There’s an ACC win
The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (10-13, 4-8) hit the road for a late-night showdown at Conte Forum, taking on the Boston College Eagles (10-13, 2-10). With hopes of building momentum, the Irish aimed to complete a season sweep of the Eagles after a dominant 78-60 victory at home on January 13th. Did Notre Dame rise to the occasion once again, or did Boston College defend their home court? Let’s dive into the action!
First Half
Notre Dame got the ball first but missed a few early shots before finally scoring on a layup by Sir Mohammed to take the first lead. Boston College quickly responded with a layup from Roger McFarlane.
At 17:45, Nikita Konstantynovskyi put Notre Dame back in front with a layup, but Dion Brown answered with a driving layup to tie the game at 4-4. Braeden Shrewsberry then scored his first points of the game with a jumper in the paint.
After Boston College’s Chad Venning missed a layup, Tae Davis capitalized with a jumper to extend Notre Dame’s lead. Joshua Beadle added two points with a jumper, followed by a three-pointer from Sir Mohammed. Boston College fought back with a jumper from Donald Hand Jr., and Dion Brown quickly followed with a three-pointer, tying the game again at 11-11.
After the timeout at 13:40, Markus Burton scored his first points with a jumper. Dion Brown responded with a jumper of his own, bringing his total to six points.
Burton then missed a three-point attempt, allowing Boston College to grab the rebound and score inside the paint with a basket from Jayden Hastings. Kebba Njie answered with his first points of the game on a jumper.
At 11:22, a media timeout was called with the game tied at 15-15.
After the media timeout, Notre Dame took the lead with a deep three-pointer from Cole Certa—an impressive long-range shot. Boston College quickly responded with a three-pointer from Elijah Strong.
Markus Burton then drained a three of his own, bringing his shooting percentage to 42%. BC attempted a three but missed, and on Notre Dame’s next possession, Markus Burton drew a foul and made his free throw.
Elijah Strong scored inside the paint, but Tae Davis answered with a layup for Notre Dame. Dion Brown then sank a three-pointer, followed by a jumper from Garrett Sundra.
At 7:19, another media timeout was called. 28-23, Notre Dame.
After the media timeout, Garrett Sundra made a free throw, but Boston College quickly answered with a three-pointer from Fred Payne.
Braeden Shrewsberry added to Notre Dame’s scoring with a jumper in the paint. Both teams then struggled to score, with BC missing two shots and ND missing one before Roger McFarlane finally connected on a jumper in the paint for Boston College.
Nikita Konstantynovskyi missed a jumper for Notre Dame, and BC took advantage as Roger McFarlane sank a three-pointer.
At 3:38, a media timeout was called with the game tied at 31.
Coming out of the break, Nikita Konstantynovskyi made a free throw, but Boston College quickly responded with a layup from Roger McFarlane.
Braeden Shrewsberry missed a three-pointer, and BC capitalized with a three from Fred Payne. After Tae Davis missed a jumper, BC took advantage again as Payne sank another three-pointer.
Chad Venning added a layup for Boston College. Braeden Shrewsberry then drew a foul but made only one of two free throws.
As the clock hit zero, Markus Burton drove to the basket for a layup, but Notre Dame still trailed at halftime, with Boston College leading 41-35.
Second Half
Notre Dame opened the half with a jumper from Braeden Shrewsberry, who drew a foul and made the free throw.
Boston College responded with a three-pointer from Roger McFarlane. After a Notre Dame turnover, McFarlane struck again with another three. Notre Dame then turned the ball over once more, and BC capitalized as Chad Venning made a layup, drawing a foul. He completed the three-point play at the free-throw line.
Following several missed shots from both teams, Notre Dame broke the drought with a three-pointer by Braeden Shrewsberry. BC quickly answered with a jumper from Chad Venning.
Boston College then stole the ball from Notre Dame, leading to a fast-break basket by Donald Hand Jr. BC extended its lead to 54-41.
As play resumed, Donald Hand Jr., who was fouled by Markus Burton before the break, went to the line and made his free throw.
Notre Dame responded with a jumper from Tae Davis. After both teams missed several shots, Boston College ended the scoring drought with a jumper from Roger McFarlane. Markus Burton answered with a jumper for Notre Dame.
Hand Jr. then missed a jumper, and Markus Burton grabbed the rebound. Braeden Shrewsberry capitalized on the possession, sinking a three-pointer.
The Irish are fighting back. At the 12:55 media timeout, Boston College led 57-48.
After the media timeout, Boston College struck first with a layup by Jayden Hastings.
Markus Burton then turned the ball over with a bad pass, leading to a layup by Joshua Beadle. Julian Roper II made his presence felt with a three-pointer, but BC answered with a jumper from Jayden Hastings.
Markus Burton responded with a jumper as Notre Dame fought to stay in the game.
At the 11:08 media timeout, Boston College remained in control, leading 63-53.
After the break, Garrett Sundra went to the free-throw line and made both shots after Boston College’s foul on Jayden Hastings was upgraded to a flagrant.
On the next possession, Donald Hand Jr. was fouled by Nikita Konstantynovskyi and made one of his two free throws. Notre Dame responded with a jumper from Tae Davis, but BC answered right back with a jumper from Fred Payne.
