Late 13-0 run powers Hurricanes past Irish

Walker’s 3-pointers help Miami snap its three-game skid.

SOUTH BEND, IND. — Freshman Lonnie Walker IV scored 19 points, hitting five of seven from 3-point range, and his deep 3-pointer gave Miami the lead for good as the Hurricanes rode a late 13-0 burst to a 77-74 Atlantic Coast Conference win over Notre Dame on Monday night.

The Canes (19-8, 8-7) trailed 62-57 with 7:51 to go before their decisive run over a span of five-plus min- utes. Miami snapped its season-high three-game skid.

The Irish (16-12, 6-9) made their own comeback earlier in the half, erasing a 10-point deficit in a game that featured 11 lead changes.

Notre Dame, adding to its array of injuries this season, played for the first time without regular starter Rex Pflueger, who injured his back in Saturday’s win at Boston College.

Miami’s Ebuka Izundu, starting for the first time all season, was 7-of-8 shooting and finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots. He had 10 points, six boards and all of his steals and blocks after halftime.

Ja’Quan Newton added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Canes.

Martinas Geben led Notre Dame with 19 points and seven rebounds. Matt Farrell added 16 points, six boards and six assists. T.J. Gibbs scored all of his 11 points after the break.

Noteworthy: The Canes boosted their NCAA Tour- nament hopes with the victory. Next, they host Boston College after losing to the Eagles 72-70 two weeks ago, then travel to No. 10 North Carolina.

UM football assistant departing: In a stun- ning development, Miami announced Monday evening that Craig Kuligowski, one of the most respected assistant coaches in college football, will not return for a third season in Coral Gables.

Kuligowski, according to a school press release, is “leaving the program to pursue other opportunities.”

Sports Illustrated writer Bruce Feldman reported there was a “good chance” Kuligowski was heading to national champion Alabama, which lost defen- sive line coach Karl Dunbar to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kuligowski also reportedly interviewed recently for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ vacant D-line spot.

Canes head coach Mark Richt, who promoted Kuli- gowski to assistant head coach last February, has said that Kuligowski was his No. 1 target when hiring assistant coaches to fill out his first staff in 2016 — an even greater priority than his superior.

“If I had a (defensive) coor- dinator who didn’t want him,” Richt said, “I figure I probably don’t have the right (defensive) coordinator.”

Monday, Ku l igowski became the first of Richt’s

Miami assistants to leave.