Notre Dame Fails to Foul Up 3 Late Against Virginia

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In a close game against No. 17 Virginia on January 27, Notre Dame was one defensive stop and 3.5 seconds away from potentially pulling off an upset. However, the Fighting Irish coaching staff made the controversial decision not to foul Virginia while up by 3 points late in the game, allowing Virginia to tie it up and eventually win in overtime.

Why it matters

This late-game sequence has been a point of contention for Notre Dame basketball in recent seasons, with the team facing criticism for not employing the "foul up 3" strategy to protect a late lead. The decision not to foul has become a divisive issue among fans and analysts, raising questions about in-game coaching decisions and their impact on close, high-stakes matchups.

The details

With Notre Dame up 63-60 and 3.5 seconds left, the coaching staff opted not to intentionally foul Virginia to prevent them from attempting a game-tying 3-pointer. Virginia was able to inbound the ball, get off a 3-pointer, and tie the game to send it to overtime, where they eventually won 72-68.

• The incident occurred with 3.5 seconds left in the game on January 27, 2026.
• Notre Dame and Virginia were playing an ACC conference game.

What’s next

The Notre Dame coaching staff will likely face scrutiny and questions from fans and media about their decision not to foul in the final seconds. The team's performance and coaching decisions will continue to be analyzed as they look to bounce back from the tough loss.