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SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Luke Harangody hit a pair of free throws with 4 seconds left to finish with 19 points and Tory Jackson scored nine of his 18 points in the final 5:40, driving inside repeatedly, to lead Notre Dame to a 65-62 victory over South Florida.

Jarrid Famous had a chance to tie it with a free throw with 8.3 seconds left after he scored on a dunk, but missed. After Harangody's free throws, Dominique Jones missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Bulls (15-8, 5-6 Big East) saw their league winning streak end at four games.

The Irish (17-7, 6-5) led by 15 in the first half, but by halftime the Bulls tied the game at 34.

Jackson drove inside to tie the game at 60, then his three-point play with 61 seconds left gave the Irish the lead.

Chris Howard led the Bulls with 23 points.

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Skylar Diggins had 23 points and 10 rebounds, both season highs, and Lindsay Schrader added 18 points to beat Pittsburgh 86-76.

Diggins was 9-of-11 from the free-throw line and the Fighting Irish (21-1, 8-1 Big East) were 21-of-29. Pittsburgh (12-10, 1-8) was 9-of-15 and coach Agnus Bernato was complaining throughout the game about the lopsided calls.

After the Irish went on a 14-2 run in the first half to open a 13-point lead, the Panthers gradually cut the deficit to four late in the first half. But the Irish led 45-37 at halftime, then used a 10-2 run early in the second half take a 48-45 lead.

Notre Dame extended the lead to 81-62 when Ashley Barlow hit a 3 as the shot clock sounded with 5:13 left. Pitt used a 14-3 run to cut the lead to 84-76 on a jumper by Jania Sims, but couldn't get any closer.

Notre Dame crushes Cincinnati 83-65

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By Teddy Greenstein

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Brian Kelly's past met his present Thursday night, and Notre Dame's new football coach sat courtside to witness it.

Wearing a navy blazer and with a giant credential draped around his neck - perhaps in case a Charlie Weis sympathizer came disguised as a Purcell Pavilion security guard - Kelly watched as the Irish broke out to a 15-6 lead against Cincinnati and held on for a convincing 83-65 victory.

Luke Harangody led the Irish with a season-high 37 points, three off his career high and nearly 13 more than his average of 24.2, which is third in the nation. He made 15 of 25 from the field. Tim Abromaitis added 22.
By Teddy Greenstein

SOUTH BEND, IND. -- Notre Dame doesn't look at all like the team that lost four of its last five games.

In other words, the Irish look outstanding. They concluded a strong first half with a terrific play at the buzzer: Ben Hansbrough drove toward the free throw line and attracted two Cincinnati defenders. Then he fed Luke Harangody for a reverse layup.

That accounted for the final points in the half, which ended with Notre Dame leading, 40-27.
By Teddy Greenstein

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The formula for an NCAA tournament bid, as laid out by Notre Dame coach Mike Brey on Tuesday, was this: "Hold our serve at home and then pick off a few on the road. That's the reality of life in this league and most major conferences."

Brey figures that a 9-9 mark in the Big East will get his team "in the discussion" for a tournament bid.

If that's the case -- and it surely is -- then Notre Dame must beat Cincinnati tonight in a game that tips in about five minutes and can be seen on ESPN.
By Brian Hamilton

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- First, Brian Kelly put out the welcome mat for recruits on Wednesday. Then the Notre Dame coach put out some welcome news on the status of presumptive starting quarterback Dayne Crist and his recovery from an ACL tear.

Though Crist won't be involved in any contact drills during spring practice, Kelly expects that to be the only limitation. Crist injured his knee last Oct. 31 against Washington State.

"I think he's well ahead (of schedule)," Kelly said after his Signing Day press conference. "My goal right now -- and I don't think I'm putting (trainer) Jim Russ in jeopardy at all -- I think he's going to be able to partake in virtually everything but contact.

"Nobody will get in his ZIP code. But you're going to see a lot of him in the spring."

