Irish Claim 3-Point Battle, 88-87

Saturday, January 4

Syracuse, N.Y.

4 PM

Syracuse University

8-6,1-2ACC

Notre Dame

10-4,1-2ACC

Notre Dame

Syracuse

1/4/2020 6:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In a game that evolved into a 3-point shootout, Notre Dame (10-4, 1-2 ACC) edged Syracuse (8-6, 1-2 ACC), 88-87, Saturday afternoon in the Carrier Dome. Both teams connected on 15 3-pointers in a game clinched by two free throws from Prentiss Hubb with 18 seconds remaining.

Buddy Boeheim led five Syracuse players in double digits with 23 points and tied a career-high with seven 3-point field goals.

FANTASTIC FINISH
A basket by Quincy Guerrier with 1:33 left gave the Orange an 84-81 advantage. Notre Dame answered quickly when Hubb converted his sixth 3-pointer of the afternoon to knot the score, 84-84.

Following a Syracuse miss, Notre Dame's John Mooney gathered consecutive offensive rebounds and scored off the second one to put Notre Dame in front by two. The Orange missed again and then fouled Hubb with 18 seconds left. He made both to up his game total to 22 points.

The Orange failed on two 3-point attempts before Joseph Girard III buried a long 3-pointer in the final second to end the game's scoring.

IRISH IN FRONT EARLY
Notre Dame jumped ahead in the first five minutes of the contest, 13-6, thanks to three 3-balls from senior T.J. Gibbs. Boeheim and Girard answered from beyond the arc for the Orange, but the Irish extended the lead to nine following a 3-pointer from guard Hubb, a sophomore, with 11:14 remaining in the opening half.

ORANGE ONSLAUGHT
Two consecutive 3-pointers by Elijah Hughes cut the Notre Dame lead to two, and a layup from the junior gave the Orange their first lead of the afternoon, 30-28. The Syracuse push was ignited by a Quincy Guerrier block and Hughes scored 10 consecutive Orange points.

The Orange put together an 11-0 run to go ahead 34-28 with 5:25 to play in the opening half. A Guerrier 3-ball off the glass gave Syracuse a 40-37 lead headed into the break. After trailing 23-14, the Orange outscored the Irish 26-14 in the final 11 minutes of the half. Hughes paced 'Cuse with 12 points in the first 20 minutes.

THREE FALLIN'
Two straight 3-balls and two Orange turnovers early in the second half gave Notre Dame the lead back, 46-44. Boeheim answered with a pair of 3-pointers of his own to put Syracuse on top, 54-53. The Irish converted six shots from the perimeter in the first 10 minutes of the second half to build their lead up to eight.

Boeheim's sixth 3-ball of the night brought the Orange within three and his seventh tied his career-high for 3-point field goals and evened the game at 67-67 with 6:50 to play.

GIRARD EXPLODES
Girard scored 10 consecutive Syracuse points, including two shots from behind the arc, to put the Orange on top, 79-75, with 3:37 to go in regulation. Syracuse held on to the lead until the game's final minute.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Five Orange players scored in double figures -- Boeheim (23), Girard (20), Hughes (19), Marek Dolezaj (13), and Guerrier (10).
Mooney finished with a game-high 28 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Irish.
Notre Dame's backcourt of Hubb and Gibbs posted 22 and 21 points, respectively, and each had six 3-pointers.
The Fighting Irish had 26 assists on 31 baskets.
Dolezaj recorded a double-double for the Orange (13 points, 10 rebounds). His 10 boards tied a career-high and he contributed a team-best seven assists.
Notre Dame owned a 21-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
Both teams were 15-of-31 (.484 from 3-point range.
Hughes scored in double figures for his 15^th consecutive game, the first Syracuse player to accomplish that since Tyus Battle in the 2017-18 campaign.
It was the 51^st meeting between the two storied programs.

UP NEXT
The ACC slate continues for the Orange when Virginia Tech comes to the dome Tuesday. The action begins at 9 p.m. and can be watched on ACC Network.

Fans unsure if their cable provider carries ACCN are encouraged to visit GetACCN.com

Tickets for Virginia Tech and all regular-season home games are on sale now online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Dome Box Office located in the Ensley Athletic Center.

For complete coverage of Syracuse men's basketball, follow us on Twitter (@Cuse_MBB), Instagram (cuse_mbb) and like us on Facebook (SyracuseOrange).