Quick Recap: Notre Dame loses ACC opener to Syracuse, 62-61

The Irish hoped to continue the momentum at home after a great win over Michigan St. Wednesday night. The Syracuse Orange came to town with a 3-4 record hoping to get back to even.

Opening the first half the Irish and the Syracuse Orange traded blows making 13-10 about 5 minutes in. Notre Dame made their living from deep opening 3-5 from beyond the arc. While the Irish would continue that trend, Syracuse continued to go underneath as Girard III was mostly held in check from deep early on. The Orange were able to take a lead with 11 minutes remaining in the first, just before it was knotted up 21-21 halfway through the first. Syracuse led in FG % with 65% from the field at this point but the Irish kept pace from 3-point range going 5-8 from deep. The first foul of the game did not come until just over 9 minutes remaining.

After trading baskets for the next few minutes Notre Dame would cool off, allowing the Orange to take and hold a 30-27 lead. The Irish would go almost 4 minutes without a basket before Cormac Ryan would break the cold streak with a 3 with just over 3 minutes remaining in the half making it 30-30. After a drive by Starling (which needs to happen on every possession) and a 3 by Goodwin, Notre Dame looked to take a 35-32 lead into the half. That was before Joseph Girard III hit a contested 3 to knot it up at 35 before the half (it was pretty smooth).

JJ Starling and Wertz would open the half with 3’s to pull out to a 41-38 lead. Girard would start to heat up from short range pulling the Orange back in front 42-41. Both teams would trade baskets before the Orange would take the lead 46-43. Lubin would then respond with a and one put back tying things up at 48 just over 5 minutes into the second half.

Both teams would slow the pace (including an Irish shot clock violation) for the next 5 minutes with both teams at the half-century mark with 10 minutes left in the game. Lubin around this time would start to make his presence known with some key rebounds and a nice finish on an alley-oop.

After a flopping technical on Syracuse, the Orange would still hold a narrow 54-53 lead. They would make it 56-53 before Ryan, looking to heat things up, hit a 2 from the top of the key to make it 56-55 with just under 6 minutes remaining. With 5 minutes remaining Syracuse would hold a 58-55 lead. With the way this game had been played, they would miss what felt like a dagger opportunity in an open 3-point shot with just over 4 minutes to go. Syracuse would get their biggest lead of the game with just over 2 minutes left pushing the score to 60-55. Ryan would wake up Notre Dame and the fans with a 3 to make it 60-58 with 1:16 left. After a great stop on defense, Marcus Hammond would hit a 2 from short to tie, plus added a foul to take the lead 61-60 with 30 seconds remaining.

Edwards would drive underneath for the Orange, taking the lead 62-61 with 13.3 seconds remaining. A review gave Notre Dame (who had no TOs) time to draw up one last chance. Syracuse with multiple fouls to give would take all 3 leaving the Irish with an inbound and 7.1 left. After great defense on the inbound Goodwin was left with a heavily contested 3 in the corner, which he was unable to connect on.

Notre Dame drops their first at home to Syracuse 62-61.