The rest of the Irish injury news was positive, save for two notable exceptions.
By Brian Hamilton

There are head-spinning vagaries and restrictions on what Brian Kelly can and cannot say about Michael Floyd and whatever discipline he incurred after a hearing with Notre Dame's Office of Residence Life.

But it seems pretty clear that the Irish's star receiver won't be missing any game time in 2010 -- at least not because of a citation for underage drinking in Minneapolis on Jan. 8 that followed what police reports called a "physical altercation" at a house party.

"It's been adjudicated, I can tell you that for sure," Kelly said after his Signing Day press conference Wednesday. "He's informed me as to what (the discipline) is... It's been adjudicated, he's working out with our team today. We're moving forward."
briankellyrecruits.JPGBy Brian Hamilton

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Confident as he may be in his staff's player-development abilities, Brian Kelly was emphatic that no one gets a Notre Dame scholarship offer unless he can help Notre Dame win. So the Irish's 2010 recruiting haul, in his mind, doesn't merely caulk a gap.

But Kelly may have come as close to being honest as a coach gets on Signing Day when he intimated that this group is not the be-all, end-all for Bowl Championship Series berths -- that the dynamics will shift significantly for 2011 and beyond.

"It's a good start for us," Kelly said Wednesday. "I think you'll see a growth in the recruiting process for us next year."

Photo: Brian Kelly discusses Notre Dame's recruiting class Wednesday. (Joe Raymond/AP)
By Brian Hamilton

Notre Dame was reminded today that "aloha" indeed means goodbye and hello.

Of the two Hawaii prospects targeted by the Irish -- and who made official visits just last weekend -- safety Jeremy Ioane reportedly signed with Boise State while defensive lineman Kona Schwenke inked with the Irish.

Ioane, a three-star safety prospect opted to join the Broncos, according to a report in the Honolulu Advertiser. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound safety attended the same high school as Te'o but was not viewed necessarily as an immediate impact performer. Still, he was a hard-hitter that the Irish clearly coveted enough to make that 11th-hour effort.

Schwenke, meanwhile, officially signed with Notre Dame as of 11:37 a.m. CT, according to the school. The 6-foot-4, 227-pounder is a three-star prospect, according to Rivals.com, but may require some time in the weight room before he's a contributor along the Irish line.
By Brian Hamilton

The wait for the sun to come up and the day to begin in California delayed the final expected signing in Notre Dame's 2010 recruiting class. When dawn breaks in Hawaii, there may be more to come.

Running back Cameron Roberson of Newbury Park, Calif., officially signed with the Irish within the hour, meaning Brian Kelly and his new staff have inked all the players expected to jump aboard on this Signing Day -- while also adding a big boost with top 100 offensive tackle Matt James.

There remains, however, a handful of undecided commitments with whom Notre Dame is intensely involved. And the Irish now look across a continent and an ocean to see how the next dominoes fall, as two prospects from Hawaii -- safety Jeremy Iaone and defensive lineman Kona Schwenke -- could be making their decisions shortly.
By Brian Hamilton

Notre Dame continues to ride the inevitable swells of Signing Day, welcoming the letter of intent from linebacker Justin Utopo and watching as a potential last-minute surprise, elite linebacker Christian Jones, decided to ink with Florida State as expected.

As it stands after the Utopo signing became official, the Irish recruiting class numbers 16 players, though pledges from as far away as Hawaii still could be in the offing.

"We're really trying to add some more athletes to this class," Irish coach Brian Kelly said. "There are a couple really special ones out there, and hopefully we'll hear something pretty soon."
By Brian Hamilton

Brian Kelly and Notre Dame have received their first seismic boost on Signing Day.

Matt James, a mammoth 6-foot-8, 290-pound offensive lineman ranked as a top 100 national prospect by Rivals.com, has signed with the Irish. James' official letter of intent arrived at 8:43 a.m. CT on Wednesday, according to the school.

"This was one of those we felt like we really needed," Irish coach Brian Kelly said after James signed. "The offensive line is a position that clearly needed some strengthening. Matt James is a guy that can come in and physically compete right away. A real good get late in this process."
By Brian Hamilton

Notre Dame's first signed letter of intent rolled in shortly after 6 a.m. ET, and they keep on coming -- with no major surprises thus far.

