By PAUL GOTHAM
BROOKLYN — Credit Mike Brey with knowing when to push the right buttons.
The 16th-year University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish coach knew his team needed another ballhandler on the floor to relieve pressure from Demetrius Jackson. Little-used Matt Farrell filled that role as the Irish advanced last weekend to the Sweet Sixteen for the second consecutive season.
“Matt Farrell was such a key for us in both games,” Brey said Sunday after Notre Dame defeated S.F. Austin at the buzzer, 76-75 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament East Region. “We felt it would help Demetrius, and he wouldn’t have to bring it up into the teeth of people all the time.”
That Farrell even saw the court was noteworthy. Consider this: the sophomore guard played a total of 50 minutes during ND’s first 17 Atlantic Coast Conference games this season including a stretch of five games in February where he did not see action. Against Michigan on Friday and S.F. Austin on Sunday, the 6-1 Farrell played a total of 51 minutes.
“We put him in there against NC State,” said Brey recalling Notre Dame’s final regular season game in which Farrell played 15 minutes. “We dusted him off after we lost to Miami and Florida State badly. We wanted to play faster and another handler on the floor.”
Farrell did not play in Notre Dame’s overtime win against Duke in the ACC tournament, but the Bridgewater, New Jersey native scored three points and had three assists in 16 minutes when ND lost to North Carolina.
“Carolina didn’t matter even though I put him in a lot the second half on purpose,” Brey explained. “I figured moving forward he’s going to play again.”
Farrell played 22 minutes and handed out four assists in his first start of the season as the Irish erased a 12-point halftime deficit to defeat Michigan, 70-63 in Notre Dame’s first round win. On Sunday, Farrell delivered eight points and four assists in 31 minutes as the Irish advanced to the regional semi-final for the second straight year.
“There is no question that having Matt Farrell on the floor with Demtrius Jackson was a big help because you needed another ballhandler, today.”
Farrell’s presence proved crucial against a S.F. Austin defense that came into the tournament leading the nation with 18.63 forced turnovers a game.
“That was something we knew we had to handle before going in there,” Farrell said of the Lumberjacks’ defense. “We couldn’t enter into our offense so we just started setting a high screen and they starting helping just trying to make plays and that’s what it came down to. We just started making plays off the dribble creating for each other.”
S.F. Austin converted 13 Notre Dame turnovers in 12 points, but the Irish shot 29-of-51 (56.9 percent) from the floor.
“Playing up and down like that it’s what you dream of, like playing at the park,” Farrell said. “It reminded me of AAU. Playing against teams that are just pressing. It makes you play loose. You get this little vibe going in you.
“They do it at such a high level. If you get it over half court, then they get set in their defense and they pressure you even more. When they’re setting their defense and they’re pressuring, that was the toughest. If we had a look in transition, we wanted to get it. If we were walking the ball up, we wanted to screen right away to get going.”
Notre Dame outscored S.F. Austin 6-0 over the final 2:05 including a tip in by Rex Pflueger at the buzzer to clinch the win.
“I was telling people, my family that we’re coming ‘get ready for a track meet. It’s going to be up and down.’ That’s exactly what it was. That was just a great college game.”
Ironically Farrell was not on the floor for the game winner. Farrell and Pflueger alternated between defensive and offensive possessions for the last few minutes of the game with Pflueger shouldering the responsibilities on defense. But when Zach Auguste secured a defensive rebound with 20 seconds remaining, Brey opted to run with the squad on the floor rather than take a timeout, and the athletic Pflueger proved just the guy for the situation as he tapped in Auguste’s putback attempt.
“If we couldn’t get it to Demetrius within five seconds, I would have called timeout,” Brey explained. “I just wanted it in his hands, flatten it and drive it. He got it up on the board, Z kept it alive. If I would have called timeout, I would out-thought myself and I wouldn’t have had a bouncy guy to tip it in.”
Notre Dame advances to the Sweet Sixteen in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1978-79.
“We’ve got a great mental toughness about us that’s showing itself at the right time,” Brey said. “I love where we’re at as a program. I love the winning culture. The believing we can find a way to advance in this tournament. That was something that we had to develop. I love that we have that trait right now.”
No. 6-seed Notre Dame will meet No. 7-seed Wisconsin on Friday. A 7:27 tip off is scheduled from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
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