Notre Dame basketball: 3 takeaways from the MBB OT win over BC
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame basketball team needed overtime but was still able to take care of business against the Boston College Eagles on Wednesday night.
Going into their ACC matchup at home against the Boston College Eagles as ten-point favorites, it was clear early on that this was going to be a dogfight. Boston College, despite having some of their big men out, was up for the challenge inside Purcell Pavilion, a place that has yielded only one Notre Dame loss this season.
Needing overtime, the Irish were finally able to pull away from the Eagles, as big men Paul Atkinson Jr. and Nate Laszewski dominated the extra frame. In the end, Prentiss Hubb put the game away as the Irish moved back into a tie for first place in the ACC with the Duke Blue Devils.
Here, we look at some quick takeaways from the victory on Wednesday night.
Notre Dame basketball: 3 takeaways from the MBB OT win over BC
No. 1: Irish once again spread the wealth
With Nate Laszewski coming off the bench, and the Irish needing overtime to win, you knew there would be more than a few players in double-digits in this one. However, nobody could have expected that every player who played real minutes would score in double-figures, including Dane Goodwin, who led the way with 23 points.
In scoring 99 points in the game, the team shot nearly 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point land, and shot an amazing 39 free throws.
No. 2: Welcome Back Big Nate
Star forward Nate Laszewski came back this weekend against Clemson after missing a few games due to a knee contusion, and it was clear that he was feeling his way around getting back into action. Playing only 16 minutes against the Tigers, Big Nate ramped up his workload in this one, playing 33 minutes off the bench, and finishing with 16 points, including 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.
He and Paul Atkinson Jr. stepped up in a big way in overtime, and him being healthy will be crucial for the Irish down the stretch.
No. 3: Hubb in the clutch
Having a veteran point guard like Prentiss Hubb has proven to be huge for the Irish time and time again during his career, and on Wednesday night, he had another big moment inside Purcell Pavilion. Hubb was able to put the game away for the Irish, scoring the last six points, while showing ice in his veins, sinking four straight free throws to give the Irish the win.
Overall, this was just another example of why this Notre Dame basketball team is going to be such a hard out during tournament time. They are deep, have a ton of scorers, and when the big men need to step up and do their thing, they do not disappoint.
Welcome back to first place in the ACC!