[ad_1]
SAN DIEGO — The nation’s premier defense finally showed up – and at the right exact time.
Finally, in the final minutes, Texas Tech’s renowned pressure took over, and Notre Dame’s magic run came to a thudding halt.
The third-seeded Red Raiders held the Fighting Irish without a field goal over the last 3:11 and survived, 59-53, in a West Region second-round game, sending the Big 12 school into a Sweet 16 showdown with No. 2 Duke in San Francisco.
Two Blake Wesley turnovers and a missed layup opened the door for Texas Tech, which closed on a 10-1 run. Notre Dame, the last team in the field, had survived a double-overtime thriller against Rutgers in the First Four in Dayton and upset No. 6 Alabama on Friday. Kevin Obanor’s two free throws with 1:10 left gave the Red Raiders the lead for good, and Kevin McCullar put an exclamation point on the win with a dunk in the final seconds.
[ad_2]