in school history.
• Notre Dame’s 24-5 record signifies the best 29-game start under head coach Mike Brey.
• Notre Dame made a school-record 20 three-pointers (20-32). The previous high was 19 against South Dakota on Dec. 2, 2008. The 20 treys also matched a BIG EAST record. West Virginia made 20 against Marquette on Jan. 14, 2006.
• Notre Dame’s 20 made three-pointers marked the sixth time this season – and first in BIG EAST play – that the Irish have hit 10 or more treys in a game. The Irish have won all six on those contests.
• Notre Dame’s 11 made three-pointers in the first half tied the most-ever for an Irish team in one half of a BIG EAST game. During the 2008-09 season, the Irish made 11 three-pointers in the first half of the Pittsburgh and Providence contests. The Fighting Irish connected on 11 treys during the second half of the St. John’s contest during the 2003-04 campaign.
• Tim Abromaitis tied the Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center record with nine made three-pointers. Kyle McAlarney netted nine three-pointers on Feb. 24, 2008 against Syracuse and then again on Nov. 30, 2008 against Furman. Ryan Ayers also hit nine three-pointers on Dec. 2, 2008 versus South Dakota.
• Tim Abromaitis (30 points) registered his first 30-point performance of the season and the third of his career. Abromaitis has scored in double-figures in seven of the past eight games and 24 times overall this season.
• Ben Hansbrough (30 points) scored 30-plus points for the second time this season. He had a career-high 32 points last Wednesday at Providence. Hansbrough has a career-high 12-game double-figure scoring streak. That’s the longest double-digit scoring streak for the Irish this season. Hansbrough has scored in double-digits a team-high 27 times this season (out of 29 games). Tonight was his team-best 13th 20-plus point game of the season. His three-straight 20-plus point games matches a career-best mark from earlier this season.
• Ben Hansbrough made a career-high seven three-pointers. His previous high was six.
• Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough became the first Irish players to score 30 or more points in the same contest since Chris Quinn (34) and Colin Falls (32) did so against Seton Hall on Feb. 18, 2006.
• Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough both scored 20 or more points in the same game for the third straight contest and for the fifth time this season. The other times were against Chicago State (Nov. 17), Louisville (Feb. 9), Providence (Feb. 23) and Seton Hall (Feb. 26).
• Ben Hansbrough (30 points, 10 assists) notched his third career double-double (first of the season). The 10 assists matched a career-high total.
• Tyrone Nash (11 points, 11 rebounds) notched his fourth double-double of the season. His 11 boards tied a career-high mark.
• The Fighting Irish scored 90-plus points for the sixth time this season (second in BIG EAST play).
• Notre Dame held a 34-26 advantage in rebounds. The Irish are 20-1 this season when they out-rebound their opponent.
• Notre Dame was 15-20 from the free throw line, while Villanova was 5-9. The Irish are 21-0 this season when making more free throws than their opponent.
• Carleton Scott blocked two shots. That was the 17th time this season – and eighth straight contest – he has blocked at least two shots in a game.
• Notre Dame is 22-3 this season when Carleton Scott has played. He missed four games earlier in the season with a hamstring injury.
• Carleton Scott’s three-pointer less than a minute into the contest extended Notre Dame’s streak to 403 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 led 47-27 at halftime. The Irish are 19-1 this season when leading at the intermission.
• Notre Dame’s 47 first-half points signified the 13th time this season (fifth in BIG EAST play) the Irish have netted at least 40 points in the first half of play.
• Seniors Carleton Scott (F), Tyrone Nash (F), Tim Abromaitis (F), Ben Hansbrough (G), and Scott Martin (G) started tonight’s contest. It marked the 23rd time this season that quintet has started. Notre Dame is 20-3 this season when that group of seniors comprise the starting five.
• Tyrone Nash, Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough have started all 29 games this season, while Scott Martin has 28 starts. Carleton Scott, who missed four games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, has started 24 contests.
• Senior forward Tyrone Nash extended his consecutive games played streak to a team-best 79 contests. Nash, Tim Abromaitis (Sr./F) and Ben Hansbrough (Sr./G) have played in all 64 games over the past two seasons. Nash and Hansbrough both have started all 64 of those contests.
• Tonight was the 33rd meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Villanova. The Wildcats lead the series 18-15.
• Ben Hansbrough, Tom Kopko and Tyrone Nash were honored before the game during the Senior Night ceremony.