Notre Dame uses late surge to slide past Georgia Tech

Field Level Media|published: Tue 28th January, 23:37 2025

Jan 28, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Markus Burton (3) dribbles as Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Duncan Powell (31) and guard Javian McCollum (2) defend in the first half at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Markus Burton scored a game-high 26 points, helping Notre Dame rally for a 71-68 win over visiting Georgia Tech in Atlantic Coast Conference play on Tuesday in South Bend, Ind.

Burton also had four assists and three steals, while Braeden Shrewsberry added 15 points for the Fighting Irish (10-10, 4-5 ACC), who finished the game on a 16-6 run to earn their third win in four tries.

Georgia Tech (9-12, 3-7) was led by Naithan George's 20 points and five assists. Duncan Powell chipped in 18 points off the bench and Baye Ndongo collected 10 points and seven rebounds as the Yellow Jackets fell for the fifth time in six games.

Notre Dame trailed by seven with 5:35 left before Shrewsberry's 3-pointer was followed by Burton's pair of triples, giving the Fighting Irish a 64-62 lead with 1:49 remaining. After Georgia Tech committed a five-second violation, Kebba Njie's layup gave Notre Dame a 66-62 edge with 37 seconds left.

Tae Davis' free throws capped the Fighting Irish's 13-0 run and put them up 68-62 with 18 seconds left.

Lance Terry's layup with 13 seconds to go broke Georgia Tech's 5:22 scoreless stretch. Shrewsberry then made three free throws down the stretch to ice Notre Dame's comeback win.

Ndongo opened the second half with consecutive baskets before George knocked down a midrange jumper to give Georgia Tech a 43-37 edge. Burton scored six points during Notre Dame's ensuing 8-2 spurt that tied the game at 45 with 12:02 left.

The Yellow Jackets built a 55-49 lead after Ibrahim Souare's hook shot and Powell's 3-pointer. After Notre Dame trimmed its deficit to four, Powell's free throw and George's jumper extended Georgia Tech's lead to seven before the Fighting Irish rallied.

Ndongo's free throws gave Georgia Tech an early 11-5 lead before Shrewsberry's midrange jumper began a Notre Dame run that closed the Fighting Irish within 16-15.

George and Terry's baskets pushed Georgia Tech's lead to 26-20 with 7:41 left in the first half. After Powell's 3-pointer gave the Yellow Jackets a seven-point advantage, Notre Dame finished the first half on a 12-5 run, stamped with Matt Allocco's buzzer-beating 3-pointer that knotted the score at 37.

Shrewsberry and George paced their respective teams with nine first-half points apiece.

--Field Level Media