JR Koenieczny then knocked down a three-pointer, cutting Notre Dame’s deficit to six. Hand Jr. drew another foul and made both free throws, extending BC’s lead.
Tae Davis was fouled by Roger McFarlane and made one of two free throws. Chad Venning added to BC’s lead with a jumper, while Markus Burton missed a three-pointer on Notre Dame’s next possession.
Finally, Tae Davis got Notre Dame back on the board with a basket while drawing a foul.
At the 7:08 media timeout, Boston College led 70-63.
After the break, Tae Davis went to the free-throw line and made his shot, quickly followed by a driving layup from Markus Burton on a steal as Notre Dame worked to close the gap. Boston College’s Venning made a jumper, but ND immediately answered with a second-chance layup from Burton. The intensity was rising as the Fighting Irish’s defense stepped up. Chad Venning then scored another basket, extending BC’s lead to six. At the 3:52 media timeout, Boston College led 74-68.
After the under-four-minute media break, Donald Hand Jr. went to the free-throw line after being fouled by Markus Burton and made both shots. Braeden Shrewsberry then hit a jumper as Notre Dame continued to fight back, even though time was running out. Tae Davis drew a foul and went to the line, sinking both free throws.
Boston College turned the ball over, and ND capitalized with a driving layup by Markus Burton, cutting BC’s lead to two. After BC’s Joshua Beadle missed a jumper, ND tied the game with a layup from Tae Davis. BC quickly answered with a jumper by Chad Venning, but ND kept fighting, and Markus Burton hit another jumper. BC responded with a layup by Dion Brown, reclaiming a two-point lead.
In a race to the finish, Burton was fouled on ND’s possession and went to the free-throw line, making both shots to tie the game.
With the score tied at 80 and just 22 seconds remaining, Boston College called a 30-second timeout.
With 22 seconds left, Boston College inbounded the ball and ran down the clock. Chad Venning attempted a turnaround jumper, but missed as time expired, sending the game into overtime.
Overtime
At the start of overtime, Shrewsberry missed a layup, and Boston College secured the rebound. On BC’s first possession, Venning missed a shot, and a shot clock violation returned the ball to Notre Dame. On Notre Dame’s next possession, Markus Burton made a layup, quickly answered by a layup from Chad Venning in the paint. Tae Davis then missed a jumper; although Notre Dame grabbed the rebound, they were unable to score. On BC’s following possession, they also failed to convert, and Burton missed a three-pointer, with Njie grabbing the rebound. Notre Dame then called a timeout. Game tied at 82.
After Notre Dame’s timeout, Burton was fouled by Beadle and made both free throws. On Boston College’s next possession, Notre Dame stole the ball and drove down the court, and Burton took a jumper that popped out. Beadle then fouled Njie, who went to the free-throw line and made one of his two shots. Boston College grabbed the rebound, and Hand Jr. hit a clutch three-pointer to tie the game at 85. Notre Dame advanced the ball again, but Burton missed his jumper, and BC secured the rebound with 40 seconds left in the game.
Boston College inbounded the ball and drove down the court but failed to score. Notre Dame then secured the rebound but also couldn’t convert their possession, sending the game into double overtime.
Double Overtime
Boston College got the ball to start double overtime, but McFarlane missed his jumper. Brown went for the rebound, drew a foul, and made both free throws. On Notre Dame’s possession, Kebba Njie dunked to tie the game. McFarlane then attempted a three-pointer, missed, and ND grabbed the rebound. Burton scored on a layup, giving ND a two-point lead. Hand Jr. missed a driving shot in the paint but drew a foul; however, he made only one of his two free throws, cutting ND’s lead to one. On ND’s next possession, Davis missed a layup but drew a foul and made both free throws, putting ND up by three. BC then drove down the court and missed a three-pointer. Notre Dame secured the rebound, and Tae Davis finished with a layup. Boston College then called a timeout. ND up, 93-88.
After BC’s timeout, Venning drove into the paint and scored a layup. Notre Dame then took the ball down the court, but Burton missed his jumper, and BC secured the rebound. While driving in the paint, Hand Jr. lost control of the ball, and Shrewsberry grabbed the rebound. During the scramble, Julian Roper II landed on Hand Jr.’s hand and was called for a flagrant two foul, which resulted in Roper’s ejection. Hand Jr. then went to the free-throw line and made both shots, cutting ND’s lead to one. Brown followed with a layup that put BC up by one. Burton then missed both of his free throws, keeping BC ahead by one. Hand Jr. later attempted a shot but missed, and BC committed a shot clock violation.
With 30.4 seconds left, ND took possession. Burton missed a driving layup, but Kebba Njie grabbed the rebound and scored. Njie also drew a foul but missed his free throw. Dion Brown then attempted a jumper for BC and missed, and Markus Burton secured the rebound and drew a foul. Burton went to the line and made both free throws, giving ND a three-point lead. With just one second remaining, ND called a 30-second timeout.
After the final timeout, Boston College inbounded the ball and took a shot, but they missed. Notre Dame secured the win over BC, 97-94.
Notre Dame’s next game is at home on Sunday, February 16th, at 8 PM EST.
Cheers & GO IRISH!