We Played Well, But...

WSJV Video

Irish get Nipped -- (FWJG)

ND, Solid 5 -- (ESPN)

Oh so close -- (CBS)

(9) Georgetown 84, (20) Notre Dame 82 -- (Yahoo)

Oh Yea, it's the Hoyas

Friday, March 9th, 7:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Madison Square Garden (19,763) -- New York, New York. Television: ESPN. Home Record: Notre Dame 18-0, Georgetown 14-3. Away Record: Notre Dame 3-5, Georgetown 9-3. Neutral Record: Notre Dame 3-1, Georgetown 1-0. Conference Record: Notre Dame 11-5, Georgetown 13-3. Series Record: Georgetown leads, 12-9.

The Irish have won 6 in a row, including the win yesterday over Syracuse 89-83. Georgetown got to this point by beating Villanova in the Quarterfinals yesterday. Hoyas jumped all over Villanova early in the game, but the Wildcats never gave up and made a game of it.

Notre Dame has never won the Big East Tournament, and they are 4-11 all-time at this event. The last time these two met was on Janurary 6th and the Hoyas took care of business and the Irish to win the game 66-48. Georgetown took an 11 point lead at half and the Irish never recovered. In that game the Irish shot just 30% from the field and under 20% from the 3 point line. Now Carter and Falls are 40.3 percent from three-point range and have the confidence that is needed to come up big. Their leadership will carry Notre Dame in this game. This game was also around the Kyle McAlarney debacle time and the team did not have an identity. Coach Brey, COY, has them playing for a Reason and this is the next step.

Holding the Hoyas two main guys, Hibbert & Green, in check is very important. Villanova did this in the second half and almost made up a 20+ point deficit. The key to the game for the Irish will be Falls and Carter. Getting a game like yesterday from both of them will lead to an Irish Victory and a spot in the finals against the winner of the Louisville/Pittsburgh game.

Georgetown is favored by four in this game, but I see the Irish coming away with a victory. It will be a tough one to watch as the score will stay close most of the game, but don't blink or you will miss the Notre Dame victory.

Final Score:
ND 74
GT 71

I Got A Basketballlllll--Brey

The boys looked good most of the game today and they came away with a win. Notre Dame will face Georgetown tomorrow night. With a slow start, decent spurts in the middle and end of the first half, the Irish managed to be down only two at Half. Luck O' the irish prevailed and Notre Dame was able to keep the Orange at bay. Falls and Carter took over in the second half and the game was never really in jeopardy, but too close for this fans liking. Georgetown is a fast starting team and will come out strong. Harangody needs to be bigger than he is tomorrow night for the game to stay within Falls reach. And his reach seems to stretch pretty far.

ND 89 Syr 83 -- (FWJG)

Orange Bounce -- (SNHM)

Orange and the Green -- (ITB)

Big East Tourney News...

Receding Hair Line -- (NYT)

In The City -- (CT)

Live Game Tracker -- (BE)

Through Orange Colored Glasses

The Notre Dame Basketball team will face the Syracuse Orange Men in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

Syracuse beat Connecticut today 78-65.

Game Notes -- (BE)

Syracuse Stats today against UConn Left and on Jan 30th against Notre Dame Right:

Points----- -----------------78 ------- ------------------------ 91
Field Goals------------- 28-65, 43% ------------------------ 33-74, 44%
Free Throws -----------13-25, 51% ------------------------ 19-25, 75%
3-Pointers --------------9-20, 44% --------------------------6-21, 28%
Off. Rebounds -------------18---------------------------------- 14
Def. Rebounds -------------19 ----------------------------------24
Total Rebounds -----------37 -----------------------------------38
Assists --------------------19 -----------------------------------17
Blocks---------------------- 6------------------------------------ 6
Fouls ----------------------16 -----------------------------------24
Steals----------------------- 3------------------------------------ 5
Turnovers -----------------18 -----------------------------------16

The Orange are 4-1 in their last 5 with a loss to Villanova the last game of the season. But beat up on a very good Georgetown Team on February 26.

Notre Dame has been playing very well since the loss to DePaul and are 5-0 in the last five.

For the Irish to beat Syracuse again, they will need a big game under the basket and the big guy will have to step up. Jackson will need to take care of the ball and not have any dysfunctional moments. Get the ball to Carter and Falls and all will be well.

Syracuse basically has played the same game whether they won or lost. Below are the stats from the Georgetown win. Not much difference except one, STEALS were way up and defensively, they played a much tighter game.

Points 72
Field Goals 24-54, 44%
Free Throws 15-25, 60%
3-pointers 9-21, 42%
Off. Rebounds 6
Def. Rebounds 24
Total Rebounds 30
Assists 16
Blocks 4
Fouls 19
Steals 11
Turnovers 13

It’s been a great week for Notre Dame basketball and the Irish haven’t even taken the court yet. On Monday, they got Colin Falls and Russell Carter on the All-Big East first-team squad and freshmen Tory Jackson and Luke Harangody on the All-Rookie team. The biggest honor went to Mike Brey, who received the conference Coach of the Year award on Tuesday night at the league banquet. STORY -- (IE)