What you need to know for Notre Dame and Texas A&M Corpus Christi men's basketball
Tom Noie
MEN’S BASKETBALL
► WHO: Texas A&M Corpus Christi (10-2) vs. Notre Dame (5-5)
►WHERE: Purcell Pavilion (9,149)
► WHEN: Wednesday at 1 p.m.
► TICKETS: Available.
► TV: ACC Network.
► RADIO: WSBT (960 AM).
► ONLINE: Follow every Notre Dame game with live updates from Tribune beat writer Tom Noie at twitter.com/tnoieNDI.
► NOTING: Trevian Tennyson scored 19 points with four assists and Isaac Mushila added 14 points and six rebounds for Texas A&M Corpus Christi in a 57-53 home victory Saturday over Lamar. The Islanders shot 34 percent from the field, 30 percent from 3 and 81 percent from the foul line. … The Islanders are 3-2 on the road, but 0-2 against Power Five teams with losses to Texas A&M (86-65) and Minnesota (79-71). They also have a 51-point win over Southwestern University. … Corpus Christi has won nine of its last 10 and has the most current non-league wins (10) in the Southland Conference. …. Texas A&M Corpus Christi returned three starters – the only returning players – off last year’s team that finished 5-19 overall, 2-13 and 13th place in the Southland Conference. … The Islanders were picked this preseason to finish sixth in the now-eight team league. … Corpus Christi added two Division I transfers and five junior college transfers to this season’s squad. … Former Purdue assistant Steve Lutz is in his first season as head coach at Corpus Christi after taking over for Willis Wilson, who retired last season the program’s winningest coach with 143 victories over 10 seasons. … Corpus Christi traveled 1,425 miles one way – which would be a 22-hour drive – to play this non-league basketball game. …. Texas A&M Corpus Christi ranks first in the Southland Conference for assists (16.4), steals (10.4), turnover margin (+6.67) and assist/turnover ratio (1.22), second for scoring offense (79.1 ppg.), scoring defense (68.1 ppg.), scoring margin (+11.0) and field goal percentage (46.6). … This is the first meeting between the teams. … Notre Dame is 7-0 all-time against the Southland Conference. This is its first game against a Southland Conference team since a victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Dec. 21, 2017. … The Irish shoot for consecutive victories for the second time this season and first since opening with wins over Cal State Northridge and High Point. … Notre Dame is coming off a season high 19 assists in Monday’s 33-point victory over Western Michigan, where four scored double figures as the Irish shot 51.8 percent from the field, 45.2 percent from 3. … This game closes out non-conference play at home for Notre Dame, which has one more non-league game – Jan. 17 at Howard. … Notre Dame returns to action – and to ACC play – Dec. 28 at Pittsburgh.
► QUOTING: “They’re important for establishing what we want to do as a team, making sure we stay to that every game no matter who we’re playing against.”
— Notre Dame graduate student power forward Paul Atkinson, Jr., on this Monday-Wednesday swing of non-conference home games.
-Tom Noie
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on Twitter: @tnoieNDI