McAlarney (32 points) shoots down UConn
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Connecticut slowed down Notre Dame inside, but the Huskies couldn't stop Kyle McAlarney from the outside.
McAlarney made his first 7 shots, including 4 from 3-point range, to help the Fighting Irish open a 21-point lead in the first half, then made some key shots in the second half as he scored a career-high 32 points and Notre Dame held on for a 73-67 victory Saturday night.
"We gave him all the confidence in the world and got him going, which probably eventually killed us down the stretch because he had good confidence throughout the game," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said.
After trailing 47-32 at halftime, UConn (10-3, 1-1 Big East) rallied in the second half and used an 8-0 run to take its only lead at 58-57 on a basket inside by Jeff Adrien with 6:25 left.
The lead lasted only 22 seconds, though, as Zach Hillesland scored on a rebound. Rob Kurz and hit a clutch 3 to give the Irish (12-2, 2-0) the 64-61 lead with 3:08 left. Then Kurz blocked a shot by Jef Adrien. McAlarney then hit his sixth 3-pointer, and UConn never got closer than 2 points again.
McAlarney said his strong start was key to his play.
"You hit a few early and you feel good the rest of the game," he said.
Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said he wasn't surprised by UConn's comeback.
"I never thought as well as we played in the first half that we were going to beat them and put them away," Brey said. "I knew they were going to come back."
Notre Dame won its 11th straight overall and its 30th straight at home. It was the third straight time the Irish beat the Huskies at the Joyce Center, but UConn still leads the overall series 12-6.
The Huskies, who were 2-8 on the road last season, fell to 2-1 on the road this season. Calhoun said he was disappointed in his team's start.
"There were sections of the game where I don't recognize my own team," he said.
Kurz finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Luke Harangody added 14 points and 10 rebounds despite going 5-of-23 from the field. Tory Jackson, who went to the locker room with 17 seconds left in the first half with a cornea abrasion on his right eye after a collision with Hasheem Thabeet, finished with 11 assists.