Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1187512
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 30, 2019 47 MEN'S BASKETBALL prep prospect, Durham fell off the recruiting radar but still landed at Connecticut, where as a freshman in 2016-17 he averaged 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in only 8.3 minutes played per game with no starts. Unsatisfied, Durham entered the transfer portal and eventually de- cided on Notre Dame. He sat out all of 2017-18 because of NCAA transfer rules, then shook off some rust last season and has be- come the better man for it so far this year. "In the long run, all of that felt like it built character," Durham said of waiting more than three years to fi- nally become an overnight success. "It got me a little story to tell, and it let me know that I need to have pa- tience in my life." ✦ 2019-20 NOTRE DAME MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Nov. 6 at North Carolina* L, 76-65 Nov. 9 Robert Morris^ W, 92-57 Nov. 12 Howard^ W, 79-50 Nov. 15 Marshall^ W, 74-64 Nov. 18 Presbyterian W, 63-53 Nov. 21 Toledo^ W, 64-62 (OT) Nov. 26 Fairleigh Dickinson 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at Maryland# (ESPN/2) 7:15 p.m. Dec. 7 Boston College* (ESPN2/U) 7 p.m. Dec. 10 Detroit Mercy 7 p.m. Dec. 14 UCLA 7 p.m. Dec. 21 vs. Indiana& 2 p.m. Dec. 29 Alabama A&M 7 p.m. Jan. 4 at Syracuse* (ESPN2/U) 4 p.m. Jan. 8 at NC State* (ESPN2/U) 7 p.m. Jan. 11 Louisville* (ESPN) 2 p.m. Jan. 15 at Georgia Tech* (ACCN) 8:30 p.m. Jan. 22 Syracuse* (ESPN/2/U) 7 p.m. Jan. 25 at Florida State* (TBA) 12 p.m. Jan. 29 Wake Forest* (ACCN) 9 p.m. Feb. 1 Georgia Tech* (RSN) 12 p.m. Feb. 5 Pittsburgh* (ACCN) 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at Clemson* (ACCN) 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at Virginia* (ESPN2/U) 9 p.m. Feb. 15 at Duke* (TBA) 4 p.m. Feb. 17 North Carolina* (ESPN) 7 p.m. Feb. 23 Miami* (ACCN) 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at Boston College* (ACCN) 9 p.m. Feb. 29 at Wake Forest* (RSN) 4 p.m. Mar. 4 Florida State* (ESPN2/U) 9 p.m. Mar. 7 Virginia Tech* (ACCN) TBA Mar. 10-14 ACC Tournament$ (ACCN/ESPN) TBA * ACC game; ^ Men Against Breast Cancer Invi- tational; # ACC/Big Ten Challenge; & Crossroads Classic at Indianapolis; $ at Greensboro, N.C.; ACCN — ACC Network Sophomore forward Nate Laszewski hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to cap a Notre Dame comeback and send the game against Toledo into overtime and an eventual Irish 64-62 victory Nov. 21. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN Irish Notch Two More Victories In the absence of senior star forward John Mooney (illness) against Presbyterian College Nov. 18 at Purcell Pavilion, another senior forward, Juwan Durham, filled in admirably with 11 points and a career- high 15 rebounds in a 63-53 win over the Blue Hose. Sparked by senior guard Rex Pflueger, Notre Dame used a 14-3 run late in the first half to erase a 28-25 deficit, take the lead for good and hold on for the win. Pflueger had 13 points and added a team-high six assists. Sophomore forward Nate Laszewski, who started in Mooney's place, added 11 points and six rebounds. Notre Dame's 64-62 overtime win over Toledo Nov. 21 brought more drama with the Irish erasing a seven-point deficit with 2:45 left in regulation on a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Laszewski that tied the game at 55-55 and forced overtime. Good defensive work by the Irish in extra time and a nifty backdoor layup by Pflueger in the closing seconds sealed the win. Sophomore guard Dane Goodwin paced the Irish with 16 points, including numerous crucial buckets during the comeback. — Todd D. Burlage Three-Point Play 1. In Nate We Trust Heading into the game against Toledo Nov. 21, sophomore forward Nate Laszewski had made just 2 of 16 (12.5 percent) three-point attempts this season. Even so, Irish head coach Mike Brey still called Laszewski's number on an out-of-bounds play down 55-52 to the Rockets with 1.5 seconds remaining. Laszewski made the in-bound catch, turned and fired from the right wing, hit the shot, sending the game into overtime and perhaps giving the player and team a confidence boost for the rest of the season when Notre Dame pulled out a 64-62 overtime win. 2. Keeping Elite Company Senior forward Juwan Durham, a 6-11, 223-pound all-purpose Irish post player, scored 11 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and recorded four blocks in a 63-53 win over Presbyterian College Nov. 18. In doing so, Durham joined a small but star-studded cast of former Notre Dame players during the Mike Brey era to record at least 10 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in a game. John Mooney (2018), Ryan Humphrey (2001), Torin Francis (2003, 2004), Luke Harangody (2008) and Bonzie Colson (2017) are the others. 3. Clinching A Title Notre Dame's overtime win over Toledo capped a perfect 4-0 record and a "championship" in the five- team, round-robin, pool-style event called the 2019 Men Against Breast Cancer Invitational. The Irish won their four games against Robert Morris, Howard, Marshall and Toledo by an average of 19.0 points per contest. — Todd D. Burlage