NC State uses late free throw to slide past Notre Dame

Field Level Media|published: Wed 8th January, 21:37 2025

Jan 8, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Jayden Taylor (8) holds the ball during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

North Carolina State's Ben Middlebrooks made the second of two free-throw attempts to break a tie with 11 seconds left and the Wolfpack survived Notre Dame's final shot, winning 66-65 on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C.

NC State finished the game on a 10-2 run, with Notre Dame's Markus Burton missing on a would-be winner at the buzzer.

Marcus Hill scored 15 points to lead the Wolfpack (9-6, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who ended a two-game losing streak. Jayden Taylor poured in 14 points and Middlebrooks and Dontrez Styles both had 10 points.

All five Fighting Irish starters scored in double figures, led by Burton's 15 points. Tae Davis had 14, Braeden Shrewsberry posted 13, Matt Allocco notched 11 and Kebba Njie ended up with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Notre Dame (7-8, 1-3) has lost three games in a row, including two straight in which the Fighting Irish fell by one point after a late free throw. On Saturday, North Carolina went up 74-73 after a four-point play in the final seconds and prevailed when Burton missed a contested layup at the buzzer.

On Wednesday, NC State led for only 20 seconds in the second half until Middlebrooks's winning free throw.

Notre Dame went up 63-56 on Shrewsberry's 3-pointer with 3:39 left, but the Wolfpack notched the next five points before Allocco made two free throws to put the Fighting Irish ahead 65-61.

Middlebrooks answered with a pair of free throws and Hill tied the score with a drive with 1:07 left.

Shrewsberry missed a 3-pointer on Notre Dame's ensuing possession, and Middlebrooks was fouled late in the shot clock on NC State's next trip down the court.

The Fighting Irish, bolstered by an 11-0 run, led by as many as 10 points in the first half before going to the break with a 33-26 edge. They shot 52 percent from the field in the opening period.

The Wolfpack caught up for a 54-53 lead on a Middlebrooks 3-pointer with 7:40 to play. Davis responded with a layup, triggering a 7-0 Notre Dame run as the Wolfpack went more than three minutes without scoring.

--Field Level Media

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