Small sets career-highs in overtime battle with Notre Dame

Friday, November 17

Brooklyn, N.Y.

3:30 P.M.

Oklahoma State University

1-3,0-0Big 12

Notre Dame

2-2,0-0ACC

OT 1

Notre Dame

Oklahoma St.

Small sets career-highs in overtime battle with Notre Dame

November 17, 2023 | Cowboy Basketball

Box Score Postgame Notes Game Book (PDF)

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Despite a sizzling second half from junior point guard Javon Small, Oklahoma State fell to Notre Dame in overtime, 66-64, in Friday afternoon's Legends Classic third place game.

Small – a South Bend, Ind. native who grew up going to Notre Dame basketball games – set new career-highs with 29 points and 10 rebounds. He was 4-of-8 from three and knocked down all nine of his free throw attempts.

John-Michael Wright added 11 points and Quion Williams matched his own personal best with 11 rebounds.

For the second time in less than 24 hours, the Cowboys had a potential game-winning three-pointer in the air as time expired. After Notre Dame's Markus Burton missed the second of two free throws with less than 3 seconds remaining, Wright unleashed a 35-footer that was just off the mark.

Burton, a freshman guard, was otherwise impeccable down the stretch. He scored six of his team-high 20 points in the overtime period to lift the Fighting Irish (2-2).

Small scored all but two of his points after halftime to help lead OSU back from a double-digit deficit.

The Cowboys trailed 48-38 when Small connected on a three-pointer with 7:57 to go. Over the next seven minutes he personally outscored the Fighting Irish 16-7 to pull the Cowboys back to within a point.

OSU's defense also clamped down. In the final 6:00 of regulation, the Fighting Irish had more turnovers (7) than field goal attempts (4).

Eric Dailey Jr.'s free throw knotted the game at 55 with 9 seconds left, and the game went to overtime when Notre Dame's Burton missed a floater ahead of the buzzer.

Small – who became the first Cowboy to record a 25-point double-double since Cade Cunningham during the 2020-21 season -- added another six points in the extra period. His driving layup gave the Cowboys a 62-58 lead with 2:35 to play.

However, Burton helped turn the game back in Notre Dame's favor with a three-point play and two free throws during a 7-0 counterpunch.

Oklahoma State returns home next week for a pair of home games against New Orleans (Monday, 7 p.m. CT) and Houston Christian (Friday, 7 p.m. CT).