MEN'S HOOPS - Pittsburgh vs. Notre Dame Preview

PITTSBURGH (14-8; 5-6 ACC) vs. NOTRE DAME (13-8; 4-6)

Where: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Ind.

Time/TV/Internet: Today (6:30 p.m., EST); Available on the ACC Network, UND.com, Sirius/XM Radio Channel 989

Line: Notre Dame -6 (138.5 over/under)

Prediction: Notre Dame 72, Pittsburgh 62

Game Note Links: Pittsburgh … Notre Dame

Series Facts: In what will be the 66th meeting between these two schools — making this the seventh longest rivalry all-time for Notre Dame men’s basketball — the Irish narrowly lead this series, 34-31, which dates all the back to 1927. Through the 1920s and 1930s, these two routinely played twice a year in a home-and-home arrangement.

The series became sporadic after 1938 but was renewed on a regular basis in 1996 when both teams were members of the Big East Conference, and then revived again in 2014 when these two reunited again as ACC foes.

The Irish have won three of the last four meetings but dropped the only game between the two last season, a 56-53 Panther win in Pittsburgh.

NOTRE DAME OVERVIEW

*After muddling along offensively earlier this season, routinely scoring only in the 60s, the Irish have scored at least 80 points in four straight games, and at least 75 points in five straight with three wins in those five.

Irish head coach Mike Brey traditionally builds his team around efficient and high-powered offenses, and after the sluggish start, Notre Dame is playing its best offensive basketball of the season.

The 80-72 win Saturday over Georgia Tech marked only the second time since Notre Dame joined the ACC in 2013-14 that it scored at least 80 points in four straight conference games. Brey’s Irish also hit the 80 mark four consecutive times during the 2016-17 season.

*The recent scoring surge from Notre Dame — it has averaged 82.8 points the last five games — has moved the Irish up to second in the ACC in scoring at 76.8 points per game, trailing only Duke (83.4 ppg).

The hope tonight is to use this rejuvenated offense to beat an offensively challenged Pitt team and give the Irish their first three-game winning streak in ACC play since January of 2018.

PITTSBURGH OVERVIEW

So while the Notre Dame offense is flying high, Pitt’s defense has been the strength of its team this season.

According to KenPom.com statistical rankings, the Panthers are the 69th best team in the country in overall defensive efficiency and the No. 19 team nationally at turning teams over. Pitt ranks second in the ACC in turnover margin (3.27) and is also No. 3 in the conference in scoring defense at 62.6 points allowed per game.

Offensively is where Pittsburgh struggles, especially when playing in the half-court.

The Panthers rank only No. 306 in field-goal percentage and No. 319 nationally (out of 350 DI teams) in three-point field-goal percentage when playing half-court offense.

And if their leading long-range shooter — junior guard Ryan Murphy — is held out tonight with lingering concussion symptoms, the Panthers would likely become even more reluctant to shoot the three-ball.

GAME OUTLOOK

*Brey was an assistant coach at Duke (1987-95) during a three-year span when Pitt head coach Jeff Capel was also a point guard there (1993-97).

The two coached and played together under Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski in the 1994 national championship game when they were beaten by Arkansas.

Capel also served as an assistant from 2011-18 at Duke under Krzyzewski, so tonight’s coaches share some similar experiences and philosophies when it comes to their roads and evolutions as head coaches.

*Unlike Notre Dame, which makes its living from behind the three-point arc and ranks second in the ACC with 10.1 three-pointers made per game, Pittsburgh ranks 13th in the 15-team league with 5.4 made three-pointers per game.

QUICK HITS:

*Pitt sophomore forward Au’Diese Toney has been one to watch in his last two games, scoring 25 points in a loss at Duke and 15 points Sunday in a win against Miami.

*Irish sophomore sixth-man Dane Goodwin has scored in double figures in six straight games and now ranks third in the country in individual scoring off the bench at 12.3 ppg.

*Pittsburgh has attempted 397 three-pointers so far this season. Notre Dame has tried exactly 600.

QUOTEABLE:

“We always knew we could play like this. To see it come to fruition here, get the ball moving, making shots, everything we practice on day in and day out, has been great. We just have to keep it going.” — Goodwin on offensive improvement and looking tonight for a third straight league win.

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