Field Level Media
Feb 10, 2018
After losing seven straight Atlantic Coast Conference games, Notre Dame has now won two in a row following a 84-69 victory Saturday at home against Florida State.
Notre Dame (15-10 overall, 5-7 ACC) was coming off a 96-85 win against Boston College earlier this week that snapped the losing streak, and it handled the Seminoles rather easily in this one.
The Fighting Irish got huge games from a trio of guards who scored more than 75 percent of their points. Notre Dame was led by guard Matt Farrell, who dropped a game-high 28 points, dished out five assists and pulled down four rebounds. His 3-pointer with under two minutes left gave the Fighting Irish their biggest lead of the game at 80-60.
Notre Dame also got 19 points each from Rex Pflueger and T.J. Gibbs. Pflueger added six boards and four assists to his stat line.
The loss for Florida State (17-8, 6-7) was its second straight after falling to No. 2 Virginia on Wednesday. The Seminoles also remain winless in three trips all-time to Notre Dame.
Florida State was led by 16 points from guard C.J. Walker, followed by 12 points and five rebounds from forward Phil Cofer. The only other player to reach double figures for the Seminoles was guard PJ Savoy with 11 points. Guard Terance Mann led the team with eight boards.
Notre Dame led 40-34 at halftime and never trailed in the second half.
For the second straight game, Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton was denied his 500th career victory and his 300th at Florida State.
Florida State returns home for its next game Wednesday against No. 16 Clemson. That game will mark the first of two meetings in the final five games of the regular season against the Tigers.
Notre Dame now turns around on short rest Monday and travels to face North Carolina.
Florida State Athletic Director Stan Wilcox, a Notre Dame alum and former basketball player for the Fighting Irish, was honored at halftime as the school celebrated its 1978 NCAA Final Four team.
-- Field Level Media