Notre Dame can't get out of early deficit
This was the most successful nucleus in Notre Dame program history; two trips to the Elite Eight but the run finally ended Saturday in Buffalo.
The Irish fell 83-71.
Mike Brey will always look at this game and wish he had any start than the one he had today.
West Virginia jumped all over the Irish in the first three plus minutes. The Mountaineers led 10-0.
But Notre Dame, being the resilient team they are, fought its way back. Matt Farrell with a personal 5-0 run to bring the Irish back to within four but Notre Dame trailed by seven heading into the locker room.
In the second half, Jevon Carter, special player, scored 24 on the afternoon.
Then, what West Virginia does so well, turning defense to offense. Esa Ahmad finishes the sequence and the Mountaineers go up 11.
Notre Dame turned the ball over 14 times.
But the Irish would get to four twice. Bonzie Colson, Matt Farrell knocking down triples.
Colson had a game high of 27 points.
It seemed almost anytime the Irish got close, West Virginia hit ‘em with a dagger. Tarik Phillip hit one of the final nails in the coffin of the Irish season.
V.J. Beachem got an embrace from Head Coach Mike Brey, a tough way for the senior to go out. He was 2-14 from the field.
Notre Dame ends its season, losing 83-71. The Irish would never able to dig themselves out of those first three minutes.
The team reacted to the loss.
That start hurt us, when you’re digging out of a hole against a team like that, it’s a uphill climb. It’s draining mentally and physically. I love that we made some runs to try and close the gap but West Virginia made big shots to hold us off anytime we thought we had a little hope.
- Mike Brey, Notre Dame Head Coach
It’s basketball man, sometimes it’s not your day you know, we did get a lot of open looks you know and they weren’t falling and I thought we played better defense in the second half but like you said it was really tough to get out of that 10-0 hole against a good offensive team.
-Matt Farrell, Notre Dame Junior Guard
We just didn’t execute, we weren’t as composed as we wanted to be, they were pressing us. We weren’t coming to the ball. It’s just a lot of the little things that we’ve been doing all year that have helped us win, we didn’t do today.
-Rex Pflueger , Notre Dame Sophomore Guard
We have to be better, we have to understand that we don’t want this to be our last game; we just have to be better in that aspect, we tried to dig ourselves out of the hole. We got it to five I don’t remember but, we did everything we could. We got to continue to fight, develop and continue to be hungry.
- Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame Junior Forward
West Virginia shot 50 percent while Notre Dame shot 40 percent.
It was a tough ending to another great season but a win just wasn’t in the cards.