After back-to-back victories on their home turf and a well-deserved weekend break, the Notre Dame Men’s basketball squad (9-16, 4-10) is geared up for their next challenge. This time, they’re hitting the road and heading to the vibrant city of Louisville, Kentucky, to face off against the formidable Louisville Cardinals at none other than the legendary KFC Yum! Center. Curious to know how the Fighting Irish held their ground against the Louisville Cardinals? Well, buckle up because we’re about to dive right into the heart of the action! Get ready to relive every thrilling moment as we break down the showdown.
First Half
Louisville got the ball first to kick off the game but turned the ball over early on a bad pass. On Notre Dame’s first possession they also turned the ball over early on a bad pass. Notre Dame got on the scoreboard first with a three point jumper by Braeden Shrewsberry, to which Louisville responded with a layup by Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. Shrewsberry sank his second three point shot at 17:23, to which Louisville immediately answered with a jumper by Skyy Clark. Markus Burton got fouled and went to the line where he made both of his foul shots. 8-4, Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s next points came on a jumper by Kebba Njie, and at the other end Tre White (the USC transfer) made a jumper. Notre Dame answered with a statement dunk by Carey Booth. Huntley-Hatfield made a layup, despite being double teamed. Then on ND’s next possession they turned the ball over on a missed three point shot by Tae Davis, and Louisville converted the turnover into points on a three point shot by Clark. 12-11, Notre Dame. (13:24 timeout.)
After the break, Tre White went to the free throw line and made one of his two foul shots. Shrewsberry missed his three point shot, and on Louisville’s next possession Huntley-Hatfield got called for the travel. Burton got trapped under the basket and turned the ball over. (Coach was not happy at all, but mostly because a foul wasn’t called.) Burton stole the ball, and missed the jumper, but J.R. Konieczny got the rebound and the second chance layup. 14-12, Notre Dame. (11:53 timeout.)
Following the timeout, Tre White missed his three point shot. Notre Dame went down court and Markus Burton sank his layup in the paint, followed by a Tae Davis driving layup. Louisville’s Huntley-Hatfield made a pullup jumper, but it didn’t take Notre Dame long to score again on a Konieczny three point shot. Louisville missed their three point shot, and Konieczny got the rebound. Booth nailed his three point shot, and Louisville called a timeout. 24-14, Notre Dame. (8:48 timeout.)
So far, Notre Dame has made four of their six three point shots.
Huntley-Hatfield missed his three point shot, and Notre Dame couldn’t convert their next possession into points. Notre Dame’s next points came on yet another three point shot from Shrewsberry, his third of the night. Tre White got a layup at the other end and Louisville ended Notre Dame’s 9-0 run. 27-16, Notre Dame.
Burton put up a jumper and missed, and Louisville got the rebound, but they turned it over. Davis missed his layup and Louisville got the rebound. Huntley-Hatfield sank the driving layup and drew the foul. At the line he missed his foul shot, 27-18, Notre Dame.
Shrewsberry put up a three point shot but missed, and White missed his jumper with Shrewsberry getting the rebound. Burton missed a three point shot, and Louisville finally scored at the other end on a pullup jumper by Clark. (6-0 run by Louisville.) 27-20, Notre Dame.
Tre White went to the line for Louisville and made both of his free throw shots. On Notre Dame’s next possession Matt Zona missed his three point shot, with White getting the rebound. Emmanuel Okorafor went to the line and missed his foul shot. Burton’s layup was blocked and rebounded by Okorafor. Louisville turned the ball over on a bad pass, and at the other end Zona snuck inside and made the layup, and ND is up by seven. 29-22.
Clark made a big three point shot to shrink Notre Dame’s lead to four. Notre Dame’s Burton accelerated toward the bucket and got his layup to drop. Huntley-Hatfield made a bad pass and ND got the ball. Shrewsberry missed his three point shot and that ended the half. 31-25, Notre Dame up by six points.
First Half Stats
Notre Dame
Field Goals: 12-33, 36%
Three Point Shots: 5-12, 42%
Foul Shots: 2-3, 67%
Louisville
Field Goals: 10-26, 38%
Three Point Shots: 2-7, 29%
Foul Shots: 3-7, 43%
Second Half
Louisville got the ball first and got on the board quickly with a Huntley-Hatfield layup. Booth put up a three and missed, followed by a Shrewsberry three that did go in. Kaleb Glenn got fouled by Booth and went to the line where he made one of two free throw shots. 34-28, Notre Dame.
Booth picked up his third foul, and exited the court, and Louisville turned over the ball quickly snatched by Shrewsberry who sank an uncontested layup at the other. Louisville turned the ball over again on their next possession but Burton missed his jumper. Roper II missed a three point shot, and both teams are looking frazzled. 36-28, Notre Dame. Louisville timeout at 16:39.
After the break, Burton missed his layup but drew the foul. At the line Burton made both of his fouls shots. At the other end Louisville answered with a three point bucket by Clark. Kebba Njie fouled Huntley-Hatfield who made one of his two shots at the line. Notre Dame answered with a layup by Booth. Glenn missed his dunk, and Konieczny made his layup at the other end. Logan Imes got fouled, and made one of his two shots from the line. Clark made a pullup jumper, and Notre Dame’s lead is nine, 43-34.
Konieczny got his jumper to go in, followed by a Huntley-Hatfield jumper and foul. Huntley-Hatfield made one of his foul shots, and ND responded with a three point shot by Imes. Huntley-Hatfield made a layup in the paint, and then at the other end Tae Davis made a jumper. 50-39 Notre Dame. 10:54 timeout.
Burton, wide open, put up a three point shot that went in beautifully. Zone missed his three point shot and the rebound was knocked out of bound by Davis. Louisville’s Clark sank his three point shot at the other end, and Notre Dame turned the ball over on their next possession. Clark tried for another three, and missed, and Notre Dame got the rebound. Davis’s layup was blocked by Glenn, who then dunked the ball at the other end. Notre Dame up by nine, 53-44. 8:42 timeout.
Imes picked up a foul, and Ty-Laur Johnson went to the line and made one of his two foul shots. Shrewsberry sank a beautiful three point shot, followed by another stunning three on the next possession, and the threes just keep falling perfectly for the Irish. 59-45, Notre Dame.
Mike James made a layup, quickly followed by a jumper by Burton, made even after taking a hit. And then he made his foul shot from the line. Then on the next ND possession, Burton again with another physical jumper, followed by another Louisville turnover and a turnaround jumper by Booth.
Burton stole the ball on Louisville’s next possession, and Shrewsberry sank yet another three point shot. Huntley-Hatfield missed his layup and Notre Dame snatched the rebound. Notre Dame now up by more than twenty points. 69-47, Notre Dame. 3:38 timeout.
Try as they might in the last three minutes, Louisville just couldn’t get enough buckets to fall to make a comeback. Final score, Notre Dame 72, Louisville 50.
Next up the Fighting Irish travel to Syracuse, New York, to face the Syracuse Orange at 12:00 pm, on ESPN.
Cheers & GO IRISH!
