Game Thread | Notre Dame at Virginia Tech

Notre Dame (10-5, 4-1) at Virginia Tech (8-7, 0-4)

Date: Jan 15th

Time: 6:00 PM ET 

Where: Cassell Coliseum | Blacksburg, Va.

TV: ACC Network | Mike Monaco and Randolph Childress

Line: Virginia Tech -6.0

O/U: 132.0

Quick Facts 

- Notre Dame leads the all-time series 9-6 and holds a record of 4-2 in Blacksburg. 

- Mike Brey is 2-2 against Mike Young. 

- If Notre Dame wins, the seven-game winning streak would be the longest since 2016-17.

- Dane Goodwin has scored in double figures in 15 straight games.

- Blake Wesley’s 14.7 ppg is second-best in the ACC for a true freshman. 

- Prentiss Hubb will enter Saturday's game with 499 assists. 

- Trey Wertz sits at 986 career points. (747 points were scored at Santa Clara from 2018-20)

PROJECTED STARTERS

Notre Dame

Virginia Tech

Preview

Well, well, well...Notre Dame enters Saturday’s road trip to Virginia Tech with a lot on the line. Mike Brey's squad sits second in the ACC at 4-1 and riding a six-game winning streak. Who would have thought? 

Notre Dame has found itself offensively led by senior Dane Goodwin and Blake Wesley, who might make up the ACC's top 1-2 punch at guard. Defensively, Notre Dame is much better than a year ago and it's proved to be key in wins against Kentucky and North Carolina. 

The trip to Blacksburg will be tricky as the Hokies sit in last place in the ACC with a record of 0-4. Virginia Tech isn't as good as in recent years, but they are also much better than last place in the conference. 

Brey expects the game to be as physical as ever and that means Notre Dame will need to come ready to bang in the paint. 

"I thought it was two games where they physically put it on us both times,” Brey said of the last two meetings. “I thought it was disappointing for our guys. They beat us up and kind of took our lunch money, quite frankly. 

“I know they're 0-4, but I think they're really gifted. Their two bigs are really good and they're dying for one. For us, it's meeting the physical challenge and can we score on the road and get into a rhythm of scoring on the road?" 

Goodwin and Wesley will get their points tomorrow, but the Irish need another scorer to rise up and it could be Trey Wertz, who sits 14 points shy of 1,000 career points. 

Wertz is close to being back in game shape and confident after suffering a sprained ankle in December. 

"I thought he was really important the other night,” Brey explained. “He had the injury and the ankle was bothering him. I thought it's taken him a while to get back in shape. He missed Corpus Christi and I think it's taken him a while to get back in a rhythm, but we need him. 

"He's a great passer and feels the game. I think he's a really good shooter too. He's not had as many looks and he's gotten better physically defending and being better there. Playing harder and competing harder." 

The success of the last couple weeks isn't lost on Brey or his team, but they also know a birth in the NCAA Tournament or an ACC title isn't won in January. 

"I'm proud of our group," said Brey. “We didn't get off to a very good start. We were searching and we were really searching in Boston. Since then, I think we've found a little bit better identity. I give a lot of credit to our leadership and how our leadership has embraced Blake and Paul (Atkinson) - two new guys that are main guys for us. 

"Those older guys liked the two new additions because they can help us win. It's been neat to see Nate (Laszewski), Dane, Cormac (Ryan), Trey and Prentiss (Hubb) say, 'Yep, these guys are in the club. They can help us win.’"

Virginia Tech Last Five
@ Virginia - 54-52 L
NC State - 68-63 L
@ Duke - 76-65 L
St. Bonaventure - 86-49 W
@ Dayton - 62-57 L 

Notre Dame Last Five
Clemson - 72-56 W
@ Georgia Tech - 72-68 W
North Carolina - 78-73 W 
@ Pitt - 68-67 W
Texas A&M Corpus Christi - 83-73 W