Notre Dame Knocks Off Duke 84-79 In Overtime
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Notre Dame showed the heart of a defending champion in knocking off Duke 84-79 in overtime Thursday at the ACC Tournament.
Notre Dame junior small forward V.J. Beachem came through with four three-pointers en route to 19 points, and senior center Zach Auguste had 19 points and school-record 22 rebounds. The latter also helped create major foul issues throughout the game for Duke’s inside players.
Notre Dame (21-10) was the aggressor from the opening tip of overtime, literally, in taking it to Duke (23-10). The Fighting Irish advanced to play North Carolina at 7 p.m. Friday in the semifinals at the Verizon Center.
Notre Dame topped UNC in the ACC Tournament title game last year, and won 80-76 on Feb. 6 in South Bend this season. The Fighting Irish relish being the underdog, and they will once again, but also have a three-game winning streak against the Tar Heels.
“We will certainly be the underdog tomorrow night, even though we beat them,” Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey said. “We know how to handle that role. We handled it in the Big East and now we got it in the ACC. It fits well.”
Notre Dame has now won five of its last six meetings against Duke, including winning during the Fighting Irish’s historic run to the league title in Greensboro, N.C., last year. Notre Dame swept the season series after defeating Duke 95-91 Jan. 16 in Durham, N.C.
“I’m not going to be intimidated by the aura because I was part of it,” Brey said. “I think I’ve been able to help with the preparation of that. With what that program represents, nobody respects it more than me.
“It is just credibility for us when we do it. To do it in the postseason in this tournament, two years in a row, that’s huge.”
Notre Dame has won nine straight games against the four Tobacco Road rivals, and 12 out of last 13. Brey also relished that a potential round three of Duke versus North Carolina got interrupted again for the second year in a row.
“We are good at spoiling [bleep],” Brey said. “This nucleus of guys has been doing this for a while. That was reminiscent of us in the postseason last year.
“They remember what it felt to win a championship and cut a net down. I’m sure they are talking about cutting a net down in D.C., which would be great because I kind of like this town.”
Auguste’s ability to produce and get help have both Duke centers foul out — senior Marshall Plumlee and freshman Chase Jeter — helped set the tone for Notre Dame.
“He is a free spirit, who is a high-emotion guy and borderline crazy,” Brey said. “I love him. He plays with a great edge about him, and he really lifts his teammates with that great edge. I don’t think there is a player in the country playing better than Zach Auguste the last three weeks.”
Noter Dame also held Duke to just 30.0 percent shooting from the field during the second half, and 34.2 for the game.
“How we defended in the second half was the key,” Brey said. “That’s the best we’ve played our man-to-man defense all season, against a really potent offensive attack.”
The shooting percentage would have been lower for the Blue Devils if not for the dominating first half by sophomore guard Grayson Allen. He made 4 of 8 three-pointers en route to 18 first-half points and helped make up for the sluggish start. He finished with 27 before fouling out in overtime.
Duke might not have come out sharp in the first half, but Allen made sure they led 45-37 at halftime. The Blue Devils only shot 42.4 percent from the field, but hit four more three-pointers and made six more free throws than Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish also committed 10 turnovers in the first half to help undue their 55.6 percent shooting.
Duke stretched its lead to 15 points after Allen his his fifth three-pointer of the game, 61-46, and Notre Dame’s backs were against the proverbial wall with 13:36 left in the second half.
“I think getting us into man-to-man and our life was flashing before our very eyes, so we really guarded,” Brey said. “Maybe we can start a game thinking our life is flashing before our very eyes tomorrow night.”
After Duke went up 15, the Blue Devils went cold from the field — even Allen from deep. The Blue Devils had a déja vu of the first half when it came to foul issues between Plumlee and freshman combo forward Brandon Ingram.
Ingram picked up his fourth foul with 12:38 left to continue his rough outing. Plumlee also picked up his fourth foul with 9:57 left, and he came out with Duke leading 64-49. Duke had both on the floor for the final seven and a half minutes.
Notre Dame broke out of its mini-slump with Beachem hitting a three-pointer and sophomore power forward Bonzi Colson getting a fast-break layup off a Duke turnover. The momentum and energy changed for the Fighting Irish, who cut the lead to 64-58 with 6:25 left.
“That is what turned the tide for us,” Beachem said. “It was really our defense that helped us turn the tide.”
Auguste later added back-to-back baskets inside and Notre Dame was alive and well on a slow and methodical 16-3 run that cut Duke’s lead to 64-62 with 4:31 left.
“It was tough and I got to give a lot of credit to them, and they are big bodies, physical and love to battle in the paint,” Auguste said. “I took that challenge upon myself individually.”
Plumlee eventually fouled out with 3:12 left on the next possession, after Notre Dame junior point guard Demetrius Jackson drove into the lane. He drained both free throws to cut the lead to 66-64 and set up an exciting finish.
Beachem gave Notre Dame the lead on a three-pointer, but then Ingram quickly matched it and Duke clung to a 69-67 lead. After Ingram split a pair of free throws, Beachem again got loose for a three-pointer tying the game 70-70 with 1:04 left in what proved to be the last basket of regulation.
“I’ve been known my whole life of being a quiet guy, but I just try and let my play speak for me,” Beachem said. “I just have a laid back demeanor. To knock down some big shots was big for me and for the team.
“We are very, very excited about the opportunity, and that is something coach has talked about. We want to get more nets.”