Game Thread | Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest

Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest | ACC Tournament 

Date: March 13th

Time: 2:30 PM ET 

Where: Capital One Arena | Washington D.C.

TV: ESPN

Line: Wake Forest -8.5

O/U: 136.5

QUICK FACTS 

- Notre Dame leads the all-time series 9-7

- The Irish won the last meeting 70-65 in February 

- Markus Burton has scored 556 points this season, which is now a program record for a freshman

- Notre Dame’s all-time record in the ACC Tournament is 12-8 

- Sophomore Tae Davis has scored in double figures in six straight games 

- ESPN’s Matchup Predictor: 87.5% in favor of Wake Forest

PROJECTED STARTERS

NOTRE DAME

WAKE FOREST

TEAM STATS

THOUGHTS

Markus Burton has been a star all year, but his highest-scoring game of the year came last month in the win over Wake Forest. The Mishawaka native scored 31 points on just 15 shots and went a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line in the 70-65 upset. 

Notre Dame will need a similar performance from Burton, but also his supporting cast on Wednesday as the Irish take on Wake Forest in the second round of the ACC Tournament. 

Carey Booth scored 15, Braeden Shrewsberry and Tae Davis added 11. It was a performance the Irish have shown more of lately as Notre Dame has started to score points almost out of nowhere. Perhaps the biggest key to the win in February was the fact Notre Dame recorded just six turnovers. 

During Tuesday’s win over Georgia Tech, Notre Dame seemed to be destined for a blowout, but then they started to get sloppy with the basketball. The Irish committed 10 second half turnovers and allowed the Yellow Jackets to make two important runs to come back from 17 down. 

How does Notre Dame earn a second win over the Demon Deacons this year? It starts with valuing the basketball and rebounding. Notre Dame lost the rebounding battle 38-33 in the first game, but it didn’t matter because the Irish hit 19-of-22 from the free throw line. Wake Forest will be fresher on Wednesday, so the Irish need to do the little things. Boxing out will be key to limiting second-chance points, which is where many tournament games are won and lost. 

The Irish also shut down Hunter Sallis in the first meeting as he scored seven points on 2-of-11 shooting. It’s unlikely Sallis will be a non-factor for a second time, but Notre Dame can’t let him takeover the game.

Both teams love the three-ball, and whoever wins that battle will have a major advantage. Wake Forest has several players who can impact the game from deep, so Notre Dame will need to close out well and try to get the Demon Deacons off the perimeter. 

In the last two weeks, Notre Dame has gone from a defensive team to a team that is getting into shootouts. That’s not the recipe for Wake Forest as the Demon Deacons have more offensive firepower and an NBA player in Sallis. 

On offense, Notre Dame needs to be efficient. As mentioned, it’s likely not going to be favorable if this game is played in the 80s, so slowing it down and finding the mismatch will be key here. Tae Davis could be the x-factor here as he’s scored in double figures in six consecutive games. The Irish have done a great job of driving to the rim and collecting fouls, which is something they also did in the first meeting with Wake Forest. 

Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for Here! 

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Spring Break Long Sleeve T-Shirt