National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Ohio St. 64, Notre Dame 61
When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, December 21, 2013
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Officials: # Pat Driscoll, # Donnie Eppley, # Larry Scirotto
Attendance: 10138
By SportsDirect Inc.


No. 2 Ohio State 64, Notre Dame 61: LaQuinton Ross had 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Buckeyes rallied from eight points down in the final minute to win the final game of the Gotham Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York and remain unbeaten.

Amir Williams contributed 13 points and Shannon Scott had 10 points and six assists for Ohio State (12-0). Aaron Craft also scored 10 points and Lenzelle Smith Jr. scored all nine of his points in the final 45 seconds for the Buckeyes.

Jerian Grant scored 18 points to lead the Fighting Irish (8-4). Garrick Sherman added 14 points, Pat Connaughton scored 13 and Eric Atkins overcame foul trouble to finish with 10 for the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame turned it over three times in a 15-second span with just under a minute to play, allowing Ohio State to trim an eight-point deficit to two. Demetrius Jackson made two free throws with 39 seconds left to push the Irish's lead back to four, but Smith was fouled on a 3-pointer and sank them all to pull the Buckeyes within one.

Steve Vasturia, who had not taken a free throw all season, missed the front end of a one-and-one situation for Notre Dame and Smith made a layup on the other end for a 61-60 lead with 16 seconds left. Following another turnover by the Irish, Smith sank two more free throws to push the lead to three with nine seconds remaining.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Atkins, one of four players who averages double figures in scoring for Notre Dame, picked up his third foul with 2:30 left in first half and Sherman and Grant played out the final minutes of the first half with two. … The Buckeyes entered Thursday ranked No. 2 in the nation in 3-point field-goal defense (24.7) and held Notre Dame to 4-for-14. … Sherman has reached double figures in scoring in a career-high nine straight games.
Top Game Performances
 
Notre Dame   Ohio St.
Jerian Grant 18 Scoring LaQuinton Ross 16
Jerian Grant 4 Assists Shannon Scott 6
Pat Connaughton 8 Rebounds LaQuinton Ross 11
Eric Atkins 3 Free Throws Made Lenzelle Smith Jr. 5
Eric Atkins 1 Steals Aaron Craft 3
Jerian Grant 1 Blocks Amir Williams 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Notre Dame 61 45.1 4-14 11-19 8 29 2 3 13
Ohio St. 64 41.8 3-18 15-20 12 32 1 8 11