Progrums

Notre Dame’s Hoops Collapse Costs Them ACC Tournament Spot

In a season best forgotten, Notre Dame’s men’s basketball squad saw its hopes end with a 77-69 loss at Boston College, guaranteeing its first ACC Tournament absence since the conference’s last expansion. The Irish led early but buckled in the second half, surrendering 47 points after BC’s Fred Payne nailed a go-ahead three with eight minutes remaining. Freshman Jalen Haralson led ND with 21 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Payne’s game-high 24. Finishing 13-18 overall and 4-14 in ACC play, Notre Dame joins Boston College and Georgia Tech as non-qualifiers in a season marked by blown leads, injuries, and unfulfilled potential. With Micah Shrewsberry’s tenure on the line, the offseason portal may be ND’s only salvation.

Forget the fight song—this year’s playlist is just a loop of crickets. Notre Dame’s basketball program managed to turn “Cinderella story” into “pumpkin at midnight” territory, as every potential spark was swiftly doused by defensive lapses and portal departures faster than you can say “free agency.” The Irish spent more time drafting hot takes than drawing up plays, and their grand strategy seemed to involve passing the ball to the opponent on every key possession. Next year, they plan to add some new faces—because if there’s anything college basketball loves, it’s more auditions for the bench. Here’s hoping the team’s offseason moves include a time machine to redo this mess.