Game Thread | Marshall at Notre Dame
Marshall (1-1) at Notre Dame (2-1, 0-1)
Date: November 15th
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Purcell Pavilion | Notre Dame, Ind.
THE STARTERS
Notre Dame
| Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Prentiss Hubb | 14.7 | 2.0 | 4.7 |
| TJ Gibbs | 12.3 | 2.7 | 4.3 |
| Rex Pflueger | 5.0 | 2.7 | 2.0 |
| John Mooney | 12.7 | 11.3 | 2.3 |
| Juwan Durham | 7.0 | 4.7 | 1.7 |
Howard
| Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Taevion Kinsey | 16.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
| Jarrod West | 20.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Mikel Beyers | 7.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
| Darius George | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 |
| Jannson Williams | 6.5 | 5.0 | 0.5 |
Preview
Points Per Game
Notre Dame: 78.5
Marshall:
Opponent Points Per Game
Notre Dame: 61.0
Marshall: 78.0
FG%
Notre Dame: 47.0%
Marshall: 43.3%
Rebounds Per Game
Notre Dame: 39.0
Marshall: 37.0
Assists Per Game
Notre Dame: 18.7
Marshall: 8.5
Blocks Per Game
Notre Dame: 3.3
Marshall: 9.0
Steals Per Game
Notre Dame: 8.0
Marshall: 10.0
Notre Dame will host Marshall on Friday evening at Purcell Pavilion and it’s another chance to develop good habits. The Thundering Herd is ranked 222nd on KenPom and beat Robert Morris 67-60 to open the season before losing to Toledo 96-70.
Mike Brey’s team has started the season on a positive note with two wins following an opening loss at North Carolina. In all three games, the Irish have moved the ball and even pushed the ball in transition much better than a year ago.
“It's been such a hallmark of our program,” Brey said of the ball movement. "Sharing and moving the ball. I just love how we're throwing the ball ahead. We're firing the ball down the court. We've thrown a couple away deep and that's OK. We're driving it more and we've charged a couple of times, but that's OK.”
Prentiss Hubb, TJ Gibbs and John Mooney were expected to score this season, but sophomore guard Dane Goodwin is quietly doing exactly what Brey hoped (and probably prayed) he would do this season.
A year ago, Goodwin turned down open shots and this year, the Ohio native has not only shot the ball, but has made sure to drive the rim. Goodwin is averaging 10.3 points per game and shooting 55.6 percent from the floor.
“He's played a little bit more pissed off quite frankly,” explained Brey. “I thought he was disappointed with how he played in Chapel Hill. He's being aggressive and going for it. Now, he's ready to do that. As much as I told him to do that last year, it was hard to do. He gets it now."
Goodwin’s classmate Robby Carmody has also taken a step forward after sitting out most of last season with a shoulder injury.
Carmody is averaging 20 minutes a night, but is scoring 9.0 points a game while shooting 50 percent from the floor.
However, it’s not just Carmody’s offensive efficiency that has impressed Brey. Carmody’s physical drives, defense and just about everything else is what Notre Dame missed a year ago.
“Carmody was born aggressive,” laughed Brey. “He came out of the womb driving to the basket and knocking the hell out of people. He's a bull in a china shop. Is that Pittsburgh guy or what?
"He knocks the crap out of people and that's OK."
On Tuesday, Notre Dame’s bench scored 28 points, which is also something that was missing last season.
“We need it,” said Brey. “I downplayed it when I had guys on the bench who couldn't score. Then we put oxygen on our six-man rotation.
"Dane, Robby and Nate (Laszewski) have to be aggressive for us when they come in there. They're doing things more like second-year guys and like they should."
Prediction: Notre Dame 79 Marshall 66