Notre Dame Holds Off Men's Basketball, 81-75

Wednesday, December 7

South Bend, IN

7 PM

Boston University

5-5,0-0Patriot

Notre Dame

7-2,0-1ACC

Boston U.

Notre Dame

Photo by: Marcus Snowden

December 7, 2022 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Coach Jones Postgame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Seeking its first win over the ACC since 2013, the Boston University men's basketball team forced a disciplined Notre Dame squad into a season-high 16 fouls while flushing 12 3-pointers but ultimately came up just short to the Irish, 81-75, on Wednesday night at Purcell Pavilion.

ND shot 26-of-53 (.491) from the field and more importantly 20-of-24 (.833) at the charity stripe to improve to 7-2 on the season, as the Terriers dropped to 5-5 on the year. BU shot 52.0 percent in the second half to help cut a 16-point deficit to six with 4:12 remaining and later five at 1:46, but ND scored nine of its 14 second-chance points during the final 20 minutes to claim the win.

Playing for the first time in his home state, senior Ethan Brittain-Watts flushed a career-high 19 points with the help of five 3-pointers, while both graduate student Walter Whyte and senior Nevin Zink tallied 13 points apiece. Sophomore Malcolm Chimezie helped BU win the battle at the boards, 35-31, with a season-high eight rebounds.

Comac Ryan led the Irish with 21 points by hitting all four 3-point attempts, while Trey Wertz and JJ Sterling combined for 31 points. Nate Laszewski was one point and one rebound shy of a double-double.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After Brittain-Watts nailed his first 3-pointer for an early 3-2 advantage, the Terriers missed their next seven field goal attempts but only trailed, 10-3, after Ryan scored from behind the arc at 14:33.
BU chipped away to cut the deficit to 16-14 four minutes later on Whyte's jumper, but ND netted three treys and two free throws to grab a 27-14 lead with 7:24 remaining in the half.
Facing a 36-26 deficit with 38 seconds left, Brittain-Watts netted two free throws and helped BU force a shot clock violation, which led to junior Miles Brewster drawing a foul and adding a free throw at three seconds.
Brittain-Watts kept the run going, flushing two bombs to start the second half with Tynen hitting a jumper and Whyte adding another 3-pointer to grab the 40-38 lead at 17:40.
ND responded with three straight 3-pointers to ignite a 24-6 run capped by Wertz's layup at 11:22.
Trailing, 72-58, with 5:19 remaining, BU mounted one last rally with eight straight points, including a second 3-pointer from junior Caelan Jones at 4:12.
Whyte put the deficit at five at 1:46 (75-70) and 1:11 (77-72), respectively. on free throws.
BU followed with a defensive stop, but ND blocked a 3-pointer attempt and forced a turnover after hitting one free throw to seal the win.

GAME NOTES

Brittain-Watts topped his previous high of 13 points and three made field goals by shooting 5-of-10 from behind the arc to lead BU in scoring for the first time in his career.
Brittain-Watts has now scored in double figures four times this season after accomplishing the feat four times over his first three years.
With four rebounds, Whyte moved up to No. 10 all-time in the program record book at 706 career boards.
Zink scored in double figures for the third time this season.
Chimezie made his first career start.
ND improved to 4-0 all-time after winning the first meeting since a 74-67 victory in 2008. All four contests have taken place in South Bend.
Besides outscoring the Terriers in second-chance opportunities (14-6), ND edged BU in points off turnovers, 14-12.
ND overcame a 24-22 deficit in points in the paint and 12-9 disadvantage in made 3-pointers with a 20-11 lead in free throws.

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