SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a staggering reversal of momentum, Notre Dame rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to stun Boston College 68-64 in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at a sold-out Joyce Athletic Center.

The Eagles, who led 35-24 at halftime and extended their advantage to 45-28 with 16:10 remaining, appeared in complete control. But the Fightin’ Irish, fueled by a relentless defensive effort and a decisive advantage at the free-throw line, mounted a 40-19 run over the final 16 minutes to snatch a victory that seemed improbable for much of the afternoon.

The most critical phase of the game began with Boston College holding a commanding 45-28 lead. From that point, Notre Dame’s offense, which had been stagnant and inefficient, suddenly found its rhythm. The Irish attacked the basket aggressively, drawing fouls and capitalizing at the stripe. Simultaneously, their defense tightened, forcing the Eagles into a series of contested shots and untimely turnovers. Over the next nine minutes, Notre Dame outscored Boston College 28-8, erasing the massive deficit and taking a 56-53 lead on a Cole Certa free throw with 5:59 to play. This 28-8 run completely transformed the game’s complexion and shifted all momentum to the home team.

Boston College’s offensive struggles were stark, particularly in the second half where they shot just 29 points on 39.3% from the field. For the game, the Eagles managed only two assists against nine turnovers, highlighting a stagnant offensive flow. Notre Dame, while not shooting much better overall, leveraged 12 offensive rebounds into second-chance opportunities and made 14 of 22 free throws compared to Boston College’s 9-of-14 performance. The Irish also won the possession battle, scoring 68 points on 65 possessions for an offensive rating of 103.9, while the Eagles posted a 96.0 rating with 64 points on 67 trips.

Fred Payne led Boston College with 18 points, while Donald Hand added 17 and Luka Toews scored 14. The Eagles’ offense, however, became increasingly reliant on isolation plays as the game progressed.

Notre Dame was carried by the tandem of Braeden Shrewsberry and Jalen Haralson. Shrewsberry, a hometown product from Granger, Indiana, scored a game-high 22 points, including a crucial 3-pointer with 1:26 left that pushed the Irish lead to 64-61. Haralson, from Anderson, Indiana, was a force inside, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds, consistently scoring in the paint during the comeback.

The final minutes were a tense affair of free throws and defensive stops. After Shrewsberry’s 3-pointer, Hand answered with a triple of his own to tie the game at 64 with 2:41 remaining. The teams then traded scoreless possessions until Shrewsberry was fouled with 7 seconds left. He calmly sank both free throws to give Notre Dame a 66-64 lead. Following a Boston College timeout, the Eagles were assessed a technical foul for a bench infraction with 2 seconds remaining. Certa made both technical free throws to seal the four-point margin.

The victory improves Notre Dame to 11-9 overall and provides a significant boost in ACC play. Boston College falls to 9-11, seeing a two-game winning streak snapped in devastating fashion after leading for over 38 minutes of game time. The Eagles had won their previous two contests, including an overtime victory over Syracuse.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Notre Dame entered the game with a 75.9% probability to win, a projection that looked vastly mistaken for 30 minutes before the Irish’s furious rally made it prophetic.

Attendance at the Joyce Athletic Center was 5,248. Notre Dame next hosts Virginia on Tuesday. Boston College returns home to face Virginia next Saturday.