'Cats Edged by Notre Dame in Legends Classic Title Game

11/22/2016 7:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Highlights Box Score (PDF)Players Postgame

Law and Lindsey named to all-tournament team

BROOKLYN — Northwestern overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half, but it was not enough as Notre Dame hung on to win the Legends Classic title, 70-66, Tuesday night at the Barclays Center.

Scottie Lindsey led the Wildcats with 18 points, while Vic Law chipped in 14 and Nathan Taphorn had a season-high 12.

Notre Dame had four players score in double figures, led by Matt Farrell and Steve Vasturia, who each recorded 18 points. Bonzie Colson and V.J. Beachem tallied 13 and 11, respectively, to help the Fighting Irish improve to 5-0.

Northwestern (3-2) shot 44.4-percent (24-54) in the effort and season-high 57.9-percent from behind the arc. All 12 of Taphorn's points came from behind the 3-point line.

Dererk Pardon collected a career-high six blocks in the contest.

After Notre Dame built a 9-6 lead to start the game, Lindsey scored eight consecutive points to put the #B1GCats in front, 14-12, at the 14:15 mark of the first half.

Notre Dame countered with an 8-0 run to take the lead and the Fighting Irish held that lead until 6:43 of the second half.

Law chipped in nine points in the first half to pair with Lindsey's 11 to keep the Wildcats within two-possessions at the break, 40-34.

The game of runs continued in the second half as the Fighting Irish started the period with an 8-2 run and eventually built a 50-40 lead. With 13:22 to play in the second half and the Wildcats trailing, 53-48, Law hit one of his two 3-pointers to jumpstart a 9-2 run and bring Northwestern within a point, 55-54.

Freshman Isiah Brown hit a pair of free throws to tie the game, 58-58, with just over seven minutes to play in the contest. Taphorn and Bryant McIntosh then connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to give Northwestern it's largest lead of the game, 64-58, at the 6:17 mark.

Seven straight points by Notre Dame gave the Fighting Irish a one-point lead, but a basket by McIntosh put the Wildcats back up by one. However, a three-point play by Matt Farrell and then two free throws by Farrell following a Northwestern miss on the other end sealed the win for the Fighting Irish.

Northwestern will return to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday, Nov. 25, for a 1 p.m. CT game against Bryant. Friday's game is Northwestern's 'Take a Kid to the Game' day, where two kids (8^th grade and under) get in free with one full-priced adult ticket - season tickets count as a full-priced ticket.

Northwestern Notes vs. Notre Dame
Nov. 22, 2016
• This was the 89^th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are the Wildcats' most often played nonconference opponent.
• Despite the rich history between the teams, this was only the second meetings between the schools on the hardwood since 1984.
• After scoring 13 first-half points against Texas on Monday, Scottie Lindsey tallied 11 points in the opening half against Notre Dame. He has scored in double figures in the first half in three of NU's five games this season.
• Vic Law entered the game shooting 75.0 percent (12-16) from 3-point range this season. He connected on two of four attempts from beyond the arch in Tuesday's contest and is now 14 for 20 on the season.
• Nathan Taphorn hit a career-high four 3-pointers in the contest. Taphorn connected on each of his first four attempts from beyond the arch and tallied a season-high 12 points.
• Dererk Pardon blocked a career-best 6 shots on Tuesday. It topped his previous high of 5 blocks against Eastern Washington on Nov. 14. The 6 blocks rank as a tie for the fifth most in a game in Northwestern history and are the most by a Wildcat since Alex Olah blocked 6 shots vs. New Orleans on Nov. 28, 2015.
• Northwestern tied a season high with 11 3-pointers in the game. The Wildcats also hit 11 triples in their season-opener against Mississippi Valley State Nov. 11. NU has hit 10 or more 3-pointers in three of its first five games this season.