Notre_Dame_Howard_Basketball_75430 Notre Dame guard Blake Wesley (0) reacts after hitting his third dunk against Howard in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Washington. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP)
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP
Notre_Dame_Howard_Basketball_62809 Notre Dame guard Cormac Ryan (5) fouls Howard guard Elijah Hawkins late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Washington. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP)
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP
Notre_Dame_Howard_Basketball_17379 Notre Dame forward Paul Atkinson Jr. (20) looks for two points around Howard forward Randall Brumant (20) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Washington. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP)
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP
Notre_Dame_Howard_Basketball_30618 Notre Dame guard Dane Goodwin (23) gets a steal against Howard in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Washington. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP)
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP
Notre_Dame_Howard_Basketball_33728 Notre Dame guard Blake Wesley, bottom right, comes up with the ball ahead of Howard guards Elijah Hawkins (3) and Deven Richmond (10) late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Washington. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dane Goodwin scored 17 points, Nate Laszewski had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Notre Dame beat Howard 71-68 on Monday in the MLK Classic.
Notre Dame led 67-56 before turning it over four times in five possessions, while Howard scored 10 straight. Cormac Ryan ended the Irish’s drought with two free throws with 41.5 seconds left for a three-point lead.
Elijah Hawkins converted a layup in traffic to pull Howard within 69-68, but Prentiss Hubb answered at the other end on a driving layup with 12.7 left. Hawkins had a chance to tie it but his step-back 3-pointer hit the back of the iron as time expired.
Blake Wesley added 13 points and Paul Atkinson had eight rebounds for Notre Dame (11-6), which returns to ACC play on Saturday at Louisville. Wesley set a program record for most double digit scoring games from a true freshman in a season with 14, passing Troy Murphy.
Steve Settle III, averaging 13.5 points per game, scored a career-high 25 points for the Bison (6-8). Kyle Foster and Hawkins each had 12 points.
It marked Notre Dame’s first road game at a Historically Black College or University — made possible by the coaching connection. Howard coach Kenny Blakeney played for Notre Dame coach Mike Brey at Duke (1992-95) while Brey was an assistant with the Blue Devils and was an assistant coach under Brey at Delaware (2002-05).
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