Notre Dame’s Steve Vasturia Shares ACC Player Of The Week Honors
Notre Dame senior guard Steve Vasturia joined North Carolina’s Joel Berry II as the Atlantic Coach Conference Basketball Co-Players of the Week. It was Vasturia’s first such honor this year, while Berry II has become the favorite as the ACC Player of the Year with his fourth such honor.
Regardless, the 6-6 Vasturia — a Medford, N.J., native — has established himself as one of the clutch players in college basketball this year while helping the Irish to their first ever 5-0 league start — and sole possession of first place in the ACC — in their 22 seasons of conference basketball.
His honor was based on his performance on Thursday night at Miami, followed by his efforts Saturday afternoon at Virginia Tech.
Versus the Hurricanes, Vasturia filled the stat sheet with 10 points (5-of-10 shooting), six rebounds, six assists and two steals — and only one turnover — in 35 minutes.
Most significant is his trademark has been converting clutch baskets in the closing moments. He did it again at Miami on a drive for a bucket with eight seconds left and the shot clock about to go off to give the Irish a 65-62 edge in their 67-62 win.
Two days later, Vasturia led the team with 20 points — on 8-of-14 shooting from the field, including a 3-of-4 effort from three-point range — to go with four rebounds and four assists in a 76-71 victory at Virginia Tech, while playing a team-high 36 minutes.
He broke a 59-59 tie with a three-pointer at the top of the key with 5:07 remaining to seize momentum back for the visitors after a Virginia Tech run.
“That kid is a dog,” teammate, fellow New Jersey native and point guard Matt Farrell said of Vasturia in what can be taken as the ultimate compliment. “I’m not surprised at all.”
The Virginia Tech game was actually the one league game in which Vasturia didn’t have to win it with a basket in the closing moments.
• In the league opener Dec. 31 at Pitt, Vasturia drilled a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left in overtime to defeat the Panthers 78-77. Eight of the 10 Irish points in OT were tallied by Vasturia. Also, his two free throws with 25 seconds left in regulation helped put the game into the extra session, and he hit another three right before the game winner.
• Versus No. 9 Louisville a few days later, the Cardinals trailed 71-68 and needed one stop to have a chance to put the game into overtime. Vasturia helped end their hopes with a jumper with just 19 seconds left to extend the margin in the 77-70 win.
• Trailing Clemson 68-67, Vasturia buried another trey with 1:45 left to nudge the Irish ahead 70-68 in a game they would pull out 75-70.
• At Miami, the Irish clung to a 63-62 lead at Miami with 38 seconds. The shot clock was just about to elapse when a Vasturia drive and basket — after initially bobbling and almost losing the ball — with 8.1 seconds left resulted in a 65-62 lead in the 67-62 conquest that snapped the Hurricanes’ 21-game winning streak at home.
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