Marquette vs Notre Dame: Tale of the Tape

Marquette is set to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Joyce Center on Notre Dame's campus in South Bend on Saturday. The game will be televised nationally on ABC at 2:30 CST and can also be heard in Milwaukee on ESPN radio 1510 in Milwaukee with Steve "The Homer" True and Jim McIlvaine courtside. Here are the key players for the Irish....

The University of Notre Dame

Location: South Bend, IN

Mascot: Fighting Irish

Arena: Joyce Athletic Center  Capacity:11,418

Conference: Big East

2005-2006 Record: 16-14 (6-10), participated in the NIT

2006-2007 Record: 21-6 (9-5)

Series with Marquette: Notre Dame is the most played opponent for Marquette. The two teams have met 107 times with the Irish holding a 75-32 advantage.  Last season Marquette defeated Notre Dame twice.       

Coach: Mike Brey, in his 13^th overall season has a record of 201-108 and in his 7^th year at Notre Dame has a 102-56 record. 

Interesting Fact: Notre Dame has had perhaps the biggest turnaround this year in the Big East, competing for a 2 seed in the Big East Tournament after missing it last season, Notre Dame sophomore forward Luke Zeller beat out Dominic James for Indiana’s  Mr. Basketball in 2005.    

Probable Starters:

#2 Tory Jackson: a 5’10” freshman guard from Saginaw, MI.  Averaging 6.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, and 3.9 apg on 42.1% shooting from the field (64-152) and 20.0% shooting from beyond the arc (9-45).  Shoots only 60.8% from the line.  Tied for the team lead in turnovers with 62, leads the team in assists (106) and steals (50).

#43 Russell Carter: a 6’4” senior guard from the Paulsboro, NJ.  Averaging 17.0 ppg 4.6 rpg, and 2.07 apg on 44.7% shooting from the field (160-358) and 41.4% from beyond the arc (72-174).  Shoots 72.8% from the line, is tied for lead in turnovers (62), is second on the team with 46 steals. 

#15 Colin Falls: a 6’5” senior guard from Park Ridge, IL.  Averaging 14.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, and 2.14 apg on 44.4% shooting from the field (111-250) and 39.1% from beyond the arc (77-197).  Shoots 84.1% from the line.

#44 Luke Harangody: a 6’8” freshman forward from Schererville, IN.  Averaging 10.8 ppg, and 6.0 rpg on 48.0% shooting from the field (110-229) and 0.0% from beyond the arc (0-1).  Is an 80.9% free throw shooter, and has only 32 turnovers on the season.

#31 Rob Kurz: a 6’9” junior forward from Lower Gwynedd, PA.  Averaging 13.2 ppg and 8.3 rpg on 50.3% shooting from the field (98-195) and 44.2% from beyond the arc (19-43).  Is an 80.1% free throw shooter, leads the team in blocked shots with 42. 

Key Reserve:

#33 Zach Hillesland: a 6’9” sophomore forward from Toledo, OH.  Averaging 6.0 ppg and 4.7 rpg on 57.8% shooting from the field (59-102).  Is only a 61.4% free throw shooter (43-70).