SAN DIEGO — Cormac Ryan called this run a dream. Friday was close to a fantasy.
In his first NCAA Tournament, the junior guard from Manhattan shot 11th-seeded Notre Dame into the second round with a career-high 29 points, keying the Irish’s 78-64 commanding upset of No. 6 Alabama at Viejas Arena in San Diego.
A question mark to even reach the tournament as the last at-large team selected, Notre Dame is now 40 minutes from an unlikely Sweet 16. No. 3 Texas Tech is standing in its way.
“I think we were just hungry,” Ryan said. “We were hungry down in Dayton, and I don’t think we ever lost it. We kind of rolled into California with that hunger.”
Ryan came up big in the dramatic First Four, double-overtime win over Rutgers, scoring 16 points and coming up with a clutch steal in the first overtime. He was even better in this win. The 6-foot-5 Ryan scored 11 of his team’s first 15 points and hit 7 of 9 3-point shots. He also had six rebounds.
Cormac Ryan scored a game-high 29 points in Notre Dame’s win over Alabama. USA TODAY Sports“People were saying double overtime, long flight, legs are going to be tired,” Ryan said. “We were gunning and we were ready to go. It feels special for us, and it’s our time.”
Ryan had help. Leading-scorer Blake Wesley snapped out of his recent slump to score 18 points and add three steals. Paul Atkinson Jr. followed with 13 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists.
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Keon Ellis had 16 points and nine rebounds for Alabama (19-14), which suffered a crushing loss less than four minutes into the game. That’s when junior point guard Jahvon Quinerly, its second-leading scorer and top distributor, suffered a left knee injury. The Hackensack, N.J., native was later seen on crutches and didn’t return. Coach Nate Oats said Quinerly’s injury is “significant” and that the team doctor wasn’t optimistic but didn’t have any further details.
“Life happens,” Oats said. “Adversity hits and you’ve got to face it.”
Jahvon Quinerly injured exited with an injury in the first half. APWithout Quinerly, Notre Dame (24-10) took advantage, limiting Alabama to 40 percent shooting and forcing 14 turnovers. The Irish led by five at the break and by as many as 16 in the second half. The Crimson Tide got as close as eight twice in the final five minutes, But Notre Dame had an answer each time. Ryan hit the biggest shot, a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired that went in, out and in again. It was a fitting cap to his memorable performance.
“I was just letting it fly,” Ryan said. “When you have it rolling, you have it rolling. So I picked a good night for it, I guess.”
