SOUTH BEND, Ind. – At the outset, it was Notre Dame’s Tim Abromaitas that was stealing Andy Rautins game. The early beneficiary of two quick drive-and-dish 3s, the Notre Dame junior drilled both shots and sent an active Irish student section into a frenzy.

But with each make, Rautins seemed to take it personally, demanding the ball on the following possession and sinking two quick bombs in response. Snapping his head toward the Irish bench after each swish, he made it abundantly clear that he was the one dictating the long-range game tonight.

In an 84-71 win that capped three straight conference road victories for the Orange, Rautins was instrumental here at the Joyce Center Monday night. The fifth-year senior finished with 21 points off 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.

The shots took pressure off forwards Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson, stuck in a down-low battle with Big East preseason player of the year Luke Harangody. The momentum gained from the timely threes kept an emotional Notre Dame team from breaking down a wall they’d been knocking on all afternoon.

Most importantly though, in a game that was subject to errant passes and miffed attempts, the shots provided solidarity – something to look for when the aggressive Irish defense packed the frontcourt or flanked the perimeter.

Off the ball, it was an evening that’s become par for the course for Rautins; an assist here and there, a steal when the team needed it most.

With just under three minutes left to play in the game, Rautins found Onauku in a tight space underneath the basket with room enough for a momentum-draining jam. The assist and score put the Irish in SU’s rearview mirror as the crowd began to file out of the Joyce.

At that point SU head coach Jim Boeheim in response nodded his head. He was about certain his team had done with the Big East elite deem undoable and as he headed back to the bench, he pointed at Rautins and began to unwind.

ctorr@syr.edu

Published on January 17, 2010 at 12:00 pm