No.15 Marquette proves too much for visiting Irish
While the Fighting Irish have enjoyed the home cooking at the Joyce Center, Marquette was ready and willing to be rude hosts on Saturday night. Notre Dame played on the road for just the second time this season as No.15 Marquette pasted the Fighting Irish 92-66 on Saturday night, behind five Golden Eagles in double figures.
Jerel McNeal led the Marquette squad with 18 points and Lazard Hayward had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Dominic James had 16 points, Wesley Matthews added 15 and David Cubillan chipped in with 11. Marquette (13-2, 3-1) shot the ball well against the Irish, shooting 46.6 percent for the game, while hitting on 50 percent of their 3-pointers (12-24) and shooting 80 percent from the line.
As for the Irish, despite outrebounding Marquette 46-36, their shooting touch abandoned them in the second half. After shooting 48 percent in the first, Notre Dame went ice cold in the second, shooting 31 percent on just 9-of-29 shooting. Luke Harangody continues to be a workhorse for Notre Dame (12-3, 2-1), leading the Irish with 29 points (18 in the first half) and 14 rebounds, but received little help from his teammates. Rob Kurz and Klye McAlarney combined for just 19 points on 6-of-16 combined shooting. McAlarney was fresh off a career night against UConn, scoring 32 points, but had just eight in this one. A season-high 24 turnovers, and just 13 assists helped plague the Irish as well. Notre Dame missed their first eight 3-point attempts to start the game and finished 4-of-19 from downtown, good for just 21 percent.
Notre Dame trailed at halftime for the first time all year, 44-36, and were quickly blitzed as the second frame began. Marquette used a smothering 20-5 run to race away from the Irish.
A great job by the Golden Eagles to protect home court against hot Notre Dame club that hasn’t lost since Nov.19th. This loss, however, ends Notre Dame’s 10-game winning streak. Marquette set the tone from the opening tap and round their rhythm early, and Irish were simply overwhelmed and overmatched on this afternoon. The Golden Eagles’ 12 three’s were a season high, as were their 17 steals, and to help matters, Marquette’s 20 fastbreak points to just two for Notre Dame made life on the road very unpleasant for the Irish.
No.15 Marquette will hit the road this Thursday at 7 p.m. when they travel to Freedom Hall to face off against Louisville. Notre Dame will look to regroup and rebound back home against Cincinnati on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Tags: Big East Basketball, Marquette Golden Eagles, NCAA Men's basketball, Notre Dame Fighting Irish