Jonathan Isaac registered his second double-double in as many games with 23-points and 10-rebounds leading the Seminoles to an 83-80 win over No. 15 Notre Dame.
Notre Dame was riding a seven-game winning streak coming into conference play and the Fighting Irish were seconds away to improving to 6-0 in the conference.
Isaac blocked back-to-back shots in the final five seconds to secure the Florida State victory over conference-best Notre Dame and improve the Seminoles winning streak at home to 15-consective games.
“Jonathan is locked into the game,” FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. “And what we have intentionally done with him is not try to pressure him to force shots or create things. We’re letting him mature at the right pace. His pace I think he’s gaining more confidence.”
The ‘Noles gameplay was much of the same coming into the game against the Irish. Create buckets by out running and out manning the opponent around the perimeter and in the paint, while using the size advantage on defense to force turnovers.
If you look at the turnover aspect of this game, FSU was phenomenal. Notre Dame was averaging just under 10 turnovers a game, they coughed it up 18-times against Florida State on Wednesday night. If we stop it there, most would assume FSU won it convincingly.
It turns out if the Irish did not turn it over, they drained it from behind the arc. Notre Dame reeled in 15 3’s on 21 attempts good for 71 percent. VJ Beachem (14-points) and Steve Vasturia (18-points) were both successful four times from the perimeter while Matt Farrell went 3-4 from deep. Farrell finished the night with 17-points and seven assists.
“I’ve never seen a team shoot 15 of 21 from 3, period,” Hamilton said. “I’ve never witnessed it. It’s hard to shoot 71 percent from 3 if you’re in the gym by yourself and nobody’s guarding you at all. And we gave some pretty good contests. … We had a lot of guys jumping to the moon and it didn’t seem to matter.”
With just under six to play the Irish had it locked back up at 62 after trailing for a majority of the contest. Over the next four minutes of action, the ‘Noles outscored the Irish 13-8 and help a 75-70 advantage with 1:25 on the clock.
In a 53 second span, the Irish outscored the Seminoles 10-8, but the ‘Noles did something they could not do against North Carolina, they made a free throw when the game was on the line which proved to be the difference-maker.
Florida State will stay at home and play their 6th game in a row against a ranked opponent when No. 12 Louisville (15-3, 3-2 ACC) comes into town. That matchup will take place on Saturday, Jan. 21st at 2 P.M.
Notre Dame will also have the luxury of returning home. Syracuse (11-8, 3-3 ACC) will travel to the Purcell Pavilion to take on the Irish at 12 P.M. That game will also be played on Saturday the 21st.