It's National Signing Day, and according to Notre Dame, these recruits officially are in the fold as of 7:30 a.m. CT: defensive lineman Bruce Heggie, quarterback Luke Massa, offensive lineman Tate Nichols, athlete Derek Roback, receiver Austin Collinsworth, linebacker Prince Shembo, quarterback Andrew Hendrix, tight end Alex Welch and linebacker Prince Shembo.

One of the more important letters of intent arrived at roughly 7:18 a.m. CT -- that of defensive lineman Louis Nix, who fills a huge need for the Irish.

"The early returns are in and we're pulling our base," Irish coach Brian Kelly said in a statement. "The Cincinnati-area guys -- Luke Massa, Tate Nichols, Andrew Hendrix, Austin Collinsworth, Alex Welch. Now we're starting to get some of the other guys from other areas, like Prince Shembo. I think we've done well early in the process with guys we think we can contribute to what we're going to be doing."
The South Bend Tribune reports: Danny Spond's decision to reverse his commitment to Colorado in favor of Notre Dame isn't surprising, considering he has been a lifelong Irish fan.

"Playing for Notre Dame has been a dream of mine since I can remember," said Spond, a four-star recruit who could play several positions in college. "Not only is it a blessing, but it's definitely an honor to play for them. Just the tradition and prestige that Notre Dame carries."

Spond, who was recruited by Charlie Weis' staff, also is a big fan of new coach Brian Kelly.

"I love what Coach Kelly is all about," Spond said. "I love the coaching staff that he's brought in. The type of guys that are at the university are exactly what I am looking for and want to see myself around."

Get the full story: SouthBendTribune.com
mikebrey-ap.JPGBy Teddy Greenstein

Mike Brey has a magic number in mind: nine.

Notre Dame's coach figures that if his team can get to 9-9 in the Big East, rated by most as the nation's top conference, it will have a strong case for an NCAA tournament bid.

"We've told (the players): 'If you're 9-9, worst-case scenario, you're in the discussion,'" Brey said Tuesday. "I think they need to have the information. Too many people talk about what you need - family, friends, web sites. I just wanted to give them the real deal.

"But it will also come down to: Who do you beat? In that 9-9, what are the good (victories) more than the bad losses? Certainly, we had a nice one against West Virginia. But you're going to need more than that."

Photo: Mike Brey says Notre Dame's goal is nine Big East wins. (AP)
By Brad Biggs

Three players from Northwestern and three from Illinois have been invited to the National Invitational Camp -- better known as the NFL scouting combine, which begins Feb. 24 in Indianapolis.

Notre Dame had five players get invites to the event that will draw more than 300 players from across the nation for scrutiny by general managers, coaches, scouts and most importantly medical personnel from the 32 NFL teams.

Notre Dame women hold off Rutgers

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Tribune News Services

Skylar Diggins scored 14 points and Becca Bruszewski added 13 to help No. 3 Notre Dame beat Rutgers 75-63 on Monday night in Piscataway, N.J.

Melissa Lechlitner added 12 points for Notre Dame (20-1, 7-1 Big East), which beat Rutgers for the first time since 2005.

Khadijah Rushdan scored 16 points and Myia McCurdy matched her career high with 14 -- all in the second half -- for Rutgers (12-9, 4-4), which has lost three straight games.

Despite winning their last five games, the Irish have been inconsistent since losing their only game of the season to No. 1 Connecticut on Jan. 16. Notre Dame trailed by double digits against Louisville and West Virginia, and blew a 15-point lead against Syracuse before rallying for the late win.

By Brian Hamilton

Notre Dame's last-minute recruiting pitch has netted a fourth buyer. Danny Spond, a four-star athlete from Littleton, Colo., became the fourth player to make an oral commitment to the Irish after visiting this past weekend, according to multiple reports.

The 6-foot-3, 232-pound Spond apparently could fit into Brian Kelly's system in any number of spots, judging by his itinerary over the weekend in South Bend.

