Gibbs hits 5 3s, scores 28; Notre Dame beats Boston College 96-85
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – T.J. Gibbs scored 22 first-half points and finished with a career-high 28 as Notre Dame overcame a record-setting effort by Boston College’s Jerome Robinson and ended its longest losing streak in nine years with a 96-85 victory over the Eagles on Tuesday night.
Robinson finished with 46 points, shattering the 40-year-old standard for an opponent at Purcell Pavilion. Lowes Moore scored 40 points for West Virginia in January 1978.
Matt Farrell had 19 points and seven assists, and Martinas Geben added 16 points and 11 rebounds, as the Fighting Irish (14-10, 4-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) halted their skid at seven games.
Gibbs, a sophomore, went 8 of 11 from the field, including five 3-pointers, and 7 of 7 at the free-throw line, yet that was still overshadowed by Robinson, a junior who was 15-of-23 shooting, with seven 3-pointers, and 9 of 9 at the stripe.
Ky Bowman scored 11 points and Steffon Mitchell grabbed 11 rebounds for BC (14-10, 4-7).
Notre Dame led 60-42 with 14:32 to go, but the Eagles got as close at 70-68 with seven minutes left before the Irish pulled away, leading by as many as 15 in the closing minutes.
ND beat BC for the 10th straight time and avoided what would’ve been its longest losing streak since 1965-66.
BIG PICTURE
Notre Dame: The Irish strengthened their fading NCAA Tourney hopes with the win. Notre Dame still anticipates the return of injured Bonzie Colson – who is averaging 21.4 points in 14 games this season – in time for the ACC Tournament, if not before the end of the regular season. The Irish still own key opportunities to impress the NCAA committee, including away games with No. 2 Virginia and No. 21 North Carolina. They’ll have to keep winning, though. A year ago, Wake Forest made the NCAA field at just 9-9 in the ACC, although 10-8 Syracuse did not.
Boston College: The Eagles’ NCAA Tourney hopes were damaged with their fourth loss in five games. There aren’t many chances left, either, to impress the committee. BC’s only two remaining games against currently ranked teams will both come against No. 25 Miami.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame: The Irish are home Saturday to Florida State, one of just three games remaining this season at Purcell Pavilion.
Boston College: The Eagles host Miami on Saturday. BC is 12-2 at home, 4-2 in the league and also has just three home games left.