SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In a thrilling matchup on Saturday, Notre Dame triumphed over Pittsburgh with a score of 76-72, propelled by an impressive performance from Tae Davis, who recorded 21 points, while Markus Burton contributed 20 points to the victory.
Throughout the game, both teams saw tightly contested exchanges with no team leading by more than five points during the initial 33 minutes. With seven minutes remaining in the second half, the score stood even at 54. In a decisive stretch, Burton netted seven points and Davis chipped in four during an 11-2 run, allowing Notre Dame to pull ahead 65-56 with roughly four minutes left on the clock. Although the Fighting Irish succeeded with seven of their last nine shooting attempts, they faced difficulties in the final two minutes, managing only a single shot while committing two turnovers and frequently heading to the free-throw line.
Pittsburgh made a late surge, narrowing the deficit to 74-72 with just eight seconds left. However, J.R. Konieczny sealed the deal for Notre Dame by successfully converting two of the eight free throws the team executed in the closing 37 seconds of the game.
In the first half, Cameron Corhen dominated for Pittsburgh, scoring 12 of the team’s initial 21 points, putting the Panthers briefly in the lead by two with about 7.5 minutes to play. The rest of the half saw neither team stretching the lead beyond three points, resulting in a tie at 30 at halftime.
Additionally, Cole Certa emerged as a key player for Notre Dame, netting 12 points during a crucial 3.5-minute period in the second half where he was the sole scorer for his team. Konieczny was also effective, contributing 10 points. Davis showcased an excellent shooting performance, hitting 8 out of 11 attempts.
On the Pittsburgh side, Ishmael Leggett matched Davis with 21 points, supported by Corhen with 20 points, Jaland Lowe with 13, and Guillermo Diaz Graham chipping in 11, as the Panthers fell to 16-11 overall and 7-9 within the ACC.
This latest victory extends Notre Dame’s winning streak at home against Pittsburgh to five games; their previous encounter resulted in an 86-82 victory for the Panthers on January 9, 2016.
Looking forward, Pittsburgh will be hosting Georgia Tech on Tuesday, while Notre Dame is set to travel to face No. 18 Clemson on Wednesday.
