Tip time, TV and scouting reports for Notre Dame men’s basketball game at Louisville
This game has to be won by someone, right?
On Wednesday, Notre Dame men’s basketball will play two of the worst three teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference rankings when it travels to Louisville. These clubs frequently engaged in overtime-ending games. There have occasionally been numerous overtimes, in the days when the games were exciting, the venues were full, and the teams were rated.
Noie: South Bend Riley High School pays tribute to one of its own, former guard Blake Wesley.
Noie: Men’s basketball at Notre Dame accomplishes a feat that it hadn’t done in 718 days.
What’s the closest we can come to that on Wednesday? Would you please?
When does Louisville’s matchup with Notre Dame begin? Is it broadcast on television?
☔ WHO: Louisville (8-18; 3-12, 15th place) vs. Notre Dame (9-16 overall; 4-10 ACC, 13th place)
☘ WHERE: Louisville, KY; KFC Yum! Center (22,090).
WHEN: This Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
☘ ESPNU
TM: WSBT (960 AM).
ONLINE: Use X (previously Twitter) at twitter.com/tnoieNDI to get live updates on every Notre Dame game from Tribune beat writer Tom Noie.
Louisville, which hosts Notre Dame on Wednesday, has lost its previous two games in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but they have also triumphed in their last two home games.
Investigating the Louisville Cardinals
In Saturday’s 86-59 loss at Pittsburgh, sophomore guard Tre White scored 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, while rookie guard Kaleb Glenn—who attended La Lumiere last season—scored a career-high 17 points. The Cardinals were behind by as much as 27 points in the second half after giving up 49 points. They made 8.3 percent (1-of-12) from 3-point range,.857 percent from the foul line, and.444% from the field. Following five straight games in which they outrebounded the opposition, Louisville concluded with one bench point and a 35-26 rebounding disadvantage. …
Two games in a row, three of four, and nine of eleven have seen the Cardinals lose. Georgia Tech and Florida State, their previous two league home games, have both been victories. Louisville brought back three starters from its 2-18, 4-28, and ACC-lowest finishing squad from the previous season. This preseason, the Cardinals were predicted to place 14th, ahead of Notre Dame. There are seven transfers on the roster. Starting now, the final four games of the season will be played at home. Louisville is 2-4 in league play and 7-7 at home.
Louisville by the numbers: 4: The total number of head coaches at Louisville following the dismissal of Rick Pitino in 2017. This comprises two head coaches (Chris Mack, Kenny Payne) and two interim coaches (David Padgett, Mike Pegues).
11.6: Louisville’s average conference win total across its first six ACC seasons. The Cardinals have won 19 conference games in the past four.
30: The number of games under head coach Kenny Payne’s two years in Louisville that the team has lost by double digits. Twelve have had margins of at least 20 points.
2017: The most recent NCAA tournament victory for Louisville. It looks like the Cardinals will miss the tournament for the fifth year in a row.
11,611 is the season’s average attendance at the 22,090-capacity KFC Yum! Center. For 40 of the preceding 42 seasons, Louisville’s home attendance ranked among the top seven in the country. In ACC play this season, 12,620 spectators have attended home games (Duke).
Feb. 17, 2024, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA: In the second half at the Petersen Events Center, center Federiko Federiko (33) of the Pittsburgh Panthers and forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (5) of the Louisville Cardinals try to grab a rebound. Pitt prevailed 86–59. Required Citation: Charles LeClaire, USA NOW Sports
Who looks good?
The Tennessee transfer power forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield has scored in double figures in each of his previous five games, including a game against Florida State on February 3 when he scored a career-high 29 points. In six of his previous eight games, he has pulled down at least nine rebounds. After recording two double doubles in his first 68 games of the season, Huntley-Hatfield (12.3 ppg., 8.5 rpg.) had six double doubles in the last 17.
Curtis Williams, a guard for Louisville, just learnt about what it’s like to be a freshman in the Atlantic Coast Conference for college basketball. It’s challenging.
Who isn’t
Freshman guard Curtis Williams has 11 points in his previous four games, including two scoreless ones, after recording a career-high 19 points in the home victory over Florida State. Williams had a plus/minus of (-31) after going 0-of-6 from the field with no points and two turnovers on Saturday against Pittsburgh.
