HOOPS Preview: Notre Dame Vs. Pittsburgh

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NOTRE DAME (17-12, 7-9 ACC) VS. PITTSBUGH (8-22, 0-17 ACC)

Where: Purcell Pavilion (Notre Dame, Ind.)

Rankings: Both teams are unranked.

Time/TV: 7 p.m. ET/ESPNU

Last Meeting: Notre Dame 78, Pittsburgh 77 (Dec. 31, 2016).

Series Info: Notre Dame leads the all-time series 32-30.

Notre Dame will play its final home game of the 2017-2018 campaign tonight when the Irish host Pittsburgh on Senior Night.

Mike Brey's group aims to pick up another win as they try to keep positive momentum in an effort to make a run for a NCAA Tournament bid while the Panthers aim to win their first ACC game.

Here is Blue & Gold Illustrated's preview of both teams along with a prediction of the outcome.

Tonight will be an emotion-filled night with the senior class of Bonzie Colson, Matt Farrell, Martinas Geben, Austin Torres, Matt Gregory and Liam Nelligan being honored during their final home at Purcell Pavilion.

The group will be looking for their 100th win in an Irish uniform as well while also trying to secure win No. 400 for Brey at Notre Dame.

To add on top of that, Colson will return to the starting lineup after missing the last 15 games with a foot injury. His ultimate time is still to be determined, but being back on the court should give Notre Dame quite the jolt of energy to the team and the Irish faithful in attendance.

The Irish enter tonight coming off a dramatic come from behind 76-71 win over Wake Forest this past Saturday thanks to a game-winning three-point basket from Farrell in the closing seconds to break a 71-71 tie.

Farrell scored 21 points in the win including going over the 1,000-point mark. Geben went for 22 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Irish in both categories while sophomore guard TJ Gibbs notched 20.

Notre Dame’s defense showed up in a big way against the Demon Deacons as well. Trailing 69-60 with just over eight minutes to play, the Irish did not allow Wake Forest to make a single field goal the rest of the game and gave up just two points total to pick up the win.

Without the stellar performance on the defensive end, Farrell may not have had the chance to hit the game-winner and keep Notre Dame’s NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

A win tonight won’t do much to improve those chances, but more momentum heading into a matchup against No. 1 Virginia will be welcome for the Irish.

Oh, boy. Where to begin with the Pittsburgh Panthers.

It hasn’t exactly been a banner year for Kevin Stallings’ group. Pittsburgh has not won a game in two months and has not defeated a single Power Five opponent including an 0-17 record in ACC play.

Granted, the team brought in double-digit new faces into the program this year and lost double-double threat Ryan Luther (12.7 PPG, 10.1 RPG) 10 games into the season with an injury.

But, this has been a year for the Panthers to forget and likely a season most can’t wait for to end in the coming weeks with the ACC Tournament beginning next Tuesday.

Stallings has mixed up the lineup a bit throughout the season, but it’s been a little more consistent as of late.

Junior guard Jared Wilson-Frame is the team’s leading scorer at 12.6 points while also contributing 3.4 rebounds to the cause. He is joined on the perimeter by a trio of freshmen guards — Marcus Carr (9.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG), Parker Stewart (9.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG) and Khameron Davis (4.1 PPG, 2.8 RPG).

Freshman Kene Chukwuka (2.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG) has earned the last three starts and mans the middle for the Panthers.

Stallings typically goes eight-deep with his main rotation with freshman guard Shamiel Stevenson (8.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG) being the top option off the bench. Stevenson is usually joined by senior guard Jonathan Milligan (5.2 PPG) and freshman forward Terrell Brown (4.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG) off the bench.

With a record of 8-22 and 0-17 in ACC play, Pittsburgh obviously doesn’t do much well when looking at their statistics. The Panthers scored just 62.2 points (No. 348) while allowing 72.5 points (t-No. 179).

The group also allows a -5.9 margin rebounding (31.2-37.2) and 14.3 turnovers per game.

According to KenPom.com, Pittsburgh’s effective field goal percentage (48.7 percent) ranks No. 273 nationally while their three-point percentage (33.1 percent) sits at No. 265.

Simply put, Notre Dame shouldn’t have much trouble in this one. Though the ACC games between the two programs have been very close, it would be surprising if this one is competitive in the long run.

Notre Dame will have a lot of emotion with Senior Night going on and Colson at least stepping on the court even if it is for mere ceremonial purposes at this time. So, the group will have to control that and remain focused on the task at hand.

The Irish will carry the advantage of both sides of the court and will look to send their seniors out win one more win at home while giving Brey is 400th win at Notre Dame.

Prediction

Notre Dame 82, Pittsburgh 64

If the Irish lose this one, their chances — whatever they may be — of making the NCAA Tournament without winning the ACC Tournament are likely gone. But, the Irish have too much firepower and home-court advantage to win this one.

It would be a letdown of epic proportions if Pittsburgh walks off Purcell Pavilion with a win over the Irish.

In the end, Notre Dame uses the energy of Senior Night and Colson’s return to enter a matchup against No. 1 Virginia with a two-game winning streak.

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