Alex Dragicevich scored a game-high 22 to lead Notre Dame to a 72-59 win over No. 22 Pittsburgh at the Joyce Center in the Big East opener for both programs.

Dragicevich connected on 4-of-7 from behind the arc while Eric Atkins added 15 points and Jerian Grant chipped in with 15 points and 9 assists for Notre Dame (9-5, 1-0 Big East), which outscored the Panthers 47-33 over the final 20 minutes.

Talib Zanna recorded a double-double by netting 13 points and grabbing 12 boards and Nasir Robinson scored 12 points for Pitt (11-3, 0-1), which has dropped two straight since winning nine in a row.

"Second half the defense just let down for us," Pittsburgh head coach Jamie Dixon said. "We are a team that has a lot of things to improve on and we will get there and we know we've got things to work on."

Pitt took a seven-point lead with under eight minutes to play in the first half, but the Irish scored seven straight to go ahead, 22-19, before entering the break down 26-25.

A three-pointer from Dragicevich in the second half sparked a 13-6 run that gave Notre Dame an eight-point lead, 48-40, with 11 minutes to play.

Notre dame was able to stretch its lead to 17 with 3:27 left in regulation on the back of Dragicevich, who scored 14 of his 22 in the second half, including a trio of baskets from three.

The Irish put an exclamation point on the win when Grant delivered a beautiful bounce pass to a streaking Jack Cooley, who slammed the ball through the basket as the home crowd erupted.

"I told our guys that I have been a part of a lot of fun wins; wins where I have been proud of a group. This one ranks up there with any of them," Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey said.

Game Notes