Louisville, Kentucky, USA; February 10, 2024; During the second half of the Louisville Cardinals’ game at KFC Yum! Center against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, head coach Kenny Payne issues instructions. Georgia Tech was defeated by Louisville 79-67. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports’ Jamie Rhodes, citing the Cardinals
“Notre Dame is a competent club that can defeat you; they are a squad that is similar to all of us in this conference’s lower half. They play with great intensity. They have a lot of energy. They are able to make shots. Notre Dame isn’t the topic. It concerns us. It all comes down to our commitment to doing what it takes to play competitive basketball. Don’t flip the ball over. Getting back up. Protecting. dividing the ball. avoiding making poor shots. If we take such actions, we have a strong probability of winning the match.” Chief mentor Kenny Payne
Not too long ago, but nevertheless, Louisville and Notre Dame had a fun history of memorable games, first in the ACC and later in the Big East.
Series history: In a series that began in 1952, Louisville has an all-time lead of 27-17. The Irish lead their ACC rivals, 6-5, while the Cardinals are 13-4 in Kentucky. After losing the first six encounters, Notre Dame has won the past three.
Investigating the Notre Dame Irish fighters
After defeating Georgia Tech at home on February 14 (58–55) to extend their ACC winning run to a record-breaking two, Notre Dame has not played. With the victory at Georgia Tech, the Irish finish the regular season with four of their six games played away from home, where they are 1-7 overall, 2-8 overall away from home, and 1-5 in league play. For the first time since winning five in a row in February 2022, the Irish want to win a third straight league game. Since their victory over Georgia Tech in OT on January 9, they have dropped their last four league away games. In Division I (351 teams), Notre Dame is ranked 346th in terms of fastbreak points (4.76 per game). Notre Dame’s match versus Georgia Tech last week ranked No. 200 in the ACC since the Irish joined the league in 2013–14; they are 93–107 (with a winning percentage of.465). The Irish were 123-77 (.615) in their last 200 Big East games (2001–2013).
Notre Dame by the numbers: Judah Mintz, a sophomore guard from Syracuse, and rookie guard Markus Burton are the only two ACC players who average at least 16 points and four assists per game.
16: In its last three league road games (Vactorville, Pittsburgh, and Duke), Notre Dame has fallen behind by a minimum of 16 points.
17: Tae Davis, a sophomore swingman, just finished with an ACC-best 17 points against Georgia Tech. In two of his previous four league contests, Davis has scored at least sixteen points.
29: The Irish’s scoring defense (61.9 ppg) is ranked 29th in the country. All 14 league opponents have been held below their season scoring averages. Louisville’s point average is 73.4.
Micah Shrewsberry, the Irish head coach, has a career record of 46–47 after three seasons.
USA; South Bend, Indiana; February 14, 2024; The Dame In the second half at Purcell Pavilion, Fighting Irish guard Markus Burton (3) drives to the basket while Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets guard Naithan George (2) defends. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports’ Matt Cashore
Who looks good?
And anybody else? Markus Burton, a rookie point guard, is fourth in the ACC in terms of thefts (1.96 per game) and leads all freshman in scoring (16.2 ppg). Burton has averaged 17.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.8 steals in his last five games.
Who isn’t
Freshman forward Carey Booth has not scored in double figures in the previous 12 games since setting a career high with 17 points in the victory over Virginia on December 30. Both times he has failed to score, he finished with three rebounds and no points in the victory over Georgia Tech last week.
Coach Micah Shrewsberry of Notre Dame wants his squad to replicate its success from the previous two ACC games, which were both victories, and take it on the road.
Citing the Irish
“We’ve worked on a few different things to improve our flow a bit. Our ball movement has, in my opinion, improved and is still getting better. It might not be apparent. Even though it might not result in baskets, it helps make room for players to drive. Getting open shots helps. It’s facilitating post-ups’ opening up. We want to maintain improving our passing, mobility, and basketball sharing.” — Micah Shrewsberry, the coach of Notre Dame, on the offensive advancements the Irish can make in the last three weeks of the regular season.
