Observations: Notre Dame blows out Georgia Tech 90-56 in impressive fashion

Well, that was something different.

In an ACC season full of close calls and grind-it-out games, Notre Dame took a break from that identity to deliver a no-doubter.

The Irish beat Georgia Tech 90-56 Saturday, securing a double bye in the ACC tournament. They’re 21-8 overall and 14-4 in conference games, with two left to play. They led Georgia Tech wire to wire and tied their season-high for points in regulation.

“You kind of sit back and enjoy it,” head coach Mike Brey said.

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Notre Dame shot 57.1 percent from the field, which included a 66.7 mark in the first half. The Irish canned 13 of their 23 three-point attempts (56.5 percent) and were led by Dane Goodwin’s 17 points. Blake Wesley added 15.

Georgia Tech (11-18, 4-14) shot 34.4 percent from the field.

Here are three observations from the game.

BOX SCORE

1. Dane Goodwin’s big half

Notre Dame’s surefire All-ACC selection failed to crack double figures for just the second and third time this year in the Irish’s last two games. Wake Forest didn’t let him breathe in a Feb. 19 loss. Shots simply didn’t fall in Wednesday’s win over Syracuse.

Goodwin not only put an end to it, but kick-started Notre Dame’s best offensive performance of the conference season. He drew a foul on a drive and made two free throws on the game’s first possession. His layup two trips later gave Notre Dame a 4-0 lead. All told, he scored nine of the Irish’s first 11 points and hung 17 in the first half. His two three-pointers in 12 seconds were part of a 12-2 first-half run that turned the game into a rout.

Goodwin did not score in the second half, but his immediate urgency and aggressiveness was the important takeaway. His teammates kept the onslaught coming. Four Notre Dame players reached double figures. Eight of Prentiss Hubb’s 13 points came in the second half.

“They had all their guns blazing tonight,” Georgia Tech forward Jordan Usher said.

2. A welcomed blowout and pushing the pace

If nothing else, this dusting is a boost for the computer numbers. Sure enough, it triggered a nine-spot jump up the KenPom rankings. But there’s much more value in delivering a mighty haymaker than boosting a few metrics. Especially for a group used to whitening its fans’ knuckles.

For all the talk of Notre Dame’s improved defense – and it’s warranted – Saturday was a reminder the Irish still have an explosive gear in them. They always have four shooters on the floor, and sometimes five. When they’re all drilling threes, they can demoralize a defense. They averaged a season-high 1.34 points per possession, per KenPom.

The aggressiveness after Georgia Tech missed shots was a newer wrinkle. Notre Dame is 268^th in tempo and content to play games with possession totals in the low 60s. Saturday, though, Brey urged his players to push the pace after a miss. He didn’t need to tell Wesley twice. The freshman guard is an open-floor dynamo who seeks transition opportunities as a passer and scorer.

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He started the 12-2 run with a steal that led to a Goodwin three-pointer. He pulled down a defensive rebound and fired an outlet pass some 50 feet to Goodwin, who downed another three two seconds after the rebound hit Wesley’s hands. Wesley weaved through traffic from the wing to the basket – about 80 feet – for a layup five seconds after Nate Laszewski passed to him following a rebound.

Earlier, Wesley ripped a pass from the shamrock logo inside half court to Paul Atkinson Jr. at the basket in transition. It would have counted as an assist if Atkinson didn’t miss a layup he usually makes.

3. More crisp zone offense

Notre Dame’s slicing of Syracuse’s zone served as a dare.

Go ahead, Georgia Tech, play your zone at your own risk. That was the Yellow Jackets’ game plan when these two teams met in Atlanta Jan. 8. They have used it on nearly 40 percent of defensive possessions, per Synergy Sports.

The Yellow Jackets opened in man defense but switched to zone shortly after. Notre Dame was once again surgical. The Irish had 21 assists on their 32 field goals. They totaled 40 assists against 17 turnovers in two games this week against zone-heavy teams. The Irish forced Georgia Tech to eventually abandon the zone.

That’s what a veteran team should do against zones. Notre Dame was patient and rarely rushed in running its offense. It wasn’t scripted. This week showcased a cohesive team whose members have clear feel for each other’s games. It shows up in the assist rate, the quality of shots generated, the low turnover number, the willingness to pass up a good shot for a better one and the overall decision-making.