Irish offense goes full throttle over DePaul
We interrupt DePaul's Senior Day festivities to bring you this ill-timed public service announcement from Notre Dame coach Mike Brey:
"I love watching us play on the offensive end of the floor and you should, too," Brey said. "Because not a lot of teams play like this. I'm serious."
If Brey's endorsement isn't sufficient, then find a tape of Notre Dame's 98-91 Big East victory Sunday afternoon at the Allstate Arena.
The 17th-ranked Irish moved fast, passed faster and shot the ball fantastically in Rosemont to clinch a first-round bye in the Big East tournament.
"It is beautiful to watch," Brey said. "We know how to play. I look at things on tape sometimes and I marvel at it. I'm really proud of how they've learned how to play off each other -- and not abuse the freedom that they have to play."
Instead, Notre Dame (22-6, 12-4) simply abused the Blue Demons.
DePaul, which hadn't given up this many points in a game in five seasons, trailed by 28 points with 17 minutes left before rallying behind career efforts off the bench from freshmen Dar Tucker (28 points) and Mac Koshwal (23 points, 10 rebounds).
Luke Harangody, the Big East's leading scorer, delivered a team-high 24 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for the victors, but he wasn't the focal point.
Instead, Notre Dame's other big men fed off Harangody's post presence and dominated with their 3-point prowess.
Senior forward Rob Kurz (6-foot-9), backup center Luke Zeller (6-10) and backup swingman Ryan Ayers (6-8) combined to hit 10 of 12 3-pointers -- most of them wide-open looks.
Kurz, the only senior on Notre Dame's roster, produced 21 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.
"I believe Rob Kurz is the most underappreciated player in the Big East," said DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright. "I've loved his game since high school."
Wainwright wasn't as enamored when Kurz stifled DePaul's big second-half run.
After Tucker buried a 25-footer with one second on the shot clock to cut Notre Dame's lead to 86-79 with 3:33 to go -- a basket so exciting that Tucker leaped around like Ollie from "Hoosiers" after he made his underhanded free throw -- the Irish conducted one of their trademark offensive possessions.
Guard Kyle McAlarney sprinted around Harangody's high-ball screen and drove down the right side of the lane.
Once he was within a few feet of the basket and drew help-side defense, he whipped a cross-court clothesline of a pass back to Kurz spotting up on the left wing.
Kurz swished his unguarded 3-pointer to kill DePaul's momentum.
"It was just a 'create and see what happens' kind of play and he was open," McAlarney said. "I saw him out of the corner of my eye. At that point, he was really feeling it, so that was probably the best look we could get."
"Create and see what happens" might be the best way to describe Notre Dame's philosophy.
"We just go out and play," McAlarney said. "We really know how to play the game. Very unselfish. And Coach Brey really has a lot of trust in us to go out and do the right thing and make the right pass."
And do it again and again. The Irish earned 27 assists (with just 7 turnovers) on their 38 baskets.
Notre Dame's clinic ruined Senior Day for Draelon Burns, Cliff Clinkscales, Wesley Green and Karron Clarke.
Green battled Harangody early and contributed 8 points and 2 blocks, but the other three vets shot a combined 2-for-16 from the field.
"I put all that on me this game," said Burns, who had 9 points and 3 turnovers.
Now comes the harder part for the Blue Demons (10-18, 5-11), who are tied with St. John's and Providence for the 12th and final spot in the Big East tournament.
The Blue Demons travel to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh to wrap up the regular season and need at least a split to feel good about their chances for an invite to Madison Square Garden.
"We just need to sit down and everybody just talk," Burns said. "Just get in everybody's head and see if they really want it as bad as I do. I'm pretty sure they do, but we just need to talk. Communication is the key to our success."