FORT WORTH, Texas (Interstat) — In a game defined by dramatic momentum swings and a final possession that hung in the balance, Notre Dame escaped Dickies Arena with an 87-85 overtime victory over Texas Christian on Friday night in a nonconference men’s basketball thriller.

The contest, played before an announced crowd of 5,706, saw the Horned Frogs dominate the first half with pace and pressure, only for the Fighting Irish to mount a methodical second-half comeback, force overtime, and finally secure the win at the free-throw line in the extra period’s closing seconds.

Texas Christian established its game early, leveraging its transition offense to build a lead. The Horned Frogs scored 17 fastbreak points to Notre Dame’s three and turned 20 points off turnovers, consistently capitalizing on Irish mistakes. A blistering first-half shooting performance, particularly from guard Jayden Pierre, propelled TCU to a 45-36 halftime advantage. Pierre finished with 17 points, while forward David Punch and guard Brock Harding provided steady offense, with Punch scoring 20 points and Harding adding 12 points and eight assists.

The second half, however, belonged to Notre Dame’s resilience and shot-making. The Irish, who shot effectively from the perimeter throughout the night, began to chip away at the deficit behind the hot hand of Cole Certa. The guard scored 20 points, with a significant portion coming from beyond the arc during the Irish rally. Notre Dame’s offense, which had been stymied by TCU’s pressure, began to find its rhythm, outscoring the Horned Frogs 40-31 in the period.

The final minutes of regulation were a tense back-and-forth affair. With the score tied and under 10 seconds remaining, Notre Dame’s Jalen Haralson hit a stepback jump shot to put the Irish ahead 78-76. TCU inbounded the ball and called a timeout with 8.8 seconds left. Out of the break, the Horned Frogs executed a play for Pierre, who was fouled on a shot attempt with 0.9 seconds on the clock. He calmly sank the first free throw to cut the lead to one but missed the second, sending the game to overtime tied at 78.

The overtime period was a defensive struggle, with both teams trading blows. Notre Dame’s Braeden Shrewsberry, who had 15 points and four assists, hit critical free throws down the stretch. With the Irish clinging to an 86-85 lead and 8.8 seconds left in overtime, Shrewsberry was fouled and sent back to the line. He made the first free throw but missed the second, leaving the door open for TCU.

The Horned Frogs secured the rebound and called their final timeout to advance the ball. On the ensuing inbounds play, TCU worked the ball inside to David Punch, but his contested hook shot in the lane missed as time expired, sealing the Notre Dame victory.

Haralson led all scorers with 20 points for Notre Dame and added nine assists, orchestrating the offense throughout the night. Carson Towt provided a crucial interior presence with 13 points. For TCU, Micah Robinson joined Punch and Pierre in double figures with 13 points.

The most pivotal sequence of the game occurred in the final seconds of regulation and the beginning of overtime. Haralson’s clutch jumper appeared to be a game-winner, only for Pierre’s pressure free throws to extend the contest. In overtime, with both teams fatigued, it was Notre Dame’s ability to draw fouls and convert at the line—and one final defensive stand—that ultimately decided the outcome.

Notre Dame improved to 7-3 with the win, while Texas Christian fell to 5-3. The game’s total of 172 points far exceeded the pregame over/under line of 139. According to Interstat’s ELO system, TCU had entered the game with a 75.10 percent probability to win.

Notre Dame returns home to face Idaho on Dec. 10. Texas Christian travels to face North Texas on Dec. 7.