Orlando, FL (Sports Network) – Tim Abromaitis tallied eight points during the second overtime period, including a crucial three-pointer to put Notre Dame ahead for good, and helped the Irish outlast Georgia, 89-83, in action from the Old Spice Classic.
Abromaitis made 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and finished with a game-high 25 points, while pulling down six rebounds. Tyrone Nash chipped in with 18 points and six rebounds for Notre Dame (5-0), which won its first four games by double digits. The Irish will next play Friday against California.
Ben Hansbrough and Carleton Scott had 13 and 11 points, respectively, in the win.
Travis Leslie recorded 23 points and nine rebounds, while Gerald Robinson added 16 points for the Bulldogs (3-1), who were coming off a 61-59 victory over Saint Louis. Trey Thompkins provided 13 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in the loss.
Notre Dame took its first lead of the game with 8:38 left in regulation on a Scott three-pointer. That was part of a sprawling 22-4 run the Irish used to turn a double-digit deficit into a multiple-possession lead. Hansbrough’s layup with 2:38 on the clock ended the rally for a 60-52 Notre Dame edge.
Georgia fought back to get within 62-60 on Robinson’s trey with 31 seconds left. Nash missed two free throws during Notre Dame’s next possession to keep it a one-possession game, and the Bulldogs took advantage.
Thompkins tipped in the ball with nine ticks left after Leslie missed a layup. The Irish had a chance to win the game during the final possession, but Hansbrough missed a layup and Nash’s tip-in rimmed out.
Notre Dame scored the first six points of the first overtime, but Georgia put together a counter-run and made it a one-point game, 68-67, on Leslie’s two free throws midway through. Robinson’s layup with 41 seconds left gave the Bulldogs their only lead in overtime, but Hansbrough sent the game into a second overtime by making only 1-of-2 from the line with four seconds to go. The free throws came after a couple missed three-pointers by the Irish.
Abromaitis took over in the second overtime period. His big three-pointer came with 1:49 left to play to put the Irish up 79-76. Georgia cut the lead to one during its next possession, but Eric Atkins countered with a jumper. After Robinson missed a potential tying shot from long distance with 40 seconds remaining, Notre Dame secured the win at the foul line.
Georgia jumped to an early 7-0 lead and continued to play in front throughout the first half. The Irish got within 25-22 on Hansbrough’s three-pointer with 4:08 left, but the Bulldogs scored the next seven points and took a 37-25 lead into the break.
Robinson’s trey about 6 1/2 minutes into the second half had Georgia ahead 48-38.