Notre Dame coach Mike Brey kept his outmanned Irish team in it at #4 UVA, but the ‘Hoos had just enough – just enough – to hold on for a 60-54 win.
Virginia (22-2, 10-2 ACC) had defeated Notre Dame (13-12, 3-9 ACC) 82-55 in South Bend last month, but the Cavaliers never could get separation in this one.
Brey went to a 2-3 zone after UVA’s first offensive possession, and the ‘Hoos shot just 37.9 percent from the floor in the first half, and led only 29-25 at the break.
There were two different times that it seemed Virginia would break things open. The Cavaliers led 39-30 on a Mamadi Diakite dunk with 14:58 to go, but Notre Dame answered with an 8-0 run over the next 2:37 to cut the margin to one.
Then the ‘Hoos opened up a 10-point lead, at 54-44, on a pair of De’Andre Hunter free throws with 4:54 left, but again, the Irish answered, cutting the deficit to two at two different points in the final minute.
Virginia finally closed the game out at the free-throw line, shooting 6-of-6 from the stripe in the final 23 seconds.
But, phew!
Kyle Guy led UVA with 22 points, shooting 7-of-15 from the floor and 4-of-10 from three-point range, playing all 40 minutes.
Hunter had an efficient 20 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 6-of-11 from the field.
Ty Jerome, the other member of Virginia’s Big Three, had an off-night: eight points, on 2-of-9 shooting, with three assists and three turnovers.
Virginia shot 36.5 percent (19-of-52) from the floor and 8-of-23 (34.8 percent) from three-point range.
Notre Dame got 17 points from T.J. Gibbs and 11 from John Mooney.
The Irish shot 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from the floor and 26.7 percent (8-of-30) from three.
Story by Chris Graham
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