"While I was in the defensive meeting the defensive coordinator told me that the quarterbacks coach wanted to meet with me afterward," Spond told Irish Illustrated. "On defense I'd probably be a (hybrid safety/linebacker) in the 3-4 style of defense. I really liked that position a lot. The defense they run is a lot of what we did in high school, which is kind of a cool thing for me just in the transition.
kelly1212.jpgBy Brian Hamilton

In an effort to bolster the depth of the class itself and the roster in general, Notre Dame hosted a number of recruits this weekend in hopes of garnering last-minute commitments. And, so far, it's paid off.

According to multiple reports, three players who visited this weekend made oral commitments to the Irish and new coach Brian Kelly, just days before national Signing Day: Quarterback Luke Massa, athlete Derek Roback and defensive end Bruce Heggie.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 205-pound Massa previously had been recruited by Kelly at Cincinnati and was committed to the Bearcats, but switched allegiances after the visit.

"I picked ND because I believe in coach Kelly and his whole staff," Massa told Irish Illustrated.

Notre Dame loses to Rutgers 74-73

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Tribune News Services

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Mike Rosario scored 24 points and Hamady Ndiaye blocked two shots by Luke Harangody in the final minute as Rutgers ended a nine-game losing streak with a 74-73 victory over Notre Dame.

James Beatty hit three free throws in the final 31.1 seconds as the Scarlet Knights (10-11, 1-8) became the last Big East team to win a game in the conference this season.

Dane Miller and Jonathan Mitchell added 12 points apiece and Beatty and Ndiaye had 10. Ndiaye had all six of his blocks in the second half.

Harangody had 19 points on a dreadful 8 of 26 shooting to lead Notre Dame (15-7, 4-5). Ben Hansbrough added 18, including two 3-pointers in the final 3 seconds and Tim Abromaitis had 17 as the Irish lost for the fourth time in five games.

Late 3 saves No. 3 Notre Dame women

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Tribune News Services

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Ashley Barlow swished a 3-pointer with 34.2 seconds left, and No. 3 Notre Dame held off Syracuse 74-73.

After the Irish's Lindsay Schrader missed the front end of a 1-and-1, a held ball gave Syracuse a final possession with less than a second left. Tasha Harris' inbounds pass to Kayla Alexander in the lane was deflected away and the Irish escaped with a win.

Juanita Ward's three-point play had given the Orange a 73-71 lead, but Barlow got open on the wing and saved Notre Dame (19-1, 6-1 Big East), which has beaten Syracuse (16-5, 3-5) 22 times in 23 meetings.

Freshman guard Skylar Diggins matched her season high with 21 points, Barlow had a season-high 19 points, and Brittany Mallory 11.

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Is Notre Dame ready for the RAC?

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rutgrers.jpg

The South Bend Tribune reports: Is Notre Dame ready for the "RAC" -- the Louis Brown Athletic Center, home of Rutgers?

"It's the RAC; they're all on you, right on top of you," said Irish senior guard Tory Jackson. "(Ben Hansbrough's) got to put (the Villanova) game behind him, 'cause they're even worse over there."

The Irish will end a two-game league road swing on Saturday.

Get the full story at southbendtribune.com.

Photo: Rutgers players with coach Fred Hill. (Chuck Myers / MCT)

The Boston Globe reports: Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Corwin Brown has found a new home at last, hired by the New England Patriots as a defensive assistant.

Brown was drafted by the Patriots in 1993 and served as the New York Jets' defensive backs coach from 2004 to 2006. Brown was the Irish's defensive coordinator in 2007 and 2008 before ceding play-calling duties to Jon Tenuta in the fateful 2009 season.

Read more at Boston.com.

By Brian Hamilton

A roller-coaster recruiting season continues for Notre Dame's new staff, as another player has switched allegiances less than a week before Signing Day.

This time it was running back Giovanni Bernard from national powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel is among several outlets reporting the move, in which Bernard switched commitments from the Irish to North Carolina.

