Notre Dame beats Rutgers in double-OT to cap First Four
By MITCH STACY
AP Sports Writer
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Paul Atkinson Jr.’s putback layup with 1.4 seconds left in the second overtime gave Notre Dame an 89-87 win over Rutgers in a wild First Four game. Ron Harper Jr. tied it with a long 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in the second OT. Notre Dame’s Blake Wesley then missed a shot before Atkinson grabbed the rebound and put back the winner. Atkinson finished with 20 points, Nate Laszewski 18 and Cormac Ryan 16 to lead the Irish who as the No. 11 seed advance to face sixth-seeded Alabama in a a first-round game Friday in San Diego. Caleb McConnell had career-high 23 points and Ron Harper Jr. 22 for the Scarlet Knights.