Field Level Media
Jan 4, 2020
John Mooney tied a career-high with 28 points to go along with 14 rebounds and hit the go-ahead basket with 36 seconds left as visiting Notre Dame edged Syracuse 88-87 on Saturday afternoon.
The Fighting Irish (10-4, 1-2 ACC) won for the fourth time in five games and posted consecutive wins in Syracuse for the first time since 1990 to 1992 thanks to Mooney's latest monster day.
Mooney posted his 11th double-double as he shot 11 for 21 from the floor. None were bigger than his hoop that snapped an 84-84 tie.
With 47 seconds left, Dane Goodwin missed a jumper in the paint and Mooney got the offensive board. His jumper with 41 seconds left was blocked by Quincy Guerrier but he outmuscled Guerrier and Elijah Hughes and gave Notre Dame the 86-84 lead.
After a timeout, Hughes missed a layup that Mooney contested with 21 seconds left and Prentiss Hubb hit two free throws three seconds later.
Buddy Boeheim and Hughes missed 3-pointers in a span of six seconds left but Joseph Girard III hit a contested 3-pointer with one second left.
Girard thought he was fouled by Goodwin but officials deemed he flopped on the play and the game ended.
Hubb added 22 points and T.J. Gibbs contributed 21 as Notre Dame shot 44.9 percent and hit 15 3-pointers. Hubb and Gibbs each made six.
Boeheim led Syracuse (8-6, 1-2) with 23 points while Girard contributed 20. Hughes added 19 as Syracuse shot 48.4 percent and also hit 15 3-pointers.
Notre Dame took a 64-56 lead with 10:13 remaining when Mooney, Gibbs, and Hubb hit 3-pointers in a span of 71 seconds. Syracuse quickly countered with eight straight points and forged a 64-64 deadlock on a 3-pointer by Hughes with 8:40 left.
Mooney's layup put Notre Dame ahead 70-69 with 5:32 remaining but Girard scored Syracuse's next 10 points to give the Orange a 79-75 edge with 3:37 left
Syracuse shot 50 percent and hit 7 of 15 3-pointers and held a 40-37 lead by halftime when Guerrier hit a 3-pointer with 31 seconds left. Guerrier's 3-pointer occurred after Notre Dame raced out to a 20-11 lead on a 3-pointer by Hubb less than eight minutes in.
--Field Level Media