While the change of heart was anticipated somewhat given Bernard's recent visit to Chapel Hill, it does rob the Irish of a player Rivals.com rates as a four-star prospect. He finished his high school career with 2,603 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns despite an injury-hampered senior season.

ESPN takes a look at Notre Dame's football recruits:

The South Bend Tribune reports: Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly, who had just one quarterback on scholarship when he was hired last month, could bring in five in his first recruiting class, although two probably will play other positions.

Lake Forest's Tommy Rees already has enrolled. Andrew Hendrix and Luke Massa -- who has yet to commit -- would join Rees as the certain QBs. The other two, Danny Spond and Derek Roback, are high school quarterbacks who could switch positions, according to recruiting analyst Tom Lemming.

"You know what, bring in athletes," Lemming said. "I say the more the merrier when it comes to athletes."

Get the full story: SouthBendTribune.com
notredamevillanova.jpg

Tribune News Services

PHILADELPHIA -- Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher each scored 17 points to help No. 3 Villanova get off to the best start in history -- a season after advancing to the Final Four -- with a 90-72 win over Notre Dame.

The Wildcats are 19-1 for the first time and are the only Big East team unbeaten in conference play (8-0). Reaching the program's first Final Four in 24 years was only a start for coach Jay Wright's program.

Reynolds and Notre Dame's Luke Harangody were each expected to state their cases for Big East player of the year. Harangody delivered on his end for the Irish (15-6, 4-4) with 21 points and nine rebounds in 37 minutes.

Harangody played hard until the end and kept alive Notre Dame's early bid for its first win over a top-10 team on the road since 2001.

Photo: Villanova's Corey Fisher drives between Luke Harangody and Carleton Scott. (Ron Cortes / MCT)

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Starting this year, the Paul Hornung Award will honor the nation's most versatile college football player.

The Louisville Sports Commission announced Wednesday the creation of the new award, named after the 1956 Heisman Trophy winner from Notre Dame.

Hornung played quarterback, defensive back and kicked for the Fighting Irish. During his Heisman-winning senior season he led Notre Dame in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, punting, field goals and points after touchdowns.

He went on to a Hall of Fame career as a running back with the Green Bay Packers.

The winner will be picked by a selection committee of 12-16 former players and media members, including former New York Giants quarterback and current CBS analyst Phil Simms.

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By Brian Hamilton

The imminent off-site home games for Notre Dame could be taking shape. Notre Dame and Maryland are close to a deal to meet at FedEx Field in 2011, a source confirmed to the Tribune on Tuesday, though nothing is yet finalized.

If that matchup indeed is consummated, the location would not be a surprise. The Washington, D.C., area and Chicago remain the leading candidates to host Notre Dame's annual traveling home game in 2011 and 2012.

Should the Irish-Terrapins game come off for '11, then Soldier Field very well could be hosting Notre Dame some time the following season.

InsideMDSports.com first reported the potential Notre Dame-Maryland matchup. FedEx Field -- located in Landover, Md. -- is the 91,000-plus seat home of the Washington Redskins.

Notre Dame loses a football recruit

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The South Bend Tribune reports: Blake Lueders, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end prospect from Zionsville, Ind., has changed his commitment from Notre Dame to Stanford, his father Dan verified.

Lueders had been committed to the Irish since June. The loss leaves the Irish with 18 players for the recruiting class of 2010.

Tom Lemming, CBS recruiting analyst, called the loss a "major blow" for the Irish.

Get the full story at southbendtribune.com.

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Tribune News Services

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- No. 16 West Virginia could contain fourth-ranked Notre Dame and Lindsay Schrader only for a half.

After being held without a shot in the first half, Schrader went 6 for 8 from the floor in the second half and scored eight of her 16 points during a decisive run as the Fighting Irish (17-1, 4-1) rallied for a 74-66 victory.

Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said the Irish usually turn to Schrader when they need a key basket.

"Everybody on our team knows when we're not scoring we're going to try to find Lindsay," McGraw said. "Not to the exclusion of anybody else, but that's going to be a look we want because she has so many mismatches. They had guards trying to guard her down there and we needed to take advantage of that."

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