Notre Dame-Connecticut Preview

[IE]

Notre Dame Notes


Notre Dame is coming off a 55-42 win at Seton Hall Wednesday. The 42 points allowed were the fewest ever for Notre Dame in conference play.

Notre Dame's 53 points in this season's first meeting with UConn were the fewest for the Irish in a home game in Irish coach Mike Brey?s 12-year tenure. The Irish are 2-10 all-time at Connecticut, including a 1-8 mark inside the XL Center. Notre Dame's lone win at the XL Center was a 75-70 triumph on Jan. 5, 2000. The Irish have lost six straight games inside the XL Center.

The Irish are allowing just 59.5 points per game through eight conference games, which ranks second in the Big East.

Jack Cooley ? The junior forward has posted a double-double in each of the last two games. Cooley has a team-high six double-doubles this season, which includes four in conference play. He is first among all Big East players with a .591 (78-132) shooting percentage. Cooley is averaging 12.9 points and 9.8 rebounds (second in the Big East) per game in league play.

Eric Atkins ? The sophomore point guard leads the Irish with 12.9 points per game this year. He is shooting 41.4 percent (29-for-70) from 3-point range this season.
Jerian Grant ? Grant is shooting a team-best 78.8 percent (78-for-99) from the free throw line this season. He matched a career-high total with 10 made free throws (on 12 attempts) in Wednesday's win at Seton Hall. He?s averaging 12.8 points and 4.7 assists per game.

Pat Connaughton ? The freshman has started the last two games for Notre Dame and is averaging six points and four rebounds per contest. He has seven steals and three blocks this season.

Scott Martin ? The senior had his season-best five-game double-digit scoring streak snapped on Wednesday at Seton Hall (three points). He is averaging 10.8 points and 8.5 rebounds over the last six games.





Connecticut Overview

Freshman guard Ryan Boatright was suspended for the first six games of the season for an infraction that involved accepting a plane ticket last year while he was playing AAU basketball. He appeared in 10 games before being shelved by the NCAA again the night before playing Notre Dame on Jan. 14.

The school, in a statement, said the latest development "arises from additional information provided by the NCAA that pertains to conditions and events that predate the university's relationship with Boatright." The rookie has not played since.

The Huskies have dropped their last two games following the first victory over the Irish a 60-57 decision at Tennessee in a respite from Big East play, and a 70-67 contest at home against Cincinnati.

Jeremy Lamb (17.9 points) and Shabazz Napier (14.8) pace the Huskies, which are without Boatright?s 10.2 points and 3.5 assists per game.

Outlook

The Huskies beat up the Irish on the boards (42-30) in their first meeting earlier this month and outscored Notre Dame 15-5 at the foul line. Since the first meeting with UConn this year, the Irish have learned to deal with ball pressure and not get hurried on offense. Missed opportunities from point-blank range also hurt Notre Dame, which was on the wrong end of an 18-8 run over the first 10 minutes of the second half against Connecticut the first time around, and another 12-2 spree near the end of the game.

What we?ve learned over the last week or so, which includes an Irish win over top-ranked Syracuse, is that anything is possible for Brey?s squad. When the team is hitting from 3-point range, it can hang with any program in the country. When Notre Dame struggles offensively, it has managed to survive with stellar defensive play. It will need both Sunday.

 

[IE]

Boatright cleared to play for UConn vs. Notre Dame



Connecticut guard Ryan Boatright has been cleared by the NCAA to return to action, despite a finding by the governing body that the freshman and his mother received more than $8,000 in impermissible benefits both before and after he enrolled in school.

The NCAA said in a release posted on its website that it has determined Boatright has lived up to an agreement that gave him limited immunity for co-operating in the investigation, and is "likely the least culpable" of those involved in the violations.

The freshman, who played high school basketball at East Aurora, served a six-game suspension at the start of the season and is being required to repay $4,500 in improper benefits discovered during the NCAA's initial probe.

He played in 10 games before UConn sat him out again on Jan. 13 after the NCAA informed the school it was looking into additional information.

He has missed UConn's past three games, during which the Huskies were 1-2.

"The impermissible benefits included travel expenses for his mother during four official visits to NCAA schools and approximately $1,200," the NCAA said in its release.

"In addition, Mr. Boatright was provided travel expenses, hotel, meals and training expenses during a two-night trip to California."

The NCAA said the benefits came from at least two people with links to "nonscholastic basketball and professional sports."

Several news organizations, including ESPN and The New York Times, had previously reported that a plane ticket was purchased for Boatright's mother by Reggie Rose, who runs the AAU team for which Boatright played. Rose, the brother of NBA star Derrick Rose, has declined to comment on the case.

UConn officials declined to comment Saturday. Messages were left for Boatright and his mother, Tanesha Boatright. A woman who answered the phone at the Boatright home also declined to comment.

The NCAA said it originally allowed Boatright to return to action while his family cooperated with the probe.

Boatright averaged more than 10 points and three assists in the 10 games he played after being reinstated to the team.

Connecticut was forced to again bench Boatright on Jan. 13 after the NCAA informed the school it was looking into additional information that had been provided by both his mother and a source the NCAA determined to be credible.

"After a review of those records, the NCAA enforcement staff and UConn confirmed that an inappropriate source had been making car payments on behalf of Mr. Boatright's mother as had been originally reported by the source," the NCAA said.

The second benching came just before the Huskies were to play at Notre Dame. Boatright, who is from Aurora, Ill. said he had more than 400 friends and family in attendance at that game. Coach Jim Calhoun said Boatright cried in his arms when he told him that he could not play.

The NCAA said it decided to allow Boatright to return to competition after receiving additional information from his mother on Friday.

"After reviewing the additional records, the enforcement staff notified the university that the NCAA staff believed that the student-athlete and his mother had fulfilled the conditions of immunity and therefore, the student-athlete was again eligible for competition," it said.

The No. 24 Huskies (14-5, 4-3 Big East) beat Notre Dame without Boatright, then lost consecutive games to Cincinnati and Tennessee, each by three points.

Boatright has been practicing with the team and is expected to play Sunday when the Huskies host Notre Dame (13-8, 5-3 Big East) in Hartford.