Hoops Preview: Notre Dame Vs. No. 7 Miami
NOTRE DAME (19-9, 10-6 ACC) VS. MIAMI (23-5, 12-4 ACC)
Where: Purcell Pavilion in Notre Dame, Ind.
Rankings: The Hurricanes are ranked 7th in the Associated Press poll.
Time/TV: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Last Meeting: This is the 20th meeting between the two programs, with Notre Dame leading 10-9 in the series. The Irish lost the last meeting 79-70 at Miami Feb. 3.
Notre Dame Notes
The Irish are coming off a demoralizing 77-56 loss at Florida State Feb. 27. The grind of a three-game road stretch in ACC play seemed to visibly display its toll in Tallahassee, as Notre Dame appeared lethargic and lacking energy at times, and never seriously contended beyond halftime in the 21-point loss.
However, if there’s any team that can quickly turn it around following a tough loss, it’s the Irish. Notre Dame has won 13 consecutive games following a defeat, a streak that dates back to the end of the 2013-14 regular season.
Additionally, there’s a lot at stake in Wednesday’s game that give the Irish plenty to rally around. Aside from the obvious facts like Miami is a top-10 team and Notre Dame should have a chip on its shoulder after getting crushed by the Hurricanes in early February, a win for Mike Brey’s squad is crucial towards securing a double bye in the ACC Tournament.
At this stage, Notre Dame controls its own destiny to earn the coveted double bye. The Irish just have to win both of their two remaining games this week, Miami on Wednesday and then North Carolina State on Saturday.
Lose a game, though, and Duke — plus Pittsburgh, potentially — could slide into the fourth and final double bye.
“It’s a little bit like what we dealt with at Florida State [against Miami] with athletic guys driving it down your throat,” Brey said. “We had a hard time keeping it out of the paint.
“It’s really similar bodies coming at you. Thing about it is, Miami’s bodies coming at you are 23 years old. Florida State’s bodies were 18 and 19.”
Demetrius Jackson — Leading the team in scoring (16.3 points), assists (4.9) and steals (1.3) per game.
Steve Vasturia — Averaging a team-high 36.0 minutes per game.
V.J. Beachem — Has made 66 of 156 three-point attempts (42.3 percent) this season.
Bonzie Colson — Ranked as Notre Dame’s most efficient offensive starter of the season thus far on KenPom.com.
Zach Auguste — Averaging a double-double with 14.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
Miami Overview
The Hurricanes are coming off a 73-65 home win over Louisville Feb. 27, marking their seventh victory in their last eight tries in ACC play. Interestingly, Miami's only defeat in that stretch was a 96-71 blowout at North Carolina Feb. 20.
Head coach Jim Larranaga’s squad is ranked No. 11 overall nationally on KenPom.com, featuring a balanced attack on both sides of the ball. The Hurricanes check in at No. 13 nationally in offensive efficiency and No. 50 in defensive efficiency.
The Hurricanes statistical profile is extremely well rounded with no significant weaknesses — although, they don’t necessarily dominate any category either. Offensively, they excel most at making shots at a high rate (34th nationally in effective field goal percentage) and not turning the ball over (38th nationally in turnover rate).
Defensively, they’re smart at avoiding fouls (16th nationally in free throw rate allowed) and do a good job limiting opponents shot attempts beyond the arc.
Senior guard Sheldon McClellan is a name to keep an eye on. He ranks 19th nationally in KenPom.com’s individual offensive efficiency formula, and he scored 12 points on 7-of-8 shooting against the Irish in the Feb. 3 matchup.
Outlook
This is a tough call. Notre Dame played poorly at Florida State just a few days ago and were dominated in the first matchup against the Hurricanes. Miami led by 20 with just less than eight minutes to play before the final nine-point margin.
On the other hand, the Irish have bounced back for a win following a loss on every single occasion over this season and last. Have to ride the streak, right?
Prediction: Notre Dame 76, Miami 74.
Vegas Spread: Notre Dame by 2.5.