In a game that came down to the final possession, Notre Dame (13-17, 7-12) pulled off a dramatic 56-54 victory over Stanford (19-11, 11-8) at Purcell Pavilion, thanks to a clutch three-pointer by Cole Certa in the waning seconds. The Irish, led by Markus Burton’s 24-point performance, overcame a late Stanford surge and held the Cardinal scoreless in the final moments to secure the win.
A Game of Runs and Momentum Swings
The contest was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams stringing together crucial scoring runs. Notre Dame (56-54)started strong in the second half, using a 15-0 run to erase a nine-point deficit and build a six-point lead midway through the period. However, Stanford (19-57 FG, 6-25 3PT) responded with an 8-0 spurt, taking a 54-52 lead on a deep three-pointer by Jaylen Blakes with 1:18 left.
With the Irish struggling to find an answer offensively, Tae Davis earned a trip to the free-throw line with under a minute to play, making one of two attempts to pull within one. After a defensive stop and a rebound by Marcus Allocco, Notre Dame had one last chance.
Then came the shot of the night. With 18 seconds remaining, Certa, who had been relatively quiet all game, found space beyond the arc and buried a clutch three-pointer to put the Irish ahead 56-54. The home crowd erupted as Stanford called a timeout to set up a final possession.
Stanford’s Last Possession Comes Up Short
The Cardinal had an opportunity to tie or win the game, but Ryan Agarwal’s contested jumper at the buzzer missed, sealing the Irish victory. Notre Dame’s defense, which had held Stanford scoreless for the final 1:18, stood strong when it mattered most.
Burton and Raynaud Shine for Their Teams
Markus Burton once again proved to be Notre Dame’s engine, scoring 24 points on 8-of-20 shooting while adding seven rebounds and a key assist on Certa’s game-winner. Davis chipped in nine points and eight rebounds, while Allocco provided a steadying presence on both ends with seven points and seven rebounds.
For Stanford, Maxime Raynaud was dominant inside, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but he struggled down the stretch as Notre Dame’s defense locked in. Blakes (13 points) and Gealer (11 points) provided perimeter scoring, but the Cardinal shot just 24% from three (6-of-25) and failed to execute in crunch time.
What This Win Means for Notre Dame
This victory is a significant one for Notre Dame, which showed resilience in a game that could have slipped away. The Irish struggled with shooting consistency but found ways to grind out stops and make plays in critical moments.
For Stanford, the loss marks a missed opportunity to grab a key road win, as they led for long stretches but couldn’t close. Their 0-for-6 three-point shooting in the second half proved costly.
Looking Ahead
Notre Dame will look to build off this gritty win as they prepare for their final regular season game on Saturday at home against Cal.
Check out Len Clark's full breakdown at the Len Zone!