(MCT) — SOUTH BEND, Ind. — His arms and torso pretzeled in a heap with Cincinnati players near midcourt, Eric Atkins flicked a toe toward the loose ball. It trickled to Notre Dame teammate Jack Cooley, who then flung it to Tom Knight, who then rattled the stanchion with a dunk.

Once on his feet, Atkins backpedaled, smiled and shook his head. Anything the No. 25 Irish wanted to do in a 62-41 beating of Cincinnati on Sunday, they did, and mostly with a snarly disposition that is uncommon to this program but bubbling to the surface at an ideal time.