Notre Dame Men's Teams Earn Surprise Wins Amid Tough Seasons

Hockey and basketball squads pick up unlikely victories on the same day

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Despite struggling through disappointing seasons, Notre Dame's men's basketball and hockey teams both pulled off surprise wins on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The basketball team rallied to force overtime against North Carolina State before Cole Certa led them to a 96-90 victory. Meanwhile, the hockey team upset No. 5 Penn State 4-3 in overtime on senior night.

Why it matters

While these wins won't dramatically change the overall trajectory of either program's season, they provide a rare bright spot and something positive for the teams and their fans to build on heading into the offseason. In a year marked by struggles, these unexpected victories offer a glimmer of hope.

The details

The men's basketball team, which entered the game 12-16 overall and just 3-12 in ACC play, trailed North Carolina State by seven with under three minutes left before rallying to force overtime. In the extra period, guard Cole Certa scored 12 of Notre Dame's 15 points to lead them to the 96-90 win. On the hockey side, Notre Dame closed out the home portion of their season by upsetting No. 5 Penn State 4-3 in overtime. Danny Nelson scored two goals for the Irish, and Axel Kumlin netted the game-winner in the extra period. This came one night after Notre Dame had blown a 3-0 lead against the Nittany Lions.

  • The men's basketball game took place on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
  • The hockey game also occurred on Saturday, February 28, 2026, on Notre Dame's senior night.

The players

Cole Certa

A guard on the Notre Dame men's basketball team who scored 12 of the team's 15 points in overtime to lead them to victory.

Danny Nelson

A player on the Notre Dame men's hockey team who scored two goals in their upset win over No. 5 Penn State.

Axel Kumlin

The Notre Dame men's hockey player who scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Penn State.

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What’s next

The Notre Dame men's basketball team will look to build on this win when they face Stanford and Boston College in the final week of the regular season, as they try to earn a spot in the ACC Tournament. The hockey team will wrap up their season with a two-game series at Ohio State next weekend.

The takeaway

While these wins don't erase the overall disappointment of the seasons for both Notre Dame's men's basketball and hockey teams, they do provide a much-needed morale boost and something positive to build on heading into the offseason. In a year marked by struggles, these unexpected victories offer a glimmer of hope for the future of these programs.