AL HAMNIK: Notre Dame's Purcell Pavilion one rough ride

This was not Pamplona, Spain, and running with the Bulls. But it could've been.

All that was missing Saturday night at Notre Dame's Purcell Pavilion was a choking cloud of dust and the clattering of hooves.

No. 1 Syracuse had just been ambushed by senior guard Scott Martin and his Fighting Irish, 67-58, as their crazy student body poured onto the court like a broken water main.

Martin had hoped to say a few comforting words to Syracuse players as they left the floor, maybe shake a hand or two.

"I couldn't," said the Valparaiso grad. "I got trampled."

It's bad enough fans already are close enough to the floor to shake a player's hand. But for the Irish, they welcome any and all advantages.

"There's definitely a culture level we have here that I think is second to none," Martin said. "The size of the building definitely helps. The students are wild and crazy. The place is loud and jumping.

"It was a great atmosphere (Saturday). Of all the places I've ever been, it was something to see; one of a kind."

And not just Saturday.

It marked the eighth time Notre Dame had beaten a No. 1 team, thereby tying it for fourth-place all-time. North Carolina has been the biggest spoiler 12 times.

The Irish are 7-3 at home versus No. 1 teams and coach Mike Brey played that card like a Vegas dealer the night before by showing his squad a video of former ND teams doing so.

"It pumped us up," Martin said.

I saw Notre Dame knock off top-rated North Carolina in South Bend in 1987 and, before that, snap UCLA's 88-game winning streak 71-70, in 1974.

My ears are still ringing from that shocker.

"From the time you're a little kid watching this stuff on TV, you dream about one day being out there and playing in one of those games," Martin said. "The building was electric all night. Everyone was excited all night.

"As we finally realized we were going to win the game, it was more of a relief to me because of the way we had struggled the last couple of minutes."

It doesn't matter Syracuse, now 21-1, was shorthanded. Grades and injuries are hurdles every athletic program must clear.

The Orange lost, convincingly, to an Irish squad that returned only two starters -- Martin and Tim Abromaitis -- the latter tearing his ACL Nov. 25.

"This team has had a lot of hills and valleys and we've also had our high points," said Martin, who missed two games with a concussion. "We're hoping to ride this momentum to Seton Hall and get a W."

Home court advantage is nothing to apologize for, unless game officials come out wearing the home team's colors. Otherwise, you fight through it.

The Purcell Pavilion is one rough ride, though.

In the past 5 1/2 seasons, Notre Dame is 95-7 at home, winning 30 of its last 31 games there.

As Syracuse learned, seat belts are required.

This column solely represents the writer's opinion. Reach him at al.hamnik@nwi.com.