Ace Bailey Stats Tonight: How did Rutgers star fare vs Notre Dame (Nov 26)
Rutgers star freshman Ace Bailey contributed as the Scarlet Knights narrowly defeated Notre Dame 85-84 in their Players Era Festival opening game on Tuesday night in Las Vegas. The game was a nail-biter, with both teams trading leads until the final seconds.
Bailey, a 6-foot-10 guard, finished with 10 points, three rebounds, one assist and two steals. Despite a slow start—scoring just three points on 1-for-5 shooting in the first half, with his lone basket coming from an offensive rebound and putback—he made a critical impact late in the game. Bailey chipped in two rebounds, two steals and an assist in the first 20 minutes of the game.
In the final moments, Notre Dame's Matt Allocco gave the Fighting Irish a late lead with a layup, but Ace Bailey redeemed himself with a clutch go-ahead midrange jumper with under 50 seconds remaining to secure a temporary lead before the game went to overtime.
Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell made adjustments to the lineup, starting Bailey alongside Dylan Harper and Emmanuel Ogbole. PJ Hayes earned his first start of the season, while Jeremiah Williams returned for his third.
Rutgers Secures Thrilling Victory Over Notre Dame in Players Era Festival
Rutgers clinched a crucial win against Notre Dame in a late-night overtime thriller at the Players Era Festival, evoking memories of their heartbreaking NCAA Tournament loss to the Fighting Irish in 2022.
Notre Dame dominated early with strong rebounding and sharp 3-point shooting, building a double-digit lead late in the first half. However, a timeout by Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell spurred a 19-10 run by the Scarlet Knights, cutting the deficit to 35-34 by halftime.
In overtime, Rutgers pulled ahead 81-75 with 50 seconds left, but Notre Dame’s Matt Allocco erupted with three consecutive 3-pointers in just 30 seconds. His final, contested step-back triple tied the game at 84 with 12.4 seconds remaining.
On the next possession, Cole Certa fouled Dylan Harper, who calmly sank one of two free throws with 11 seconds left to give Rutgers the lead. Following a Notre Dame timeout, Allocco’s deep 3-point attempt at the buzzer rimmed out, sealing the Scarlet Knights’ victory.
The Fighting Irish shot 7-for-17 from beyond the arc in the first half and held a commanding 24-13 rebounding edge. Despite ongoing struggles on the boards, Rutgers effectively countered late in the game with a small-ball lineup featuring Jeremiah Williams, Ace Bailey and Tyson Acuff, who grabbed key rebounds down the stretch.
This win marked Rutgers’ first victory over Notre Dame since 2012 and only its third in 12 matchups since 2005.
In the tournament’s second round, Rutgers faces No. 9 Alabama in the inaugural Players Era Championship Game. Notre Dame will take on No. 6 Houston in its next game.