NCAA Game Summary - Virginia Tech at Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN (SportsNetwork.com) - Pat Connaughton scored 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish captured a 70-63 win over the Virginia Tech Hokies in an Atlantic Coast Conference clash at Purcell Pavilion.

Also scoring in double figures for the Fighting Irish (11-7, 2-3 ACC) were Demetrius Jackson and Eric Atkins with 13 and 12 points, respectively, as the team snapped a three-game slide.

Losers of four straight and six of the last seven, the Hokies (8-9, 1-4) were paced by Cadarian Raines and Devin Wilson who both tallied 20 points, combining for 10 rebounds while the latter also handed out seven assists in the setback. CJ Barksdale chipped in 12 points for the visitors.

Except for an early one-point lead for the Hokies, the game was pretty much in the control of Notre Dame as the host moved out to a 39-24 advantage at the break. The defense for the Irish held VaTech to only 1-of-5 shooting behind the 3-point line through the first 20 minutes of action.

In the second half the Hokies closed the gap considerably, hitting on an impressive 62.5 percent from the field, but after getting the deficit down to only two points at 53-51 with under 10 minutes to play, the visitors backed off and Notre Dame's lead ballooned to double figures once again.

The Irish made only 5-of-17 shots beyond the arc and 39.3 percent from the floor after intermission, but it was enough to earn the team a much-needed victory.

Virginia Tech finished the evening with 52.1 percent shooting from the floor, but turning the ball over 17 times was too much to overcome.

During halftime, former head coach Digger Phelps was enshrined in Notre Dame's Ring of Honor on the 40th anniversary of the program's epic victory over UCLA (71-70), which snapped the record-setting 88-game win streak by the Bruins.