Game Thread | Notre Dame at No. 7 Duke
Notre Dame (15-9, 6-7) at No. 7 Duke (21-3, 11-2)
Date: February 15th
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium | Durham, N.C.
TV: ESPN | Bob Wischusen, Dick Vitale and Kris Budden
Quick Facts
- Notre Dame trails the all-time series 5-27 against Duke.
- The only victory at Duke came in 2016 when the Irish won 95-91.
- Mooney has recorded double-doubles in 20 of 23 games played this season.
- Mike Brey is the only former Duke assistant to beat Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K has faced 28 former staff members.
- Notre Dame is currently eighth in the country and first in the ACC in assists per game with a 17.0 average.
- TJ Gibbs is 7 starts away from becoming the 11th player in program history to make over 100 starts in his career.
THE STARTERS
Notre Dame
| Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Prentiss Hubb | 11.8 | 2.5 | 4.6 |
| TJ Gibbs | 13.8 | 2.4 | 3.3 |
| Rex Pflueger | 5.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| John Mooney | 16.3 | 13.0 | 2.0 |
| Juwan Durham | 7.8 | 5.3 | 1.0 |
Duke
| Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Tre Jones | 15.6 | 3.9 | 6.6 |
| Cassius Stanley | 12.3 | 4.7 | 1.1 |
| Jordan Goldwire | 4.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Wendell Moore Jr. | 7.6 | 4.0 | 2.0 |
| Vernon Carey Jr. | 17.5 | 8.9 | 1.1 |
Preview
Points Per Game
Notre Dame: 75.1
Duke: 82.6
Opponent Points Per Game
Notre Dame: 67.7
Duke: 66.0
FG%
Notre Dame: 42.6%
Duke: 48.0%
Rebounds Per Game
Notre Dame: 38.2
Duke: 39.8
Assists Per Game
Notre Dame: 17.0
Duke: 16.2
Blocks Per Game
Notre Dame: 3.9
Duke: 5.9
Steals Per Game
Notre Dame: 5.8
Duke: 8.8
Notre Dame will travel to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday for its toughest game of the year as Duke holds an advantage in just about every aspect of the game, including a hostile environment.
The sophomore class has yet to play at Duke, so while they have played in tough atmospheres before, it could be something to watch as Cameron is different.
“The energy in that building, it’s a different animal,” said Brey. But what a great opportunity. Last year, Syracuse got in the NCAA Tournament and they had 13 losses. They got in because they won in Cameron. That was the game that got them over the hump. So that’s the opportunity.”
Duke’s athleticism and ability to score at will likely leads to a fast pace on Saturday. Brey went back to practicing with a 20-second shot clock this week after wanting to slow things down against Virginia earlier in the week.
What does Notre Dame have to do to leave Durham with a victory?
It starts on the boards. It can’t be just John Mooney. Juwan Durham, Rex Pflueger, Dane Goodwin, Nate Laszewski will need to help out as the Irish can’t let Duke have second-chance opportunities. Giving a team that shoots 48 percent from the field more than one look will not end well for Notre Dame.
The second is score, which the Irish have done well since January until the last week. Yes, Clemson and Virginia focus on defense first, but TJ Gibbs and Prentiss Hubb will need to raise their game and be efficient scoring in this one.
The last piece of this puzzle is regardless of rebounding, Notre Dame has to knock down shots from deep. Brey has stated in the past he wants 10 threes a game, but Notre Dame will need to eclipse that mark. Tough task, but if the Irish have any shot at the NCAA Tournament, they need a win over a ranked team and it starts today.
“I love that they have complete ownership of themselves,” Brey said. “Our captains have done a great job setting the tone this month. They want it, they play the right way, they understand what’s on the line, they’re really coachable.
“It’s a fun group to be around every day because they’re really focused on trying to make a run to the NCAA Tournament.”
Prediction: Duke 83 Notre Dame 70
ISD Video | Mike Brey Previews Duke Road Trip
ISD Video | Mike Brey Fired Up for Connaughton in Dunk Contest