Elon Shocks Notre Dame in Emotional Win for Coach Taylor

South Bend, Ind. — Elon University‘s men’s basketball team staged a stunning upset against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, clinching an 84-77 victory at Purcell Pavilion on Friday night. This significant win came as a milestone for Billy Taylor, Elon’s head coach, who returned to the court where he once played as a team captain for Notre Dame in the 1990s.

For Taylor, the victory was not just strategic but deeply personal. «This just means so much,» Taylor expressed post-game. He continued, «It’s going to take a little time to digest it. It’s been an emotional whirlwind the past 48 hours.» The victory marked Notre Dame’s first loss after winning their first four games of the season, highlighting Elon’s capability to compete at high levels.

Elon managed to outperform Notre Dame for substantial portions of the game, demonstrating both tactical preparedness and belief in their strategy. Elon’s guard Nick Dorn starred with a remarkable 24-point performance, leading his team with a composed shooting display, including 5-for-6 from beyond the arc.

The defeat is a significant setback for Notre Dame, which had earlier led by a slim margin of one point with just 1:42 remaining in the game. Coach Micah Shrewsberry acknowledged his team’s shortcomings, stating, «Our defense let us down today… Credit to Elon. I thought those guys played well and executed. They got timely stops when they needed to and we need to be better.»

Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry were prominent figures for the Irish, together contributing 47 points. Despite their efforts, Notre Dame was unable to maintain their strong first-half performance, where they shot 58.1 percent, dropping to 36.7 percent in the second half. Conversely, Elon’s precision increased to 60.7 percent after halftime.

Taylor, reflecting on the emotional weight of the win, credited his players for recognizing the significance of the occasion. «We just knew this was a big deal for him,» Nick Dorn commented about Taylor. «We had to pull it out for him. We knew this meant a lot to him. It’s amazing.»

Adding a personal note to the win, the week had been an emotional journey for Taylor, who also had the opportunity to honor his late father, Dennis Taylor, a Northern Illinois basketball alum. Before the South Bend game, Elon played at Northern Illinois, a nod to Taylor’s family legacy.

Following the match, Taylor faced an overwhelming mix of nostalgia and gratitude, noting the return to familiar grounds where his career in basketball began. «This is all very weird,» he admitted, poignantly recounting the memories of his time as a player and assistant coach at Notre Dame.

Looking forward, Notre Dame has the opportunity to regroup as they prepare to enter the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas, where they will face formidable opponents like No. 24 Rutgers and No. 7 Houston.