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42.1 sec left, 2nd half - Hoyas up 21 and they will win this one. Austin Freeman has 16 pts now..he's had a strong 2nd half--just like the rest of the team. A strong, all-around performance. As Bob and Mike said before the game, the Hibbert vs. Harangody would be good...and it was. 84-63

2:11 left, 2nd half - Hibbert is just 2 points off his season high of 23...He's been great. Both offensively around the basket, but also via the assist and his screens, etc...Jessie Sapp just hit a 3... 77-58 Hoyas...Hibbert just checked out.

3:59 left, 2nd half - Some people starting to file out...the Hoyas have definitely dominated this game and stifled the Irish efforts of a comeback. 68-49 Hoyas...

5:00 left, 2nd half - Another one for the highlight reels...great no-look pass from Hibbert in the lane to Jessie Sapp, he missed the 2...but was fouled. Pretty sick.

7:25 left, 2nd half - Patrick Ewing Jr just tried his Hibbert impersonation..but he missed the 3 by about 5 feet. Now Ewing is chewing out one of the hapless Irish players... 61-40 Hoyas

8:30 left, 2nd half - Vernon Macklin is going to be good. I have mentioned this before on the blogs...He has an incredible body for hoops...long arms, huge ups and good hands...He just had a great move inside for 2. Reminds this author of Hakim Warrick. 61-38 Hoyas

9:30 left, 2nd half - Notre Dame is going to the full court press to try and generate turnovers and get back in the game...Gtown is breaking it easy..and finally hitting 3's..Austin Freeman just buried one...then in transition, he had an uncontested layup...they are up 21 now... 57-36

11:38 left, 2nd half - Some stats for you...HIBBERT - 17 pts (5-10 FG), 3 rebounds...SUMMERS 15 pts (5-10 FG), 9 rebounds.

12:09 left, 2nd half - Notre Dame coach Mike Brey just got T'd up...he was arguing what was Harangody's 4th foul...pretty obviously a foul...don't know what Brey is so upset about (maybe its that his team is down 18).

12:30 left, 2nd half - Irish seem to be making an effort to tighten the gap...they are playing good defense and seem to be shutting down everyone but Hibbert. Hibbert just got fouled by Harangody...again (3rd personal)...Hibbert hit both...50-34 Hoyas

17:18 left, 2nd half - Freeman just hit a nice 3...and the fans are all over Harangody. Then...it happened. The sick play you will see on SportsCenter...a great screen by the Hoyas, Hibbert gets ball in the paint, spins and posterizes the defense with 2 and the harm...sick. 48-27 Hoyas..Hibbert has 15

18:50 left, 2nd half - 41-17 Hoyas...a technical issue w/ the refs...all is good.

HALFTIME - Hibbert had the ball around the 3-pt line..fans were chanting "shoot!!!!" Funny after his big 3 vs. UConn...then Austin Freeman nailed a jumper inside. Summers then gets fouled, and hits 2...38-25 Hoyas...

1:45 left, 1st half - Kyle McAlarney just nailed a 3...Then Jessie Sapp hit one for the Hoyas...2 for 12 or something now...Then Tory Jackson answered with another 3 for the Irish. They can shoot the long ball. The Irish are 5-14 from distance. 34-25 Hoyas

3:03 left, 1st half - Washington Capitals captain Chris Clark (he's injured right now) is here in attendance. Wonder how he got a ticket? Hibbert just checked back in...31-19 Hoyas (2 FT for the Irish)

3:56 left, 1st half: From inside the arc, the Hoyas are 10-14 ...from outside 1-9. Wow. 2 more inside for Vernon Macklin (Hibbert is taking a breather). 31-17 Hoyas

6:41 left, 1st half FINALLY!!! The Hoyas hit a 3! Austin Freeman breaks the drought. 1-for-9 now I believe (unofficially)...Then Jessie Sapp made a ridiculously athletic play in transition, 29-17 Hoyas..Next defensive possession? Hibbert: a block and a rebound. He's playing like an All-American.

7:12 left, 1st half - Hibbert's stats: 13 pts (4-6 FG), 5-6 FT, 2 rebounds. Hoyas missed another 3...0-8 now from distance...Summers got a strong rebound and put it back for 2 and the foul...he missed from the line though. 24-17 Hoyas

8:09 left, 1st half - Dont they know I can't type that fast? Hibbert just hit a very, very nice hook in the lane. Probably his nicest basket. 22-17 Hoyas...Hibbert is filling up the stat sheet...he's got 13 pts.

