Cole Certa’s Heroics Not Enough as Notre Dame Falls to No. 17 Virginia in Double OT Thriller
If you were anywhere near South Bend on Tuesday night, you could feel it - that electric, late-January college hoops buzz. Notre Dame had a shot at making a serious statement.
A win over No. 17 Virginia would’ve been more than just another tally in the “W” column.
It would’ve marked the Irish’s first ACC home win of the season, their second straight victory, and - perhaps most notably - head coach Micah Shrewsberry’s first win over a ranked opponent since taking over in South Bend.
For a good chunk of the night, it looked like that milestone was in reach.
The Irish came out swinging, and it was the backcourt duo of Braeden Shrewsberry and Cole Certa that set the tone early. Both guards poured in 15 points in the first half, slicing up Virginia’s usually disciplined defense. Notre Dame built a 44-35 halftime lead, and the Joyce Center crowd could feel something special brewing.
But if there's one thing Virginia does better than just about anyone, it's staying composed. The Cavaliers clawed their way back in the second half, eventually taking a late lead in a game that turned into a punch-for-punch slugfest.
With under a minute to go, Sam Lewis drilled a three to put Notre Dame up 70-69. But the Irish coughed up a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play, and Virginia capitalized with a go-ahead layup.
Certa, unfazed, responded with a deep three to reclaim the lead. It was that kind of night for the 6'5" guard from Leroy, Illinois - big moment, big shot, rinse and repeat.
Virginia tied it up at the line with 18 seconds left, and after a timeout with 8.6 on the clock, Notre Dame had two cracks at a game-winner. Neither fell. Overtime.
In the first extra frame, Notre Dame struck first with four quick points. Virginia answered with three of their own, and the crowd stayed on edge.
Then Certa - again - rose to the moment, burying another triple to make it 80-76. He added a pair of clutch free throws to keep the Irish ahead.
But Notre Dame chose not to foul up three, and Sam Lewis made them pay, knocking down a game-tying three to send it to a second overtime.
That second OT was a grind. Neither team could pull away.
Certa and Shrewsberry kept attacking, and Jalen Haralson’s and-one gave the Irish a 91-89 lead with two minutes left. But Virginia answered - as they had all night.
Chance Mallory hit a deep three to swing the lead back their way. Certa responded with a driving layup.
Virginia hit two more free throws. Back and forth it went.
With under a minute to play, Notre Dame trimmed the deficit to one from the line. But Sam Lewis - who had a knack for timely buckets all night - scored again to make it 98-95. Notre Dame called timeout with 12.2 seconds left, setting up one last play.
The ball found Certa. The look was there. The shot wasn’t.
Virginia secured the rebound, got fouled, and iced the game at the line.
Certa was spectacular, finishing with 34 points on 10-of-19 shooting. He was relentless, fearless, and just about everything you'd want from a lead guard in a high-pressure game.
But Virginia had firepower of their own. Thijs De Ridder led the Cavaliers with 32 points and was one of four players in double figures.
For Notre Dame, this one stings. They were coming off a win over Boston College and were hoping to ride that momentum into a season-defining upset.
Earlier wins over Missouri, TCU, and Stanford in December showed flashes of what this team could be. But a five-game skid to start January has made the road uphill.
Now, they’ll try to regroup on the road. Next up: a trip to Syracuse on Saturday, followed by a visit to Louisville on February 4.
Virginia, meanwhile, will look to build on this gutsy win as they head to Boston College for their next matchup.
Tuesday night in South Bend was a reminder of what college basketball can be - tense, emotional, unpredictable. For Notre Dame, it was almost a breakthrough. For Virginia, it was another test passed in their climb up the ACC ladder.