Field Level Media
Nov 24, 2018
Senior captain Rex Pflueger scored a career-high 20 points to lead Notre Dame to a 95-70 victory over DePaul on Saturday at South Bend, Ind.
Four players scored double figures for Notre Dame (5-1). Freshmen Nate Laszewski and Prentiss Hubb each scored 15 points, both season highs. It also was a season high for points for the Fighting Irish, who led by as many as 29.
T.J. Gibbs (18 points) also reached double digits for Notre Dame, which shot 55.0 percent from the field and made 13 of 27 3-point attempts.
Max Strus led DePaul (3-1) with 15 points. The Blue Demons shot 42.6 percent, including 7 of 23 from long range.
Saturday was the first road game for DePaul, which started 3-0 for the first time since 2008-09. The Blue Demons haven't beaten Notre Dame since Feb. 20, 2007 at Allstate Arena. The Irish have won 11 straight and 12 of 13 in the series.
Notre Dame busted this one open with a 32-10 run to start the second half. It hit double figures when Pflueger knocked in a corner 3 at the end of the shot clock. It grew to 20 on a Pflueger drive with 12 minutes remaining. The Irish led by 25 following Gibbs' 3-pointer.
DePaul guard Jalen Coleman-Lands' original college decision came down to Illinois and Notre Dame. He chose Illinois after Notre Dame received a commitment from Pflueger and eventually landed at
DePaul. Coleman-Lands stuck a pair of early 3s to help DePaul jump to a 10-5 lead.
This was the second of a two-year contract for the teams to play. It was a return game for DePaul after Notre Dame played the dedication game a year ago in the first game at the Blue Demons' new home, Wintrust Arena. There are no immediate plans for the former independent rivals to renew the series.
Notre Dame's seven-game homestand to start the season ends Tuesday against Illinois in the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. DePaul returns to action Wednesday at home against Cleveland State.
--Field Level Media