Jan. 24, 2017
By Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — No. 14/12 Notre Dame (17-4, 6-2 ACC) suffered its second loss in ACC play on Tuesday evening inside Purcell Pavilion, as the Irish fell to No. 12/13 Virginia (16-3, 6-2 ACC) by a final score of 71-54. The loss snaps Notre Dame’s 13-game home winning streak.
The Irish were led by junior forward Bonzie Colson, as the New Bedford, Massachusetts native scored 20 points against the Cavaliers on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor. Senior guard Steve Vasturia added 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in the loss.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Points were a premium in the first half on Tuesday evening, as both the Cavaliers and Irish played stifling defense in the opening 20 minutes of the game. Virginia jumped out to a seven-point lead at 14-7 after the first eight minutes of action but the Irish answered with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 16-16 with six minutes left in the first frame. The half was tight the remainder of the way, as Virginia took a 27-26 lead into the halftime intermission.
The Cavaliers had no answer for Colson in the first half, as the junior scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. At one point in the first frame the forward scored nine consecutive points for the Irish between the seven and two minute marks.
Virginia held its one-point advantage in the opening stages of the second stanza, leading 38-37 with 14:49 left in the game. Unfortunately for the Irish, that was as close as the team would get the rest of the way. The Cavaliers held a 54-49 lead with under seven minutes to play before finishing the contest on a run to win by a final of 71-54.
NOTRE DAME PLAYER OF THE GAME
Colson was Notre Dame’s best weapon on the offensive end on Tuesday, scoring a team-high 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting. The junior now has six games this season with 20 or more points. Colson added three rebounds, three blocks and a steal in the contest.
NOTRE DAME STAT OF THE GAME
Notre Dame finished the game with six blocks, tying for the third most in an outing this season. Colson and senior forward V.J. Beachem each totaled three to lead the Irish on the defensive end.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- Colson finished in double figures scoring for the 19th time this season and 46th time of his career.
- With 11 points, Vasturia has tallied double digits in the scoring column 17 times this season, including nine straight outings, and 68 times in his career.
- Beachem’s three blocks match a career high for the statistical category. The senior moved into the top 20 at Notre Dame for career blocks with 61.
UP NEXT
The Irish hit the road this weekend, as the team travels to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech. Tip is scheduled for noon on Saturday, Jan. 28. The game will air on ESPNU.
— ND —
Robby Hamman joined Fighting Irish Media as athletics communications assistant director in September 2016, coordinating efforts for the volleyball and men’s lacrosse program. Hamman is a 2010 graduate of Bethel College, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in sport management and business administration, and earned his master’s degree in business administration from Defiance College in 2013.