SOUTH BEND – Eleven quick thoughts as Notre Dame basketball overcame an 11-0 deficit to run its record to 3-0 with a 94-70 victory Monday over Eastern Illinois at Purcell Pavilion …
∎ Braeden Smith, a point guard in every sense. That’s it. That’s the thought. Sees everything. Controls everything. Handles. Scores. Assists. Steals. Leads. Veteran.
∎ All five Irish starters scored double figures led by Logan Duncomb with a season-high 21 points in 20 minutes. They also each played at least 20 minutes. Even as Notre Dame led by as many as 27, this was one of those nights for those five.
∎ Talk about asleep at the switch – Notre Dame stood flat-footed on defense and was awful on offense the first 2:20 as Eastern Illinois made its first three shots, all three 3-pointers from Gavin Welch, and jumped to an 11-0 lead. Notre Dame never trailed in its home opener last week against Mercyhurst. After trailing for the first 4:25, Notre Dame led for the final 35:35.
∎ The Irish have trailed by double digits in two of their first three games – and have won both. Notre Dame trailed Villanova in Rome by 10 with 10:56 left in the second half of a 74-72 win on Nov. 1.
∎ Those first few minutes had a lot of last season’s vibes around the arena. Not sure any of Micah Shrewsberry’s first three times find a way to figure it out the way this one did. At least not as effectively.
∎ How did Notre Dame respond to tumbling into that early double-digit hole? With a 24-0 scoring run, the largest of the Shrewsberry era (three-plus seasons). Notre Dame went from down 11-0 with 17:40 remaining to up 24-11 with 11:48 left. The Irish led by as many as 27 (83-56), which means their run, after being run, topped out at … 83-45.
∎ When senior guard Logan Imes mustered a steal near midcourt and headed down the other way, you figured he’d finish the way he’s often finished during his previous 90 games in an Irish uniform. That would be with a safe and sound layup from the right side. Instead, the 6-foot-4 Imes gathered himself and delivered a two-handed dunk, even hanging on the rim for a little effect. It was his first collegiate dunk.
∎ The Irish lost sophomore center Tommy Ahneman to what looked like a right wrist/hand injury with 7:51 remaining in the first half. Ahneman was fouled going in for a layup and went to brace his fall. He left with the medical staff for the training room and did not return. Ahneman missed last season with a left knee injury. With Ahneman unable to shoot his two free throws, Eastern Illinois was able to choose a shooter. It chose Bryce Ruglass-Dortch, who missed both. Ahneman returned to the court in sweats and a T-shirt and a brace over his right wrist with 3:23 left.
∎ Duncomb has a habit of putting the ball on the floor with at least one dribble when he’s around the basket. He grabbed an offensive rebound early Monday, then wanted to dribble instead of going right back up. Eastern Illinois stole the ball and was off and running to the other end. That habit must be broken before Atlantic Coast Conference play. Duncomb might have been able to do that the last two years at Winthrop in the Big South. Not going to cut it in the ACC.
∎ That interior Irish defense needs some work. Eastern Illinois constantly cut up Notre Dame inside with cuts and extra passes and easy buckets – six of them – in the first half. Not having a rotational big hurt, but the Irish collectively must be better.
∎ A headband fashion statement seems to be spreading within the Irish bench. Last home game was Brady Stevens and Nick Shrewsberry. On Monday, it was Ruglass-Dortch also with the white band. Might be the whole team by league play.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Didn’t see that kind of burst brewing for this Notre Dame basketball team