PITTSBURGH -- Senior captain Steve Vasturia connected on a 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining in overtime to give No. 24 Notre Dame a 78-77 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.

The Fighting Irish (12-2, 1-0 ACC) trailed by five in overtime with 2:13 left, but Vasturia saved Notre Dame with his clutch shooting.

"Just kinda trusting my shot," said Vasturia, who finished with 15 points. "Kinda new."

Vasturia couldn't remember ever making a game-winning shot that late in his basketball career.

Bonzie Colson led Notre Dame with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Matt Farrell had 16 points while hitting 4 of 7 three-pointers.

Jamel Artis and Michael Young each scored 25 points for the Panthers (11-3, 0-1).

"They just made one more winning play than we did," said Pittsburgh coach Kevin Stallings. "It's very disappointing for us, but that's the nature of this league."

Pittsburgh led for most of the late stages of the second half and overtime.

Young hit for five quick points to tie it at 62 with 3:30 remaining in regulation. That was part of a 15-2 Panthers run that would give them a five-point lead with 2:43 left.

Vasturia tied it at 68 with two free throws with 25.2 seconds remaining. Young had a chance to win it with 1.9 seconds left in the second half but his shot hit the front of the rim and bounced away.

The Irish also trailed by five with 2:25 left in overtime. Just when it looked like another tough day for Vasturia, he delivered.

Prior to his decisive 3-pointer, Vasturia tied the game with 1:11 remaining in overtime with a transition 3-point shot. After Artis put Pittsburgh back in front by two with a jump shot with 43 seconds remaining, Vasturia hit his game-winner.

Irish coach Mike Brey wasn't the least bit surprised.

"The guy has made more big shots throughout his career," Brey said. "You've just go to keep coming back to him. I'd have been shocked if it didn't go down."

V.J. Beachem stole the ensuing inbounds pass to seal it.

"Just staying ready," Vasturia said. "I never lose confidence in myself with what's going on in the game. There's ups and downs in games.

"I've got a lot of faith in myself to just stay positive, stay aggressive."

The Irish trailed by a season-high 11 points but a 15-2 run late in the half got them back in the game.

A Sheldon Jeter flip shot off an out-of-bounds inbound play beat the halftime horn to give Pittsburgh a 36-34 lead at intermission.

Four Irish players -- Colson, Martinas Geben, Rex Pflueger and Austin Torres - took turns guarding Young, the league's top scorer (22.8) in the first eight minutes. Young hit for 11 points in the first nine minutes.

NOTES: Pittsburgh entered league play ranked last in the ACC in scoring defense (75.8) and 263rd nationally. ... Notre Dame was eighth in the league in scoring defense (65.4) and 61st nationally. ... Pittsburgh was picked in the preseason poll to finish 12th in the league; Notre Dame was picked seventh. ... Pitt had won all three meetings as ACC colleagues before Saturday.... This was Notre Dame's first visit to Pittsburgh since beating Northeastern and Butler in the first and second rounds of the 2015 NCAA tournament at Consol Energy Center. ... Notre Dame returns home Wednesday to host No. 6 Louisville.