Notre Dame shot 50 percent froth floor in the first half (14-for-28), but just 5-for-14 from long range making each of its four free throws. The contest featured seven lead changes and five ties in a nip-and-tuck first half though Georgia Tech briefly earned a seven-point margin before Notre Dame finished on an 8-2 run including five by Nate Laszewski highlighted by a put-back layup to beat the half-time buzzer, drawing the Irish to within a point, 38-37 at the break. Something we didn’t have in the first game when we gave up 14 offensive rebounds. “Just with his presence on the glass and his defense physicality. “I thought he was going to be a difference-maker for us in this game,” Tibbs offered. He failed to score again, finishing with seven rebounds and his first crucial miss late as detailed below. Lubin had provided 13 points (6-for-6 shooting), 5 rebounds and a blocked shot at that juncture.

He played similarly in the second, his fourth infraction not occurring until the 11:39 mark while defending forward Javon Franklin who clearly targeted the rookie in an attempt to draw a fourth foul inside.

Lubin posted six points but was whistled for three fouls in 11 minutes of first-half action off the bench. There aren’t many positive stories left to tout from Notre Dame’s extended fall from grace this winter, but Wednesday’s return to the court from an ankle injury and subsequent effort of freshman Ven-Allen Lubin shown brightly if briefly in defeat. We didn’t get that rebound and they won the game.” It was a back-and-forth game and a replica of the first game we played against them when it came down to the last possession and we had to get a stop to send it into overtime. “His boys played very hard and I know they were hungry for a win. “Give credit to Coach (Josh) Pastner and his group,” said Irish assistant coach Hamlet Tibbs post-game, speaking in lieu of head coach Mike Brey. Unfortunately for Mike Brey’s broken fighting Irish, his group stayed true to form as Georgia Tech’s Lance Terry connected on an unabated tip-in at the buzzer to seal the visitor’s fate, 70-68.

Mutual desperation made for an entertaining if not always aesthetically pleasing basketball game at McCamish Pavilion Wednesday night in Atlanta.

Nip tuck season 3 episode 11