In a game that came down to the final half second, Notre Dame edged Pittsburgh, 55-54, in the opening round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday afternoon, securing a hard-fought victory that sends the Irish into a second-round matchup against North Carolina.
Tae Davis delivered the decisive point, calmly sinking a free throw. Pittsburgh’s Jaland Lowe corralled the rebound off Davis’ second attempt, but with no time left to set up a shot, the Panthers’ rally fell just short.
A Game of Twists and Turns
The contest, marked by 10 lead changes and seven ties, was a battle of attrition. Pittsburgh appeared poised to escape with a win after Brandin Cummings drained a three-pointer with 1:09 remaining, giving the Panthers a 54-52 lead. But Notre Dame’s Nikita Konstantynovsky responded with a clutch jumper to tie the game at 54, and the Irish defense held firm to set up Davis' game-winning trip to the free-throw line.
Standout Performances
Davis led the Irish with 11 points and five rebounds, his poise down the stretch proving crucial. Konstantynovsky was a steady interior presence, finishing with 10 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting while pulling down a game-high nine rebounds. Markus Burton chipped in 10 points and three assists, while Julian Roper III added eight points.
Pittsburgh struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 18.2% of its three-point attempts (4-for-22). Lowe led the Panthers with 17 points but shot just 6-of-18 from the field. Cummings added nine points and four assists, but Pittsburgh’s offensive inefficiency proved costly, particularly in the closing minutes.
Notre Dame won the rebounding battle, 37-31, and capitalized on 11 Pittsburgh turnovers, converting them into 12 points.
Next Up: North Carolina
The victory gives the Irish momentum heading into their second-round clash with second-seeded North Carolina. However, Notre Dame will need to be sharper offensively after shooting just 39.6% from the field and 20% from three-point range. The Tar Heels, known for their size and athleticism, present a significant challenge.
Tipoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Check out Len Clark's full post-game breakdown at the Len Zone!