By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Chris Thomas made just two field goals and scored only seven points, but the Notre Dame men's basketball team didn't even need its leading scorer's points Tuesday night in a 79-62 win over Quinnipiac.
Sophomore guard Chris Quinn stepped up for the Irish with a career-high 25 points, including six 3-pointers. Quinn connected on his first six tries from 3-point range and missed his last two. He was also a perfect 3-for-3 at the free throw line in addition to his three rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Quinn was a starter at the beginning of the season but has come off the bench the last three games. In those three games, three Irish wins, he has made 19-of-28 from the field including 12-of-18 from 3-point range.
Notre Dame also got 19 points and 14 rebounds out of sophomore forward Torin Francis and 10 points from senior guard Torrian Jones.
The Irish, now 5-3, put the game out of reach early, taking a 44-27 lead by halftime. Quinnipiac, despite making 12 3-pointers, dropped to 2-6 on the season.
Kason Mims led the Bobcats with 23 points and was one of three Quinnipiac players with three or more 3-pointers. Rob Monroe added 13 points, three assists and five steals.
Notre Dame outrebounded the Bobcats 41-33 and had 19 team assists, led by Thomas' 11 helpers. Each team turned the ball over 15 times.
The Irish shot 46.4 percent (26-of-56) from the field while holding Quinnipiac to just 34.4 percent (22-of-64).
Notre Dame was helped by the return of senior center Tom Timmermans, who has missed much of the season with a back injury. Timmermans played 12 minutes, grabbing five rebounds and scoring three points.
The Irish were still without sophomore forward Rick Cornett, who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury.
Notre Dame wraps up the 2003 portion of this season's schedule on Sunday at 1 p.m. with a home contest against Morehead State (4-4), a 77-57 loser to Indiana Thursday night.
The Irish open Big East Conference play at home on Wednesday, Jan. 7, against West Virginia at 7 p.m. Notre Dame then is on the road for two games before returning home to take on defending national champion Syracuse on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m.
Notre Dame….79
Quinnipiac……62
Notre Dame: Jordan Cornette 2 2-2 6, Torin Francis 8 3-4 19, Torrian Jones 3 4-6 10, Colin Falls 2 2-2 8, Chris Thomas 2 2-2 7, Chris Quinn 8 3-3 25, Russell Carter 0 1-2 1, Tom Timmermans 1 1-2 3, Greg Bosl 0 0-0 0. Totals: 26 18-23 79
Quinnipiac: Rashaun Banjo 4 0-0 9, C.J. Vick 4 0-0 8, Adam Tancredi 0 0-0 0, Kason Mims 6 7-8 23, Rob Monroe 5 0-2 13, Dale Meinbresse 0 0-0 0, Nicholas Tipson 0 0-0 0, Van Crafton 3 0-0 9, John Bajda 0 0-0 0, Pierre Faye 0 0-0 0, Christian Burns 0 0-0 0, Jerry Fiefie 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 7-10 62
Halftime score: Notre Dame 44, Quinnipiac 27
3-point shooting: Notre Dame 9 (Quinn 6, Falls 2, Thomas), Quinnipiac 11 (Mims 4, Monroe 3, Crafton 3, Banjo). Team fouls (fouled out): Notre Dame 13 (none), Quinnipiac 24 (Vick). Team records: Notre Dame 5-3, Quinnipiac 2-6