8:35 left, 1st half - Sophomore Jonathan Peoples (career 38.1 pct 3-pt shooter) just nailed a 3 to give ND their first lead, Roy just answered inside for Gtown...Then they went back inside to Hibbert on the next possession and he was fouled...Hibbert hits 2 (he's now 5-6 from the stripe) 20-17 Hoyas...

10:00 left, 1st half - Hibbert just went up for a huge dunk and got rejected by the rim and managed to get tackled int he process...he's at the line now shooting two...Hibbert hit 1 of 2...16-14 Hoyas

11:19 left, 1st half - Remember that kid Luke Zeller I was dissing who is their tallest player (6'10")? He just nailed a jumper...and the Hoyas missed another 3...0-for-5 now I think...Hibbert checks back in the game, they give him the ball, he scores. Then, guess who (Zeller) just nailed a 3...seriously. 15-14 Hoyas

13:39 left, 1st half - You know those poor kids that clean up the sweat on the floor? They are busy today. The Hoyas and Irish are all over the place and on the ground...Harangody just hit another jumper. 13-9 Hoyas...Pretty sure the Hoyas can't see straight on 3's...0-4 at the moment from distance...

15:12 left, 1st half Ryan Ayers, who just came into the game for the Irish, drained a nice 3...(41.8 pct career 3-pt shooter). Summers just made a nice move inside for the hoop and the harm...12-7 Hoyas

16:00 left, 1st half Luke Harangody really nice move inside on one end, then a really nice move by Freeman inside for the Hoyas. Now this is interesting, Hibbert penetrates and draws the double team, then dishes it to Summers for the easy 2...that would be huge to develop for the Hoyas all game. 8-4 Hoyas...

18:30 left, 1st Half Hibbert inside early...he backed down the Irish defense and put in a quick leaner...Harangody airball inside has the fans yellin, but Rob Kurz answers with a putback...2-2 early

Moments to Tip-off... One note, Chris Wright (the spark-plug freshman), who hasn't played in a few weeks remains out of the lineup. But he definitely is the best dressed. He's got on a nice-looking suit, some killer shades and about a million-dollar pair of shoes.

3:00 to Tip-off...The Irish have a strong fan group up in section 401-402...They stuck those guys way up top. Not exactly a hostile group, but they are loud.

12:00 to tip-off...Hoping to get some visuals for you soon...the place really has a buzz to it. The Irish really look a lot smaller than the Hoyas...they are fast and quick and can shoot (at least in warmups), but size-wise they aren't quite as tall or quite as thick. They have one player on their roster at 6'10", but he doesn't play too much (Luke Zeller - 4.8 PPG).

11:30 - Just got a chance to talk to Bob Wenzel and Mike Gleason, who are announcing today's game on MASN. Bob said he was excited about the key matchup between Hibbert and his size vs. Luke Harangody and his scoring touch. He mentioned that Harangody is a "Tyler Hansbrough clone."

He also mentioned that the outside shooting disparity in percentages will be the key to the score. If ND shoots the way they can, and Gtown struggles, the Irish could be victors. He mentioned Kyle McAlharney's scoring touch and big-game shooting as something to watch.

Mike mentioned how vital Hibbert finding open guys off of rebounds would be. He mentioned Jonathan Wallace maybe filling up the score sheet.

Also, the rebounding battle will be vital. The Hoyas are -4 overall in Big East rebounding differential, while the Irish are +10...

Mike also mentioned that on Media Day, Hibbert equated himself to Kevin Pittsnogle (WVU) in terms of 3-pt shooting...right.....

11:20 - Hoping to talk to Bob Wenzel and Mike Gleason, who are announcing the game in a few minutes...

11:00 - Drama at the Phone Booth (the nickname for the Verizon Center). There was no electrical power on press row... What would the world do? The engineers here fixed it. We can all breathe easier.

10:45 - We're here at the Verizon Center...the fans are filing in, the students are already in full throat (although a few of them look like they have been up all night). I'll keep you posted...

(Photos by Vincent Reed)