A Ryan Ayers three-pointer plunged in, cutting Ohio State’s lead to three points early in the second half Saturday, and Notre Dame coach Mike Brey asked for a timeout.
Generally, it is inauspicious for players’ eardrums when a coach stops action that early, after a made basket, with the game nowhere near out of hand. This was no exception.
An intensely animated Brey assailed his team during the break. This wasn’t colorful language. This was the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat of rants. The problem was the No. 7 Irish carved a rut long before that and ultimately left as 67-62 losers in an effort that could resonate all the way to March.
“Tonight,” Irish guard Kyle McAlarney said after the afternoon affair, “it wasn’t there.”
On many levels.
If Notre Dame (6-2) has aspirations of returning to Lucas Oil Stadium or any NCAA tournament regional site, it must be more consistent in rough-and-tumble games and more resilient when its offensive flow gets clogged.
Ohio State’s extended, active zone created a slog that the Irish never escaped. They recorded season lows for points and shooting percentage (38.1 percent). McAlarney, averaging 32.7 points in his previous three games, scored just six and went 0-for-6 from three-point range.
About the only guy with any verve was the guy bedridden with pneumonia not long ago. Luke Harangody had a double-double in the first 16 minutes and finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds, but he didn’t have much company.
“Coach talked to me [Friday] after practice, and I just said I was good to go,” Harangody said. “Once I got out there, it was easy to forget about everything else.”
Meanwhile, former St. Joseph star Evan Turner nudged his way to center stage, scoring 20 of his career-high 28 points after halftime and making multiple critical plays for Ohio State (5-0).
The most significant: With the Buckeyes on a five-minute field goal dry spell and the Irish trailing by two, Turner drained a jumper with 1:26 left to help stifle the rally.
“The tougher team wins the game,” Turner said. “We were fortunate enough to somewhat out-tough them in certain areas.”
“Somewhat” is generous. The Buckeyes outrebounded the Irish 43-36, outscored them in the paint 30-24 and amassed 10 second-chance points in the second half.
The good news: Notre Dame can redeem itself. Games like Saturday’s will come around during the torturous Big East Conference schedule. That also happens to be the bad news.
“If we’re not in a shootout, if it’s not in the 80s, can we grind it out?” Brey said. “That’s the test.”
*In the doubleheader’s opener, No. 5 Gonzaga beat Indiana 70-54. Gonzaga pulled away, using a 10-2 run out of halftime to create a 13-point lead that held up from there.
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bchamilton@tribune.com
All Irish all the time: Follow Notre Dame with Brian Hamilton on his blog Around the Bend at chicagotribune.com/notredame
