Notre Dame beats Northeastern 69-65

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — If Notre Dame is going to make a deep NCAA Tournament run, it will need big man Zach Auguste to perform like he did in Thursday’s opening game against Northeastern.

Auguste dropped 25 points, including a pair of game-clinching free throws, to lead the Midwest region’s No. 3 seed Fighting Irish to a 69-65 victory over 14-seed Northeastern in the second round.

Despite having his junior center pick up his third foul in the opening moments of the second half, Notre Dame coach Mike Brey left Auguste out on the court. The decision paid off, in the form of 17 second-half points to help his Fighting Irish hold off a group of Huskies who never backed down.

Notre Dame senior guard Pat Connaughton had nearly cost his team with 30 seconds to go, when his attempted full-court pass ended up in the hands of the Huskies. Irish senior Jerian Grant (17 points), who had missed consecutive field goals to keep Northeastern alive, saved Notre Dame by stripping Huskies forward Quincy Ford on the ensuing possession and the ball wound up in the hands of Auguste, who stepped to the line in a two-point game and made both attempts.

Northeastern senior Scott Eatherton, dealing with foul issues of his own, provided several clutch baskets for Northeastern in the final minutes. He had a reserve layup and a putback offensive rebound to set up the wild finish.

But the Huskies were unable to become the first Colonial Athletic Association team since VCU in 2012 to win a non-First Four game in the NCAA Tournament.

Eatherton finished with 18 points and eight rebounds in his final college game. Junior guard David Walker added 15 and seven assists.

Though Notre Dame advances, it was far from a convincing victory. The Fighting Irish were outrebounded 33-17, and survived thanks to only turning it over seven times and shooting 57.4 percent from the floor.

NOTES: Notre Dame was making its return to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time under head coach Mike Brey after missing out last season. Northeastern was dancing for the first time under ninth-year head coach Bill Coen and playing in its first tournament since 1991 (eighth overall). …Northeastern’s 23 wins this season are the most in the program since 1986-87, when they won 27 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. …Notre Dame advances to face the winner of No. 6 Butler/No. 11 Texas for the right to play in Cleveland in the Sweet 16 next weekend.