By Scott Ratcliffe

It took two extra sessions, a career mark in scoring for two star freshmen, nine ties, 14 lead changes, a few clutch buckets in the waning seconds and a program record-tying comeback, but No. 17 Virginia survived with a 100-97 nailbiting road win at Notre Dame in double overtime on Tuesday.

Thijs De Ridder led the charge with a career-high 32 points on 9-for-20 shooting, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, despite having to watch the thrilling finish from the bench after fouling out with 45.6 seconds left in the second OT period.

Sam Lewis delivered three timely, crucial buckets — one in the final minute of regulation, one with 3.5 seconds left in the first overtime that knotted the game back up to force another five minutes, and then the dagger, a stepback foul-line jumper with 15.7 seconds to go, which gave the Cavaliers (17-3, 6-2 ACC) a 98-95 lead.

When the Fighting Irish (11-10, 2-6) misfired a tying 3-point attempt on the next trip down, it was Lewis who grabbed the rebound and calmly sank the final two free throws with five ticks showing to essentially seal the deal.

UVA trailed for the majority of the contest (73 percent, to be exact), with the deficit climbing to as many as 19 points [39-20] in the first half.

From there, it was an uphill climb, and the Wahoos began whittling away at the Notre Dame lead, closing the half on a 15-5 run to get within single digits, 44-35, by halftime.

Chance Mallory played a key role in the come-from-behind victory, including knocking down a triple with 32 seconds to go in the opening half to give his team some much-needed momentum at the break.

UVA fans have never witnessed a larger comeback win, as Tuesday’s 19-point rally matched the program record — a Nov. 12, 2006 win over Arizona — for the largest comeback in school history.

Trailing 52-40, Virginia went on a 15-2 run over the next five-plus minutes to take a 55-54 lead (the first since it was 7-6) on a pair of De Ridder free throws with 9:05 left in regulation.

A Dallin Hall basket in traffic put UVA ahead, 64-62, as the game went under the five-minute mark, and the Hoos went on a cold stretch, coming up empty on their next three possessions, while the Irish stormed back in front.

UVA didn’t score again until De Ridder made a pair of freebies (he was 14 for 15 on the night from the foul line) with 2:02 to play in the second half, which trimmed the Irish lead to 70-66.

Lewis followed that up with a huge 3-pointer in transition off of a Devin Tillis takeaway, and it was a one-point affair — 70-69 — with under a minute left.

De Ridder put the Hoos back in front, 71-70, off another Notre Dame giveaway with 47.5 remaining, but sophomore sharpshooter Cole Certa — who scored a game-high 34 points (10 for 19 FG; 5 of 13 from 3-point land) — answered with a triple over the outstretched arm of De Ridder to make it 73-71 with 28.7 on the game clock.

After Ryan Odom called for a timeout, the Cavaliers executed a well-designed play that found Tillis open and charging toward the basket, and he was fouled and tied it up at 73-apiece with 18 seconds to go, sending it to overtime.

Down by two in OT, the Hoos forced a shot-clock violation that led to two Mallory free throws with 1:45 left to tie it back up at 80-80.

Braeden Shrewsberry’s deep ball put the Irish back up by an 83-80 margin, and the Cavaliers barely beat the shot clock with a Lewis desperation putback attempt that narrowly drew iron, keeping the play alive (no hitting the rim, you’re looking at a turnover, and likely the ballgame). De Ridder was on the spot and cleaned up the miss, getting UVA back to within a point with 48 seconds on the clock.

Virginia forced a held ball on the ensuing inbounds pass, and the possession arrow pointed the way of the Wahoos, but De Ridder was whisted for a traveling violation, and Notre Dame sank a pair at the stripe on the opposite end, making it an 85-82 game with just under 20 ticks to play.

Lewis played the hero again, drilling the game-tying 3-ball from the top of the key with 3.5 to go, and Shrewsberry’s ensuing halfcourt heave fell short, as the contest headed to a second extra session.

With the Irish ahead by a point, Lewis drove the lane and dropped in a finger roll, giving the Cavaliers an 89-88 advantage as the clock approached two minutes.

The lead changed hands four times across the remainder of the period, with Lewis’ huge game-clinching shot being the ultimate lead change.

It was the first time that the Hoos scored triple digits in an ACC game since doing so 19 years ago (January 2007), when Maryland was still a conference member.

