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College basketball

Bulls Fall Short to Notre Dame in Thrilling Finish

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Tampa - The University of South Florida basketball team put on a valiant effort against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Tuesday night, but ultimately came up short in a heart-stopping 74-73 loss. Despite a season-high performance from Dominique Jones, who scored 26 points and dished out five assists, the Bulls were unable to contain Notre Dame's Luke Harangody, who accounted for 49 percent of the Irish's scoring with 36 points and six rebounds. Harangody's late free throw with 1.9 seconds remaining sealed the win for Notre Dame, which improved to 13-3, 2-1 in the conference.

Key Takeaways:

  • Luke Harangody was a one-man show for Notre Dame, scoring 36 points and grabbing six rebounds in the 74-73 win over USF.
  • Harangody's performance marked the third time this season he has reached the 30-point plateau, and he has now scored over 20 points in 10 of 16 games this season.
  • Dominique Jones led the Bulls with 26 points and five assists, while Mike Mercer chipped in with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals, including the game-tying tip-in with 25 seconds remaining.
  • The Bulls shot a blistering 52.9 percent from the floor, but were unable to contain Harangody, who shot 12-for-22 from the field.
  • USF's Toarlyn Fitzpatrick and Jarrid Famous also reached double figures, with 13 and 14 points, respectively.
  • Notre Dame coach Mike Brey praised Harangody's clutch performance, saying, "He made a heck of a play and drew a foul. You're going to win or lose a game with your best player having his hands on the ball."
  • USF coach Stan Heath acknowledged the difficulty in containing Harangody, saying, "We wanted Luke to make a play, and he did. He made a heck of a play and drew a foul. You're going to win or lose a game with your best player having his hands on the ball."

Statistics:

  • Luke Harangody scored 36 points, including 4-for-5 from 3-point range, and grabbed six rebounds in the win.
  • Dominique Jones scored 26 points and had five assists for the Bulls.
  • The Bulls shot 52.9 percent from the field, while Notre Dame shot 43.6 percent.
  • The game came down to the wire, with the Irish winning 74-73.
  • The Bulls had a season-high 5,107 fans in attendance at the Sun Dome.

Sources:

  • "Bulls fall short vs. Irish Harangody's late free throw lifts Notre Dame past USF, 74-73." By GREGG BECNEL, Tribune correspondent, January 06, 2010.

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