Notre Dame Triumphs Over N.C. State
In a thrilling contest on Saturday in South Bend, Notre Dame secured a 96-90 victory over North Carolina State, much to the delight of their home crowd. The standout performance came from Cole Certa, who was instrumental in the win, pouring in 32 points, including a crucial 12 during overtime. Alongside him, Jalen Haralson contributed 25 points, proving vital in the Fighting Irish’s comeback efforts.
Impact on N.C. State’s Season
This defeat complicates matters for N.C. State in their pursuit of a top-four finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which would grant them a bye in the quarterfinals of the upcoming ACC Tournament. Currently holding a record of 19-10 and 10-6 in conference play, the Wolfpack have now slipped to seventh place in the standings with just two regular-season games remaining.
Game Highlights
During the first half of the game, N.C. State maintained the lead and entered overtime looking strong, but it was Notre Dame’s surge late in the match that proved decisive. Certa shone in the extra period, draining three three-pointers, pushing the Irish ahead 93-88 with just over a minute left on the clock. N.C. State, on the other hand, faltered from long range in overtime, making only one of their eight attempts.
As the clock wound down, two free throws from Certa capped off the game and finalized Notre Dame’s remarkable comeback after they had been trailing for most of the evening.
Regulation play ended with a thrilling finish, including a tying sequence where Haralson netted two free throws, equalizing the score at 81 with only seconds remaining before Darrion Williams of the Wolfpack missed a last-second three-point attempt to win the game.
Player Performances
Throughout the match, Ven-Allen Lubin was a strong presence for N.C. State, recording a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Other notable contributions came from Williams and Quadir Copeland, both scoring 17 points, while Paul McNeil Jr. added 11 to the tally.
For Notre Dame, Braeden Shrewsberry and Sir Mohammed chipped in 16 and 10 points, respectively. The game also held special significance as it was senior day for players Carson Towt, Kebba Njie, and Matt MacLellan, adding an emotional layer to the home team’s victory. With this win, Notre Dame evened the historic series against the Wolfpack, tying it at 11 victories apiece.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, N.C. State faces a tough finish to the regular season, with home games against the top-ranked Duke on Monday and Stanford next Saturday. Meanwhile, Notre Dame will host Stanford on Wednesday before traveling to Boston College for their final regular-season game.
