RALEIGH – A sense of deja vu the Notre Dame men’s basketball team didn’t want to experience. The Fighting Irish (7-8, 1-3) boasted a lead as large as eight in the second half and a later lead of four with two minutes remaining, but couldn’t hold on against NC State (9-6, 2-2), falling on the road Wednesday night, 65-66. The Irish had a chance for a go-ahead bucket at the buzzer but couldn’t get it to fall as they dropped their second straight ACC contest by one point.
Highlight of the contest was junior forward Kebba Njie who recorded his first career double-double. Njie posted 10 points behind 5-8 shooting, plus a season best 11 rebounds.
In fact, all five starters were in double figures for the first time this season. Tae Davis posted 14 points and a career-high six assists. Davis was 5-10 from the floor and 4-5 from the free-throw line. Markus Burton made the start tonight and scored 15 points behind 5-15 shooting overall and 2-4 from deep. Burton also dished out four assists.
Braeden Shrewsberry recorded 13 points on 5-12 shooting, plus 3-10 from beyond the arc. Lastly, Matt Allocco tallied 11 points on 3-5 shooting (3-4 from three) and seven rebounds.
The Irish finished the game 43.6 percent from the field compared to the Wolfpack’s 46.2 percent. ND outrebounded NC State 34-29.
HOW IT HAPPENED
At 8:38, NC State had acquired its largest lead of the half up six at 12-18. The Irish were doing a solid job defensively though of jamming the paint, as the Wolfpack were living and dying by the three ball. Soon after, the Notre Dame offense took a turn.
A pair of Tae Davis layups sandwiched back-to-back Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry threes and just like that the Irish found themselves in the lead up 22-21 with 5:25 left.
A few moments later, the Irish fired off an 11-0 run spanning three minutes and 46 seconds – a Kebba Njie dunk, a Julian Roper II drive and score, a layup and pair of free throws from Davis and another Shrewsberry three.
All-in-all, the Irish offense converted nine of their last 12 from the field to claim a 33-26 halftime lead. NC State who started 7-of-17 only made three of their last 11.
NC State scored the first four points of the second half to make it a one-possession game but an Allocco three and Burton drive and score stymied their momentum momentarily, pushing the score to 38-30.
When the Wolfpack cut it to 44-41 it was Burton again, this time with a three. Plus Njie was battling hard down low and accomplished his first career double double a possession prior.
However, NC State’s Jayden Taylor was a thorn in Notre Dame’s side. His third three of the half cut the gap to 47-44 to prompt a Coach Shrews timeout just under 12 minutes left. Taylor had 12 second-half points at this juncture.
Out of the timeout, the Irish executed their play to perfection as Roper found Shrewsberry for the easy score to go up 49-44.
With 7:40 remaining, NC State’s Ben Middlebrooks capped a Wolfpack 3-for-3 stretch from the field with a three, recapturing the lead at 53-54. ND immediately retaliated as a Burton inlet pass to Davis was finished for an and-one. A possession later, Burton earned another assist finding Allocco for the three, 59-54.
Out of the 3:57 media timeout the Irish needed a bucket up 60-56 and Shrewsberry delivered with a three, his third of the game. However, the Wolfpack wouldn’t go away hitting one of their on the next possession.
With just under 2:30 left it was a 63-61 ballgame and Notre Dame drew a foul. Allocco stepped up and drilled both from the stripe to push the lead to four. Unfortunately, those were the last points scored by the Irish.
Middlebrooks converted a pair of free throws then Burton missed a three-point attempt. Marcus Hill from NC State grabbed the board and went coast-to-coast for the easy score. Shrewsberry then had a chance at a three and couldn’t connect as the Wolfpack got another board. They were then fouled on their next offensive possession and Middlebrooks made 1-of-2 for the 65-66 lead.
Out of the timeout, Burton drove the paint, was double-teamed, then attempted a stepback jumper, but it didn’t drop.
UP NEXT
The Irish will stay out in North Carolina and complete its trip with #4 Duke on Saturday. That match will tip at Noon ET on ESPN.
– ND –