Notre Dame vs NC State: Cole Certa Drops 32 in 96-90 OT Thriller
Notre Dame vs NC State lived up to its hype on February 28, 2026, as Cole Certa erupted for 32 points and Notre Dame stunned the Wolfpack 96‑90 in overtime at Purcell Pavilion. The Irish, listed as 6.5‑point underdogs, used a 7‑0 run to erase a late deficit and force extra time before Certa took over.
Notre Dame vs NC State recap
- Final score: Notre Dame 96, NC State 90 (OT).
- Date: February 28, 2026; venue: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Indiana.
- Notre Dame record entering: 13‑16, 4‑12 ACC; NC State: 19‑10, 10‑6 ACC.
NC State never trailed in regulation but went scoreless over the final 3:23, letting Notre Dame walk into overtime with an 81‑81 tie. In OT, the Irish outscored the Wolfpack 15‑9 as Certa and Jalen Haralson combined to dominate the extra stanza. This win gives Notre Dame a critical home‑court signature against a top‑half ACC team as the season nears the conference tournament.
Cole Certa’s 32‑point breakout
Cole Certa, who averages 12.1 points per game, finished with 32 points, including 12 in overtime. He hit three clutch three‑pointers in the extra session, all of them on high‑pressure possessions that opened and then extended Notre Dame’s lead. Certa’s two free throws with 19 seconds left sealed the 96‑90 final and marked his third 30‑point game in the last nine outings.
Haralson added 25 points and went 8‑for‑8 from the free‑throw line, including two ice‑cold charity shots with 19.1 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 81 and force overtime. Together, Certa and Haralson accounted for 57 of Notre Dame’s 96 points, a clear sign of how the Irish offense funneled through its two primary scorers. Their tandem performance kept the offense afloat despite an overall season‑average of just 73.8 points per game.
Offensive and shooting numbers
Southern metrics highlight how Notre Dame’s shooting spiked beyond its season norms.
| Team | Field‑goal % | 3‑point % | Points in OT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notre Dame | 52.5% | 48.0% | 15 points |
| NC State | 46.3% | 29.4% (1‑of‑8 in OT) | 9 points |
Notre Dame’s 52.5% from the field and 48% from three were far above its season averages. NC State shot 60.7% in the first half on 7‑of‑12 from deep but cooled to 1‑of‑8 on threes in overtime. That late‑game cold stretch doomed the Wolfpack’s chances of staying among the top four ACC teams with only two conference games left.
What this means for Notre Dame vs NC State going forward
For Notre Dame vs NC State, the 96‑90 OT thriller shifts perception more than the standings. The Irish proved they can beat a top‑half ACC opponent in a high‑pressure, comeback‑style game, something that will matter for seeding and confidence in the ACC tournament. NC State, meanwhile, drops from a fourth‑place tie to seventh in the league, leaving less room for error in the final weeks.
If you follow this matchup, one lesson stands out: Notre Dame vs NC State can flip on a single explosive scorer turning in a 30‑point night and a clutch free‑throw run. For fans of tight, March‑style games, this 96‑90 OT classic is a must‑watch example of how a single late‑game surge can rewrite the story of a season.
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