SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Tae Davis scored a career-high 27 points, Markus Burton added 19 points in a near triple-double and Notre Dame defeated Buffalo 86-77 on Monday night.
The Fighting Irish trailed by two at halftime but opened the second half with a 24-2 run, including 20 points in a row, and did not trail again.
Braeden Shrewsberry scored 11 points in the run and Notre Dame led 62-42 with 13 1/2 minutes remaining. The Bulls quickly got within 11 and eventually cut their deficit to seven with 7 1/2 minutes to go.
Although the teams traded baskets — and Notre Dame made free throws — for the most part over the next 6 1/2 minutes, Buffalo did not get closer than seven points and the Fighting Irish led 82-72 heading to the final minute.
Ryan Sabol converted a three-point play to get Buffalo within 82-75 but Davis closed out the win, going 4-for-4 from the line.
Davis made 7 of 13 field goals and 12 of 13 from the free-throw line. Burton was only 8-for-21 shooting but added nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Shrewsberry scored 19 points and Kebba Njie had 12.
Notre Dame (2-0) shot 51% for the game and made 15 of 18 free throws in the second half, 21 of 27 for the game.
Sabol led Buffalo (2-1) with 18 points, 15 in the first half, and Ben Michaels added 14 points. Off the bench, Bryson Wilson scored 15 and Frederiks Meinarts, a 7-foot freshman from Latvia, added 10 points.
Notre Dame led 20-12 before Sabol scored eight points in a 12-1 run and the Bulls went ahead 24-21 with a little under eight minutes remaining.
Later in the half, Buffalo led 37-30. J.R. Konieczny hit a 3-pointer and a three-point play to help Notre Dame go back ahead 38-37 before another 3-pointer from Sabol gave Buffalo a 40-38 halftime lead.
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