Thijs De Ridder scores 32 as No. 17 Virginia rallies from 19 down to beat Notre Dame 100-97 in 2OT

Virginia matches biggest comeback in school history to defeat Notre Dame in double overtime

Jan. 27, 2026 at 10:07pm

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Thijs De Ridder scored a career-high 32 points and No. 17 Virginia rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit to beat Notre Dame 100-97 in double overtime on Tuesday night. Sam Lewis added 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Cavaliers, who matched the biggest comeback in school history. Cole Certa led Notre Dame with a career-high 34 points, but the Fighting Irish fell to 0-14 against ranked opponents in coach Micah Shrewsberry's three seasons.

Why it matters

This game showcases Virginia's resilience and ability to mount a historic comeback, while also highlighting Notre Dame's continued struggles against ranked opponents under coach Micah Shrewsberry. The win keeps Virginia in contention in the competitive ACC conference race.

The details

Virginia trailed by 19 points in the first half but closed the gap to 44-35 at halftime. The Cavaliers then went on a 17-2 run in the second half to take the lead, but Notre Dame fought back and led 70-64 with 2:13 remaining. Virginia forced overtime, and after De Ridder fouled out, Sam Lewis scored the Cavaliers' final four points in the second OT to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, January 28, 2026.
  • Virginia also had a 19-point comeback on November 12, 2006 to beat Arizona.

The players

Thijs De Ridder

A Virginia player who scored a career-high 32 points in the game.

Sam Lewis

A Virginia player who scored 21 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists, including the game-tying 3-pointer at the end of the first overtime.

Cole Certa

A Notre Dame player who scored a career-high 34 points in the game.

Micah Shrewsberry

The head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who is 0-14 against ranked opponents in his three seasons.

Kyle Guy

A former Virginia player who scored 30 points in a win over Marshall on December 31, 2018, the last time a Cavaliers player reached 30 points before this game.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

This game showcases Virginia's ability to mount historic comebacks and highlights the continued challenges Notre Dame faces against ranked opponents under coach Micah Shrewsberry. The win keeps Virginia in contention in the competitive ACC conference race.