Can the Fighting Irish's Overtime Surge Be the Season's Turning Point?
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish emerged victorious in a closely contested battle against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, with a final score of 75-68. The Fighting Irish now stand with an improved record, while the Yellow Jackets face another setback. The game was pushed into overtime after both teams ended regulation time locked in a tie.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish displayed resilience at Hank McCamish Pavilion, overcoming challenges to secure their win. A critical factor in their success was their exceptional free throw accuracy, hitting 19 out of 21 attempts which translates to an impressive 90 percent conversion rate. This performance from the charity stripe proved vital in clinching their victory during overtime where they outscored Georgia Tech by seven points.
Notre Dame also dominated on the boards with a total of 48 rebounds compared to Georgia Tech's 33. The offensive glass saw them grab 12 rebounds leading to crucial second-chance opportunities that resulted in 10 second-chance points. Defensively, they were just as effective with 32 defensive rebounds helping limit Georgia Tech's scoring chances.
Offensively, Notre Dame had a field goal percentage of 39 percent making 24 out of their total attempts and were able to convert eight three-pointers at a rate of about one-third success from beyond the arc. Their efforts inside were notable too; they racked up an impressive tally of points in paint totaling at two dozen.
On defense, Notre Dame managed five steals and blocked one shot but perhaps more importantly showed discipline by committing only twelve personal fouls throughout the game duration which spanned over three hours and forty-five minutes including overtime play.
Georgia Tech put up a strong fight as well; they recorded ten steals and assisted on twenty baskets showing good ball movement throughout the match-up. However, despite attempting more field goals than Notre Dame (72), their shooting percentage was slightly lower at thirty-eight percent overall and thirty-one percent from three-point range.
As fans look ahead for Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s next challenge, attention turns towards Purcell Pavilion where they will host Florida State Seminoles on January thirteenth at two fifteen PM Eastern Time. This home game promises another exciting college basketball experience for supporters who can catch all live action broadcasted nationally on The CW network.