In a game defined by momentum swings and clutch plays, Virginia Tech outlasted Notre Dame 65-63 in a hard-fought ACC battle at Purcell Pavilion on Saturday night. The Hokies overcame an early 14-point deficit and leaned on late free throws to seal the road win, snapping Notre Dame’s hopes of a comeback.
How It Unfolded
Notre Dame (10-12, 4-8) came out firing, building an 18-4 lead in the first half thanks to an aggressive defense and efficient scoring inside. The Irish, led by Markus Burton’s game-high 23 points, controlled much of the opening 20 minutes, taking a 33-26 lead into the break.
Virginia Tech (11-13, 6-7), however, responded in the second half behind Tobi Lawal’s strong inside presence. The sophomore forward dominated the glass, posting a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, the Hokies’ outside shooting improved in crunch time, with Brandon Burnham drilling a critical three-pointer at the 2:01 mark to give Virginia Tech a 58-54 lead.
With the Irish trailing 63-58 in the final seconds, they fought back. Burton sank two free throws to cut the deficit to three before a defensive stop gave Notre Dame one last opportunity. A missed three-pointer by Braeden Shrewsberry was rebounded and converted into a jumper by Carter Certa at the buzzer, but it was too little, too late. Virginia Tech had already iced the game with a crucial free throw by Brandon Rechsteiner with four seconds left.
Key Performances
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Virginia Tech:
- Tobi Lawal: 15 points, 10 rebounds
- Brandon Rechsteiner: 12 points, 7-8 FT
- Brandon Burnham: 10 points, 2-5 3PT
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Notre Dame:
- Markus Burton: 23 points, 6-6 FT
- Tae Davis: 18 points, 8 rebounds, 2-2 3PT
- Kebba Njie: 8 points, 7 rebounds
While Virginia Tech shot just 19.4% (6-of-31) from beyond the arc, they made up for it with a 15-of-20 performance from the free-throw line. Notre Dame, despite shooting a perfect 16-of-16 from the stripe, struggled from deep (3-of-17, 17.6%), which proved costly down the stretch.
What It Means
For Notre Dame, this loss is another reminder of their struggles to close out games in ACC play. The Irish led for over 34 minutes but couldn’t hold off the late Hokies’ surge. Moving forward, they’ll need to find more consistent scoring outside of Burton and Davis, as well as cut down on costly turnovers (17).
Virginia Tech, meanwhile, picks up a critical road victory to bolster its NCAA Tournament hopes. The Hokies’ ability to execute late, especially on the defensive end, showcased their poise under pressure.
Up Next
Notre Dame will look to bounce back when they travel to Boston College on Wednesday, February 12, to face the Eagles.
Check out Len Clark's full breakdown of this game at the Len Zone!