Game Thread | Duke at Notre Dame
No. 9 Duke (17-3, 7-2) at Notre Dame (14-6, 7-2)
Date: Jan. 31st
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Where: Purcell Pavilion | Notre Dame, Ind.
TV: ESPN | Dan Schulman, Cory Alexander and Andraya Carter
Line: Duke -5.5
O/U: 143.5
Quick Facts
- Duke leads the all-time series 27-8.
- Mike Brey is 6-9 against Mike Krzyzewski.
- There is only one player in the country shooting .500 from the field, .500 from 3FG range (1.5 3FGM/G) and averaging 15.0 ppg - senior Dane Goodwin.
- Goodwin has scored in double figures in 20 straight games.
- Notre Dame is 10-0 this season when hitting 10+ three-pointers in a game.
- Nate Laszewski is three points away from hitting 1,000 career points.
PROJECTED STARTERS
Notre Dame
| Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Prentiss Hubb | 8.2 | 2.8 | 3.6 |
| Blake Wesley | 15.0 | 3.3 | 2.6 |
| Dane Goodwin | 15.4 | 4.8 | 1.2 |
| Nate Laszewski | 9.3 | 7.5 | 0.9 |
| Paul Atkinson Jr. | 11.6 | 6.3 | 1.6 |
Duke
| Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Jeremy Roach | 8.1 | 2.7 | 3.8 |
| AJ Griffin | 8.9 | 3.2 | 1.0 |
| Wendell Moore Jr. | 14.9 | 5.5 | 4.6 |
| Paolo Banchero | 17.6 | 8.3 | 2.8 |
| Mark Williams | 10.1 | 7.1 | 1.0 |
Preview
| Category | Duke | Notre Dame |
| Points | 81.6 | 71.6 |
| Opponent Points | 65.8 | 66.5 |
| FG% | 48.8% | 45.7% |
| Rebounds | 38.6 | 33.0 |
| Assists | 17.9 | 13.7 |
| Blocks | 5.6 | 2.3 |
| Steals | 7.5 | 5.4 |
Notre Dame is a perfect 10-0 when hitting 10 or more three-pointers in a game this season. That will be put to the test in many ways on Monday night as Duke comes to town.
The Blue Devils hold a major size advantage, so Notre Dame’s three-point shooting will be even more crucial as drives to the basket will be at a premium for anyone not named Blake Wesley.
Mike Brey and his staff have also emphasized defense this season and this will be perhaps the toughest task to date. Freshman forward Paolo Banchero is perhaps the best player in the country and he'll be a tough matchup in the post at 6-foot-10, 250 pounds.
Nate Laszewski or Paul Atkinson Jr. will have their hands full as opposite Banchero is Mark Williams (7’0/242). Any type of foul trouble for Notre Dame will only be highlighted tonight due to the interior presence of Duke combined with Brey not having a third big-man in the rotation.
Now, Notre Dame has shot the ball well from deep and has done quite well against Duke in the past, including last year when the Irish went 11-for-25 from three to steal one at Cameron Indoor.
One battle to watch is Notre Dame on the offensive glass. It's been an area where teams have found success against Duke, but it's also one of the few aspects of the game Notre Dame is horrible as the Irish are No. 337 in the country in offensive rebounding. That said, Brey's team is crafty and they hustle to the ball. If Notre Dame takes a large number of threes, it could lead to second-chance points if the Irish are active on the offensive glass.
In watching both teams play this season, it feels like a classic game of runs is coming. Notre Dame can score quickly, while Duke will likely grind out runs if they take advantage of mismatches.
It should be a fun one as the winner moves into first place in the ACC.
Duke Last Five
@ Louisville - 74-65 W
Clemson - 71-69 W
Syracuse - 79-59 W
@ Florida State - 79-78 L
NC State - 88-73 W
Notre Dame Last Five
Virginia - 69-65 W
NC State - 73-65 W
Louisville - 82-70 W
Howard - 71-68 W
@ Virginia Tech 79-73 L