Matt Cashore, USA TODAY Sports
Notre Dame Falls To Boston College
A late surge by Notre Dame wasn't enough as the Fighting Irish dropped a 73-72 game to Boston College on its home court.
The Eagles came into the game losers of four straight and five of their last six, but they jumped out early on the Irish and never looked back. Missed shots and turnovers by the Irish offense allowed Boston College to make its first run of the game, taking an early 23-13 lead. The Irish chipped away, cutting the lead to six, but Boston College quickly pushed the lead back to double figures.
That would be the story of the entire game. Notre Dame would make a quick run and Boston College would answer, as the Irish simply could not make enough stops.
Notre Dame trailed by ten at halftime and by 13 early in the second half, but Notre Dame made its first run of the final stanza thanks to senior guard TJ Gibbs, who scored five straight to make it a 45-38 game.
BC guard Jared Hamilton responded with two straight baskets to get it back to double figures. A triple from Gibbs later cut the lead to six, and both Gibbs and senior John Mooney battled as the Irish stayed within single digits for about six minutes, but once against the Eagles extended the lead, going back up 12 after triples from forward CJ Felder and guard Julian Rishwain.
The Irish made a run and the Eagles answered it. After the Eagles took a 70-59 lead with five minutes left in the game Notre Dame made its final run, but it wasn't enough.
A layup from senior forward Juwan Durham capped off an 8-0 Irish run that made it a 70-67 game with just 1:08 left, but again BC answered as freshman guard Jay Heath knocked down a triple from the wing.
Notre Dame had a chance to tie it in the final seconds after Boston College guard Derryck Thornton missed the front end of a one-on-one, but Gibbs missed his first three attempt and Boston College held on for a 73-72 victory.
Gibbs came up short at the end, but his strong second half is why the Irish were even in it in the first place. The senior finished the game with 22 points and six assists, with 18 of those points coming in the final twenty minutes.
Mooney finished the game with 16 points and 18 rebounds, and Durham added eights points of his own, making all four of his shot attempts. That trio combined to go 15-27 from the floor, but the rest of the Notre Dame roster shot just 8-31 from the field.
The backcourt got it done for the Eagles, with Thornton scoring 19 points on 9-12 shooting. Heath went 4-6 from deep as part of his 16-point output, and Jared Hamilton came off the bench to score 13 on 6-8 shooting. Boston College finished the game 30-61 from the floor.
Forward Steffon Mitchell led Boston College with 11 rebounds.
Notre Dame falls to 6-3 overall and 0-2 in ACC play. The Irish return to action Tuesday night at 7:00 PM (Eastern) when they host Detroit Mercy (1-7).
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/IrishMaven/
