SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For the second straight season, it's becoming a numbers game for Mike Brey and his Notre Dame basketball team.
An MRI on Thursday confirmed that sophomore reserve guard Robby Carmody suffered an ACL injury to his left knee during the final minute of Notre Dame's 72-51 loss at No. 3 Maryland in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge that will keep him out the rest of the season.
With sophomore power forward Chris Doherty planning to transfer at the end of the semester, Brey will have eight scholarship players and one walk-on available when the Fighting Irish (6-2, 0-1 ACC) face Boston College (4-5, 1-0 ACC) on Saturday afternoon.
"I feel for the kid,'' Brey said after the game.
It's the second consecutive season the 6-foot-4 Carmody, who was averaging 5.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 13.8 minutes in seven games, will miss the second half of the season after undergoing season-ending surgery. The 2018 Pennsylvania Player of the Year for his father's team at Mars Area High School suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder last December after playing in just nine games and averaging 3.7 points and 1.7 rebounds.
The latest injury occurred Wednesday night in the closing minute when Carmody drove the baseline and attempted to dunk. He was fouled by Maryland's Makhi Mitchell and landed awkwardly on his left leg. Carmody was taken to the bench and left the court after the game in a wheelchair.
Having played in 16 games in two seasons, Carmody still has three years of eligibility remaining and could petition the NCAA for a fourth season, which would be his sixth.
The 6-foot-8 Doherty, who averaged 19.7 points and 12.3 rebounds at Marlborough (Mass.) High School, was expected to redshirt last season. But injuries to Carmody and others forced Brey to use Doherty down the stretch in 11 games during which he averaged 0.8 points and 0.9 rebounds. This season, he was averaging 1.0 points and 0.7 rebounds in limited minutes. His career high of four points came in Notre Dame's 91-66 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 26.
"I fully understand the way this climate in college basketball is as far as playing time,'' Brey said Tuesday in announcing the decision by Doherty, who chose Notre Dame over Boston College, Central Connecticut State, Florida Gulf Coast and Manhattan. "We'll help him find the next place.''