Notre Dame Men’s Basketball: Irish drop another ACC game, 66-58 to Wake Forest

The 10-18 Fighting Irish came into Winston-Salem on Saturday, looking to end a 10-game road losing streak and prevent dropping a seventh game in a row.

Both teams alternated baskets to start the game but the Irish opened up 57% from the field (2-2 from 3pt) giving them a slight 10-8 lead just under five minutes in.

The Irish would continue the hot streak jumping out 17-10 before Wake Forest would stop the bleeding connecting from deep, making it 17-13 with just under 13 minutes left in the half. Goodwin would connect from deep with 12 minutes left but Wake Forest would answer with one of their own to bring it back within 2 20-18.

Wertz connects from beyond the arc, continuing Notre Dame’s hot streak from deep, and bringing the Irish to 4-4 from deep and a 23-18 lead heading into the timeout with just over 10 minutes in the half.

The Demon Deacons would heat up from deep hitting back-to-back threes and drawing them back within one, 25-24 with just over 8 minutes left in the half. After Ryan would connect twice from the free-throw line, with just over 7 minutes left Wake Forest would knot it up 27-27 with a nasty alley-oop.

Wake Forest would continue on a 14-2, getting out to a 32-27 lead before Ryan would connect from deep to silence the home crowd with just under 5 minutes left in the half to make it 32-30.

Both teams would alternate baskets in the final five minutes and the Irish would have a chance to knot it up in the final seconds, but the ref was not looking for Wertz’s pass so Notre Dame would enter the half down 39-36.

Halftime Stats:

ND: FG % 48.0 3PT: 5-11 FT% 87.5 Rebounds: 13 Assists: 6 Steals: 5

WF: FG % 42.9 3PT: 8-18 FT% 63.6 Rebounds: 19 Assists: 7 Steals: 2

Both teams would continue to alternate baskets early to start the second half, going to the big men underneath as the Demon Deacons would hold on to their 3-point lead 43-40 3 minutes into the half. The Irish after starting 4-4 from beyond the arc would cool off going 1-9 since that point. Both teams would go on a 2-and-a-half-minute scoring drought with the score holding 43-40 with just over 15 minutes remaining.

The scoring drought would continue until the 13:30 mark when Appleby would connect underneath for Wake Forest, which they would follow up with another connection from deep to jump out 48-40 with 12:48 left. Ryan would connect for the Irish ending their 6+ minute drought but it would be answered by a Demon Deacons three to push their lead to 9, 51-42.

Appleby would again connect from deep for Wake Forest with just under 10 minutes to go up 54-42. After Lubin would convert an and-one Appleby would again respond from deep holding a 57-47 lead. Goodwin would commit an intentional foul allowing the Demon Deacons to convert from the line and extend their lead to 59-47 with 8 minutes to go.

Wake Forest would continue to keep the Irish at arm’s length upping their lead to 63-49 with 4:57 left in the game. For the final five minutes, the Irish would attempt to cut into the lead with no avail. They would cut the lead to 9, 63-54 with just over a minute left to go but the Demon Deacons would let the clock run down on their remaining possessions.

Notre Dame would foul a few times in an attempt to make something of the game but would fall short 66-58. The Irish will enter their final two games 10-19 on the year.

Game Stats:

ND: FG % 39.6 3PT: 5-20 FT% 78.6 Rebounds: 32 Assists: 9 Steals: 7

WF: FG % 35.6 3PT: 12-33 FT% 63.2 Rebounds: 42 Assists: 13 Steals: 6