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Cincinnati • Pass, pass, pass. Then pass again before finding and making a wide-open shot. No. 17 Notre Dame got everyone involved in extending its notable winning streak.
Jerian Grant scored 19 points and the Fighting Irish patiently worked for open shots that set up a 66-60 victory Monday night over No. 21 Cincinnati, their 12th straight win.
Notre Dame (14-1, 2-0 Big East) is on its best winning streak since it also won 12 in a row in 2006-07. The 14-1 mark is the best start during coach Mike Brey's 13 seasons.
This time, he's got an experienced roster that loves to share. Notre Dame is among the national leaders with 19 assists per game.
"That's been our program," Brey said. "There's a culture of passing the ball here. We recruit basketball IQ guys, and I think there's a lot of trust that we're going to keep moving that thing. That's why we have great balance."
The Fighting Irish did it their way, spreading out a defense that has been Cincinnati's strength. Notre Dame shot 50 percent from the field and went 9 of 16 behind the arc.
Cincinnati (13-3, 1-2) wore new all-black uniforms — Notre Dame wore white — for a home game that took on extra significance. The Bearcats opened the season 12-0, then lost two of their last three games, falling to New Mexico and St. John's at home.
No. 5 Indiana 74, Penn State 51 • In State College, Pa., Christian Watford scored 16 points, Jordan Hulls added 14 and Indiana used a big first-half run to race past Penn State. Indiana (14-1, 2-0 Big Ten), which had the top scoring offense in the nation (87.9 points) entering the game, built a 19-point lead in the first half.
Jermaine Marshall had 11 points for the Nittany Lions (8-6, 0-2).