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

By Canadian Press on January 27, 2026.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Thijs De Ridder scored a career-high 32 points and No. 17 Virginia matched the biggest comeback in school history, rallying 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 (17-3, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), and his 3-pointer with 3 seconds left in the first OT tied it at 85-all. Lewis also scored Virginia’s final four points after De Ridder fouled out with 45 seconds left in the second OT.

Virginia also had a 19-point comeback on Nov. 12, 2006 to beat Arizona in the inaugural game at John Paul Jones Arena.

Cole Certa led Notre Dame (11-10, 2-6) with a career-high 34 points. Jalen Haralson added 20, Braeden Shrewsberry scored 18 and Brady Koehler had 16 for the Fighting Irish, who have lost six of seven.

Notre Dame fell to 0-14 against ranked opponents in coach Micah Shrewsberry’s three seasons.

Chance Mallory added 17 points and Devin Tillis scored 12 for Virginia.

De Ridder was the first Cavaliers player to reach 30 points since Kyle Guy scored 30 in a win over Marshall on Dec. 31, 2018 for the Virginia team that went on to win the national title.

Notre Dame hit eight of its first 11 3-pointers to build a 39-20 lead with 6:06 left in the first half. The Cavaliers closed the half with a 15-5 surge that included 10 points by De Ridder.

Virginia went on a 17-2 run in the second half to pull ahead 57-54. Notre Dame fought back and took a 70-64 lead with 2:13 left.

Tillis hit a pair of free throws for Virginia with 18 seconds left that tied it at 73-all, and the Fighting Irish missed two 3-pointers in the closing seconds.

Up next

Virginia: At Boston College on Saturday.

Notre Dame: At Syracuse on Saturday.

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Curt Rallo, The Associated Press

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