Key Takeaways From Virginia's 100-97 Win Over Notre Dame

Virginia survives on the road against the Fighting Irish after an epic comeback victory that was led by their second-half offense. While the Cavaliers didn’t shoot the ball the best in the game, they were able to use the free-throw line and paint to their advantage. Virginia had 36 points in the paint and made 28 free throws. That was massive in allowing the Hoos to establish a rhythm and get back into it. Let’s take a look at some key takeaways from the victory.

1. Virginia erases a 19-point lead to make a major comeback

The Cavaliers struggled in the first half of the game and went just 3-12 from beyond the arc. However, the Cavaliers did a great job of responding in the second half of the game. The Hoos went on a 13-2 run in the second half to get back into the game. Their second half offense got it together and was key in helping them to their resurgence in the game. Virginia scored 100 points for the first time since 2007 after winning in double overtime. They did it with the three-ball and dominance in the paint. It was a collective effort, and they had several stretches where they were able to slow down Notre Dame to get back into the game. The comeback win showed the mental fortitude the Cavaliers have as a team.

2. Thijs De Ridder hits a career-high 32 points

It was a tough game for De Ridder when it came to fouls and staying in the game, but he was massive offensively when he was in the game. De Ridder carried the scoring load offensively in the first half, scoring 14 points on 4-8 shooting. He finished with a career-high 32 points. He did a lot of his damage at the free-throw line, going 14-15 from the charity stripe. De Ridder also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out three assists. His play was pivotal in helping the Cavaliers pull out the victory.

3. Notre Dame was red hot from the field in the first half

The Fighting Irish couldn’t miss in the first half of the game. They led by as many as 19 points and gave the Hoos all they could handle. They were scorching from beyond the arch, going 8-13 from three-point range and 15-26 from the field. The Irish used their ball movement and sharing of the basketball to get going. Notre Dame had eight assists on 15 made baskets in the first half of the game. Two players knocked down at least three-point field goals in the first half.

4. The Fighting Irish was led by Breden Shrewsberry and Cole Certa

The duo combined for 30 points in the first half. Shrewsberry had 15 points on 5-8 shooting. Shrewsberry went 4-4 from beyond the arc. Certa scored 15 points on 5-7 shooting from the floor. Certa went off in the second half of the game and finished with 24 points on 10-19 shooting from the floor. He was the go-to player on offense throughout the year for the Fighting Irish. Shrewsberry slowed down in the second half and only scored three points in the second half of the game. Besides the duo, Notre Dame had two other scorers in double figures in Brady Koehler and Jalen Haralson, who were spark plugs for Notre Dame.

5. Virginia bench carries the Cavaliers on the road

Virginia had a +30 advantage in bench points on Tuesday night and outscored the Fighting Irish 33-3. Chance Mallor once again was massive for the Cavaliers off the bench and knocked down huge shots for the Hoos, especially in overtime. His late three-pointer tied the game up and gave the Hoos a chance to send the game to another overtime. Mallory finished with 17 points on 5-9 shooting and went 3-6 from long range. Devin Tills was another huge contributor off the bench for the Cavaliers, finishing with 12 points and going 5-6 from the free-throw line. He made a big impact for the Cavaliers off the bench.

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