Aside from De Ridder’s career night, three other Cavaliers registered double figures. Lewis poured in 21 points, including five 3s, along with team highs in rebounds (9) and assists (6). Off the bench, Mallory wound up with a career-best 17 points and Tillis added a dozen, as the Hoos shot 48 percent (31 for 65) from the field, 34 percent from long distance (10 of 29) and 80 percent from the stripe (28 for 35).

UVA won the battle of the boards, 41-35, scoring 12 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds, and the bench outscored the Irish bench, 33-3.

Along with Certa’s big night, Notre Dame had three other starters with double digits — Jalen Haralson had 20 points, Shrewsberry finished with 18 and Brady Koehler added 16. The Irish also shot at a 48-percent clip from the field (29 of 61), 41 percent from deep (11 of 27; only 3 for 12 after halftime) and 82 percent from the line (28 for 34).

Team Notes

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

• No. 17 Virginia improved to 17-3, 6-2 ACC
• UVA is 1-1 in overtime games this season
• The 19-point comeback win was UVA’s largest since rallying from 19 down in a 93-90 win vs. Arizona in 2006
• UVA is 7-2 away from home, including a 5-1 mark in true road games
• UVA has scored 80 or more points in 15 games, most since 21 in 2000-01
• UVA’s 17-2 run gave UVA a 57-54 lead
• UVA’s 8-0 run cut the Notre Dame margin to 52-48
• UVA had a 15-5 run to close the first half, but trailed 44-35
• UVA is 1-1 when trailing at the half
• Notre Dame started 13 of 19 from the field (8 of 11 3-pointers) and led 39-20
• Notre Dame used an 8-0 run to gain a 22-11 lead

Series Notes

• Virginia is 19-5 all-time vs. Notre Dame, including a 14-3 ACC regular-season record, in a series that
  dates back to 1981
• UVA is 7-2 against the Irish in Notre Dame
• UVA is 2-3 in its last five meetings vs. Notre Dame
• UVA’s 100 points were its most against Notre Dame in the series

Player Notes

• Double Figure Scorers: Thijs De Ridder (32), Sam Lewis (21), Chance Mallory (17), Devin Tillis (11)
• De Ridder had a career-high 32 points
• De Ridder tallied UVA’s first 30-point game since Kyle Guy netted 30 vs. Marshall on Dec. 31, 2018
• De Ridder registered his first 30-point game and 10th 20-point game
• De Ridder set career highs in free throws (14) and free throw attempts (15)
• De Ridder has reached double figures in 16 games
• Lewis netted his second 20-point game in 2025-26
• Lewis has reached double figures in 11 games (44 career)
• Lewis (5 3-pointers) has made 101 career 3-pointers
• Lewis had a career-high six assists
• Lewis’ 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left in overtime sent the game to double overtime
• Tillis has reached double figures in five games (55 career)
• Mallory had a career-high 17 points
• Mallory has reached double figures in 13 games
• Ugonna Onyenso (3 blocks) has multiple blocks in 11 games
• Dallin Hall (4 assists) has 500 career assists
• UVA started Johann Grünloh, Malik Thomas, Lewis, Hall and De Ridder for the 19th game

UP NEXT

The Hoos will travel to face Boston College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on The CW Network.

This Week’s ACC Scoreboard

Monday
Duke 83, Louisville 52

Tuesday
Virginia 100, Notre Dame 97 (2OT)
Pitt 80, Wake Forest 76 (OT)
NC State 88, Syracuse 68
Virginia Tech 71, Georgia Tech 65

Wednesday
California at Florida State, 7 p.m. (ACC Network)
Stanford at Miami, 9 p.m. (ACC Network)

Saturday
Virginia at Boston College, 1:30 p.m. (The CW)
Duke at Virginia Tech, Noon (ESPN)
Pitt at Clemson, Noon (ACC Network)
North Carolina at Georgia Tech, 2 p.m. (ACC Network)
SMU at Louisville, 2 p.m. (ESPN)
NC State at Wake Forest. 3:45 p.m. (The CW)
California at Miami, 4 p.m. (ACC Network)
Stanford at Florida State, 6 p.m. (ACC Network)
Notre Dame at Syracuse, 6 p.m. (The CW)