SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s basketball team (9-10, 1-7) rallied twice down 24 to cut to six twice, but just couldn’t get over that final hump against Florida State (5-13, 3-4) on Tuesday night, falling 84-71. Both halves of basketball followed nearly the same script.
The Irish were eying the biggest comeback in program history. Down 32-8, the Irish rallied to cut it to 35-29 before settling for a 39-29 halftime deficit. In the second half, the Seminoles ballooned the lead back up to 24 at 66-42 before Notre Dame pulled off a 19-3 run, and later after a trio of threes, was only down 73-67 with 1:15 left.
For the second straight game grad transfer Marcus Hammond led the team in scoring and set a new season high with 19 points. He shot 7-of-17 from the floor and 5-of-12 from three. Right behind him was Trey Wertz with 15 points and team high five assists. Dane Goodwin continues to be Notre Dame’s best rebounder as of late, collecting eight boards to go with his 11 points. Lastly, JJ Starling was back in double figures with 12 points.
How It Happened
It was a tale of two halves in the first half. The first 10 minutes was all Florida State as the Seminoles started red-hot from the floor – 11-for-14 in fact and built a commanding 32-8 lead.
However, the Irish lived up to their fighting moniker and kept pushing and turned the tide. From 10:47 to 2:48, Notre Dame fired off a 21-3 run. It was sparked by Hammond who scored eight of his 10 first half points during that stretch.
The Seminoles who couldn’t miss at first, finished the 1st half on a 3-for-17 shooting stretch. The Irish, once down 24 points, cut the deficit to as low as six, before running into the locker-room at halftime down 10 at 39-29.
The second half was the same script. FSU outscored ND 17-7 to start and eventually pushed the lead back up to 24. Irish found some offensive rhythm thanks to a 12-point second half performance from Wertz, inspiring a 19-3 run which cut it to 69-61.
Starling, Hammond and Goodwin went back-to-back-to-back on treys and it was now just 73-67. The Irish sent the Seminoles to the free-throw line where they staved the nerves and converted, stymying the rally as the Irish fell 84-71.
Up Next
Notre Dame caps off the week with Boston College on Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. on RSN
— ND –