GREENSBORO, N.C. – In the first round of the ACC Tournament, Notre Dame (11-21) led Virginia Tech (19-13) from 10:09 to 1:02 in the second half and then later had a chance to tie the game twice – both with 12 seconds on the clock and on the final second. The Irish showed a lot of fight and toughness throughout but found themselves on the wrong end at the final buzzer, 67-64.
The loss brings an end to the 2022-23 season and the conclusion of the Mike Brey era after 23 years at the helm.
What a great ACC Tournament game, amazingly physical,” Glenn & Stacey Murphy Head Coach Mike Brey said. “I’m proud of our guys. We came down here with a clean slate after a really tough regular season, and we emptied the tank to try and get over the hump. I think Virginia Tech is really good, really good.
And yeah, I’m disappointed for them because it’s been a great group of young men, even though we haven’t won like we’ve wanted to. They’ve hung in there. This guy here has been an unbelievable leader (referencing Cormac Ryan). Anybody can lead when you’re winning. When you’re getting your butt handed to you a lot — he just was fabulous. I’m thrilled for Marcus Hammond. Finally got him healthy, and we had our chances, but Tech made big plays.”
For the Irish, it was a tough season of close losses. Today marked their sixth ACC loss which was decided by one possession or ninth by five points or less.
Marcus Hammond certainly went on a high note, pouring in a season high 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting. Cormac Ryan spearheaded the offense in the second half where he scored 11 of his 18 final points. Matt Zona was also a bright spot for the second game in a row, connecting on a career high three treys for nine points.
How It Happened
Virginia Tech jumped on the Irish early and opened up a seven-point lead at 11-4. Next, Notre Dame responded with three made consecutive field goals to cut it to one possession at 12-14 at 12:37.
The Hokies then took advantage of an ND scoring drought in which the Irish missed seven straight, recording a 9-0 run over a slow four minutes and 30 seconds. Eventually, Virginia Tech built a lead as large as 12.
That’s when Notre Dame started to click from beyond the arc, firing off three consecutive three-pointers all from three different players – Goodwin, Hammond and Zona. The 9-0 run was over a swift two-minute stretch, prompting a VT timeout.
Zona was feeling it from deep and hit another three moments later, tying the game at 28-apiece. Fast forward again just minutes later and a Hammond driving layup gave the Irish their first lead at 32-31.
The Hokies would get the last bucket of the half, retaking the lead at 33-32, but it was a resilient job by the Irish to end the half on a 18-7 scoring run (made six of their last eight). Both teams had 12 made field goals and five three-pointers at the half and both had 17 total rebounds. Hammond led the Irish in scoring at the midway point with 14 points.
Hammond, Laszewski and Ryan combined for the team’s first 15 points in the second half, as Hammond’s 21st point of the game, a season high, made it 47-44 ND at 11:30 media timeout. Simultaneously, however, the Irish were battling the foul count, picking up 10 and putting Virginia Tech in the double bonus by 11:30 as well.
At 7:12, it was Matt Zona again from deep, his third of the game (new career high in threes), which gave ND a 55-51 advantage. Moments later, Ryan hit a deep three, almost in the New York Life logo, that kept the Irish ahead at 58-53 with 5:33 remaining.
When the Hokies made it a one-possession game at 58-56, Ryan delivered a huge jumper just inside the arc. That was followed by a Laszewski taking a charge on the defensive end.
Back-and-forth the two sides went, trading blows. At 2:08, it was Hammond’s turn to deliver from just above the free-throw line. Yet the Hokies, found a way to connect on three field goals in a row to reclaim the lead at 63-62 with just under a minute to go. It was their first lead since the 10:37 mark in the second half.
Then an awkward play between Zona and Virginia Tech’s Sean Pedulla led to a foul on the latter but a deadball technical to Zona – and this was after a four-plus minute referee discussion on the court. Ultimately though, the end result after free throws was 64-all, VT ball.
On the ensuing possession, VT’s Justyn Mutts beat his defender 1v1 and slammed it home. On ND’s offensive possession, Ryan drove to the basket but was blocked. The Irish fouled but Pedulla only made 1-of-2 from the line.
Later with 2.5 seconds on the clock out of timeout, Coach Brey drew up a perfect play that resulted in a wide open three look from Laszewski, but it hit off the front rim, then backboard, then out. Virginia Tech took it by the final of 67-64.
— ND —