Tech rallies but falls to Notre Dame 84-80 to end the 2024 season

WASHINGTON, DC- Georgia Tech dug an early hole trailing by ten at halftime to Notre Dame and despite a furious comeback led by freshmen Naithan George and Baye Ndongo, the Jackets came up short losing for the third time this season to Notre Dame 84-80 in the opening game of the 2024 ACC Tournament.

Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudamire finished his first season with a 14-19 record following the loss.

“Proud of our guys for fighting back this evening. They did a really good job in the second half, and they gave us a chance to win the game,” Stoudamire said. “Unfortunately somebody has to win and somebody has to lose. That last minute we had a couple of turnovers. But the biggest thing is in playing against Notre Dame, it's like Groundhog Day, because we lost the second game to them on offensive rebounding, as well. Again, they got that offensive rebound, and we just couldn't overcome.”

George scored 24 points to lead all scorers on 8-13 shooting and a career-high in made three-pointers with five. He added seven assists and a steal, but two late turnovers led to Notre Dame free throws and a fastbreak layup as the exhausted Jackets ran out of steam. Tae Davis came up with the game-clinching steal for Notre Dame. George explained that Davis switched up how

"He weaked the ball screen, which pushed me back towards where all the traffic was. So I felt if I just took my time, pulled it back up, I could have found something better. But on the last possession he did, but the one before where I got the turnover, no," George said of the final turnover with seven seconds left.

The Jackets overcame a 17-point second half deficit to take the lead late in the game several times. Full court defensive pressure helped the Jackets go on the run to even out the game. Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry said his team struggled during the Tech second half run to adjust and match the energy.

"They were being really aggressive with their double-teams. They were trapping some ball screens. They were running -- they're a good offensive rebounding team, and we were boxing out and maybe came up with it, but then we were getting a little casual with our rebounds, and they were stealing it from behind," Shrewsberry said. Human nature sometimes sets in. A team that is down really gets aggressive, and the team that's up sometimes takes their foot off the gas and starts to coast, and you see leads like that change. That's what happened. So then everything starts going your way, like threes start falling. We were fouling and sending them to the free-throw line a little too much. They were getting offensive rebounds and some turnovers, and everything kind of snowballed, but we were able to kind of stymy it at the end."

Ndongo scored 22 points and added seven rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal in 35 minutes despite fasting for Ramadan and not even taking water during the game.

Senior guard Kyle Sturdivant scored 10 points in his final game as a Yellow Jacket off the bench. The veteran played 31 minutes in his final game and was proud walking off the court despite the undesired outcome.

“This group never gave up on each other no matter how high or how low the season may have went. I'm super proud to be a part of this program and be on this team,” Sturdivant said.

Notre Dame guard Markus Burton who won the ACC Freshmen of the Year scored 23 points, but was held to just six points in the second half along with four fouls all in the second half. Stoudamire said the defense started off slowly and that allowed Burton to get going.

“I think that on the catch means on the catch. Sometimes you've got to -- sometimes you might have to send a message and foul a guy, too, to let him know this is what it's going to be,” he said. “But I just think we were really too passive. Even a couple times on Burton, we were supposed to be trapping the ball, screening, our bigs are back. (Braeden) Shrewsberry, the same thing. You have to really get into a guy like him because he's a rhythm player, and he found his rhythm and got open. A couple of the other guys hit threes, but we can live with that. I have a motto: Threes beat you, twos don't. I think those early threes, it wasn't so much that for me, it's that you give guys confidence and you give them a rhythm.”

Notre Dame opened up the first half with hot shooting led by Burton’s 15 points. The Irish hit 6-11 from three and shot 62.1 percent from the field while Tech was just 3-11 from downtown and shot 44.4 percent, but did have nine assists and just four turnovers. Ndongo and George combined for 23 point of the 35 points the Jackets scored as they trailed by 10 at the break 45-35.

Shrewsberry led the Irish with 23 points hitting on 5-8 threes in 35 minutes. Tae Davis and Kebba Njie combined for 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Notre Dame ended the game shooting 12-23 from three and hitting 16 of 19 at the free throw line.

The Jackets were outrebounded 31-23 in the game. Tech had 18 assists on 27 made field goals, but shot just 29.6 percent from three (8-27).

Irish coach Shrewsberry was not in love with the idea of facing the Yellow Jackets a third time despite the positive outcomes.

First, I want to congratulate Georgia Tech. As I saw them in the bracket, it was a team I just didn't want to play them again. I got so much respect for Damon as a coach, his whole staff. They've played really, really well throughout this year, and he can coach, man. I knew it would be a really tough battle," Shrewsberry said. "But proud of our guys, proud of their effort. When we had to dig in and come back, we made some big-time plays."

Tech trailed by seven at the first media timeout thanks to some hot shooting early from Notre Dame, 12-5 with 15:59 left in the half. Notre Dame extended the run to 10-0 before Tech was able to respond with a Kelly basket. Naithan George helped Tech claw back into the game with 11 points during the next six-minute stretch to cut the Irish lead back to nine, 32-23 at the third media timeout with 6:49 left. Stoudamire called a timeout as the Irish increased the lead to 14, 39-25 on an easy bucket in the post with 3:57 remaining in the game. Tech cut the lead to 10 at the break 45-35 thanks to some free throws by Ndongo.

Turnovers and missed shots at the rim by Ndongo, George and Sturdivant helped waste a strong defensive effort to open the second half and the Irish expanded the lead back to 12 at the first media timeout with 15:39 remaining in the game. The Irish extended the lead to 17 before a Sturdivant three narrowed the lead to 65-51 with under 13 minutes to play. Tech pulled within 10 on a pair of free throws by Gapare and Kelly added a three after Notre Dame responded with a field goal from Burton to make it a nine-point game with 10:21 remaining. Tech used full-court pressure to force a turnover and Sturdivant made it a seven-point game. Tech continued the run on a three by Geoge where Burton fouled him (made the free throw) to make it a 70-67 game with 8:28 left. Ndongo hit a baby hook to make it a two-point game, but Shrewsberry hit a three to put the Irish back up five, 74-69. George stole the ball from Burton and hit a turnaround jumper to make it a 77-76 game. George scored on a turnaround to make it 78-77 Jackets giving Tech the first lead of the game with 4:24 left. After switching leads once, Notre Dame called a timeout with 2:23 left down 80-79. Coleman had a three roll in and out and Burton took the fastbreak the other way to give the Irish the lead 81-80 with 1:16 left. Stoudamire burned a timeout with 1:09 left. Tech turned the ball over with 57.3 left. Davis on a second chance was fouled by Coleman and hit both but the second was wiped out by an Irish lane violation. George committed his second straight turnover and Shrewsberry hit a pair of free throws to put the Irish up 84-80 with five seconds left.