Martin, Notre Dame turn back South Florida 60-49

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Scott Martin recorded his second straight double-double to lead Notre Dame to a 60-49 victory over South Florida on Tuesday night.

Martin scored 15 points and added 13 rebounds to lead the Fighting Irish (11-6, 3-1 Big East) to their 29th straight home win.

Notre Dame’s Jack Cooley was the game’s leading scorer with 16 points, while Jerian Grant added 14.

Augustus Gilchrist scored 13 and Jawanza Poland 12 for the Bulls (9-8, 2-2).

Notre Dame shot 48 percent and went 5 for 14 on 3-pointers. South Florida shot 38 percent, including 1 for 13 from beyond the arc.

The Irish got off to a 6-0 edge and never trailed despite sloppy play on both sides.

Notre Dame used a 14-0 run late in the second half that included two three-point plays by Grant to put the game away.

Both teams looked sluggish in the opening moments. With 11:30 left in the first half, the score was only 8-8, and both teams were shooting 4 of 12 (33 percent).

But then Notre Dame got hot from beyond the arc, beginning with a 3-pointer by Martin, and pulled out to a 20-14 lead with 6:35 to go.

The Irish later ran off a 6-0 spurt, capped by a 3-pointer by Pat Connaughton with 3:26 left, to set the lead at 26-18. However, a layup by the Bulls’ Anthony Collins stopped that streak, and the half ended with the Irish ahead 30-24.

Notre Dame was shooting 46 percent and South Florida 42 percent at halftime. Grant led all scorers with eight, while Collins and Gilchrist had six points apiece for the Bulls. Notre Dame was 5 for 9 on 3-pointers, while South Florida had missed all five.

The sloppy play continued early in the second half, as both teams missed makable shots and had unforced turnovers. Gilchrist scored his team’s first 3-pointer with 10:07 left to pull the Bulls within three at 38-35.

That set up Notre Dame’s game-deciding 14-0 run.