NEWTON, Mass. (Interstat) — In a game emblematic of their respective challenging seasons, the Boston College Eagles mounted a furious second-half comeback to defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 77-69 in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Silvio O. Conte Forum.

A crowd of 5,029 watched as the Eagles, who trailed by three at halftime, exploded for 47 points after the break to erase a deficit that grew as large as 11 points and secure just their 11th win of the season against 20 losses. Notre Dame, which led 33-30 at intermission, fell to 13-18.

The most important part of the game was a decisive 17-2 run by Boston College early in the second half that completely flipped the contest’s momentum and established a lead the Eagles would not relinquish. After Notre Dame’s Jalen Haralson opened the half with a free throw to extend the Irish lead to 34-30, the Eagles’ offense, which had been stagnant, suddenly ignited. The surge began with a Boden Kapke hook shot and was quickly followed by a Fred Payne 3-pointer. A pull-up jumper from Luka Toews and a spectacular alley-oop from Chase Forte to Payne capped the run, giving Boston College a 39-34 advantage with 15:08 to play.

Notre Dame, which had controlled much of the first half behind the interior play of Brady Koehler and the scoring of Braeden Shrewsberry, went cold during the pivotal stretch, managing only a single Koehler 3-pointer over nearly five minutes of play. The Irish were plagued by turnovers and missed shots, allowing the Eagles to seize control.

Boston College guard Fred Payne, a junior from Grambling, Louisiana, was the catalyst for the victory, scoring a game-high 24 points. His performance was multifaceted, featuring clutch 3-point shooting, aggressive drives, and perfect 8-for-8 shooting from the free-throw line, including four makes in the final 14 seconds to seal the win. He added four assists and was a disruptive force defensively.

Notre Dame’s freshman standout Jalen Haralson from Anderson, Indiana, kept his team within striking distance, finishing with 21 points. His ability to attack the basket provided a consistent offensive threat, but the Irish struggled to find a complementary rhythm down the stretch.

The Eagles’ supporting cast delivered critical contributions. Chase Forte of Raleigh, North Carolina, scored 14 points, dished out four assists, and made several key defensive plays. The frontcourt tandem of Jayden Hastings (12 points, two blocks) and Boden Kapke (11 points) provided essential interior scoring and rebounding, helping Boston College withstand Notre Dame’s early physicality.

For the Fighting Irish, Braeden Shrewsberry of Granger, Indiana, scored 14 points, and Brady Koehler of Fishers, Indiana, added 10 points and two blocks. Their efforts, however, were overshadowed by a team-wide shooting slump in the game’s critical moments and an inability to contain Payne and the resurgent Eagles’ offense.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair defined by runs. Notre Dame built an early lead, but Boston College chipped away, setting the stage for the dramatic second-half reversal. The Eagles’ defensive intensity increased markedly after halftime, forcing Notre Dame into tougher shots and converting turnovers into transition opportunities.

With the victory, Boston College avenged a 68-64 loss to Notre Dame in South Bend just over a month ago on Jan. 24. The game’s total points, 146, exceeded the pregame over/under line of 140. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Notre Dame had entered the contest with a slight 53.4 percent probability to win.

Both teams now look ahead to the ACC tournament, where they will seek to salvage their seasons. The Eagles’ dramatic comeback provides a measure of momentum, while the Fighting Irish are left to ponder a game that slipped away in a torrent of second-half points by their opponent.