In a game that came down to the wire, Notre Dame fended off a determined Pittsburgh squad to claim a 76-72 victory at Purcell Pavilion on Saturday. The Fighting Irish, led by standout performances from Tae Davis and Markus Burton, survived a late-game scoring drought and a furious Pitt rally to secure the win.
The contest was a seesaw battle from the opening tip, with both teams trading blows and entering halftime tied at 30-30. Pittsburgh’s Cameron Corhen was a force early, finishing with 20 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting, while Ishmael Leggett added 21 points, including three three-pointers.
Notre Dame seized control in the second half, using a combination of sharp shooting and key defensive stops to build a 67-56 lead with just under three minutes remaining. But the Irish offense stalled in the final stretch, failing to make a field goal in the closing minutes. Instead, they relied on clutch free-throw shooting to hold off the Panthers, who had multiple opportunities to narrow the gap.
Pitt’s last chance to tie the game came in the final seconds, but a missed three-pointer dashed their hopes. Notre Dame’s J.R. Konieczny calmly sank two free throws with five seconds left to seal the victory, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Key Performances
Notre Dame:
- Tae Davis – 21 points (6-of-8 FG), 3 rebounds
- Markus Burton – 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
- Brady Certa – 12 points (3-of-4 from three-point range)
- Kebba Njie – 8 points, 7 rebounds, and a strong defensive presence in the paint
Pittsburgh:
- Ishmael Leggett – 21 points (8-of-14 FG), 3 three-pointers
- Cameron Corhen – 20 points, 7 rebounds
- Guillermo Diaz Graham – 11 points (3-of-5 from beyond the arc)
What It Means
For Notre Dame (12-15, 6-10 ACC), the win provides a much-needed boost after a challenging stretch of conference play. Freshman guard Markus Burton continues to shine as the team’s leader, while Tae Davis’ emergence as a reliable scorer offers hope for the future.
Pittsburgh (16-11, 7-9 ACC), meanwhile, finds itself in a precarious position as the postseason looms. Despite strong performances from Corhen and Leggett, the Panthers couldn’t overcome their late-game struggles.
Looking Ahead
Notre Dame will aim to build on this momentum as they hit the road to face Clemson on Wednesday, February 26, at 7 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, must regroup quickly as they look to finish the season strong.
Check out the full breakdown at the Len Zone!