Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech Odds
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -105 | 135.5 -110o / -110u | -110 |
| Georgia Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -115 | 135.5 -110o / -110u | -110 |
Two teams currently with very different mindsets will match up on Saturday evening, as Notre Dame travels to Georgia Tech to take on the Yellow Jackets.
The Irish enter this game riding a four-game winning streak with impressive wins over North Carolina and Pittsburgh. Their win against North Carolina came with just seven players, led by Nate Laszewski with 20 points.
Georgia Tech, meanwhile, has lost six of its last seven games and is desperate for a win. Even worse for the Yellow Jackets, their singular win in overtime came over a 157th-ranked Georgia State team at home.
Georgia Tech has had some serious struggles as of late, falling below .500 after its last loss. It is now 6-7 overall and 0-3 in conference play. Can it get back on track Saturday? Or will a surging Notre Dame be too much for the Yellow Jackets to overcome?
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Irish and Georgia Tech have one major thing in common: they are both teams whose biggest asset has been defense.
Notre Dame has limited opponents to just 66.2 points per game, while also forcing 11.3 turnovers and drawing 14.8 fouls per game. Opposing teams have also struggled to find success shooting from anywhere on the floor, averaging just 37.4% from 3-point range and just 49.2% on 2-point shots.
The Irish, while not as good as Georgia Tech, still have been solid around the basket. Notre Dame averages 6.3 offensive rebounds per game while also recording 23.6 defensive rebounds per game. Overall, the Irish rank 179th in Division I with 33.5 total rebounds per game.
Offensively, Notre Dame's biggest advantage has come from 3-point shots. The Irish may rank just 94th in college basketball with a 3-point percentage of 35.3%, but they lead the ACC with 9.3 3-point shots per game.
During their four-game win streak, the Irish have been even better, racking up 13.3 3s over the stretch.
And while the majority of the Irish offense has been facilitated via Paul Atkinson Jr. and Dane Goodwin, the team as a whole has been incredibly balanced.
Four players are averaging double-digits for the Irish, and they are putting up 69.1 points per game as a team. The Irish are also shooting at 43.3% overall and 77.3% from the charity stripe.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The list of struggles this Yellow Jackets team has faced this year is a long one, but it begins with their offense. Georgia Tech is hitting just 43.9% of shots from the floor, which ranks 197th in college ball.
The Yellow Jackets are also averaging 67.8 points per game, the 225th-best mark in the country.
One major reason for the scoring struggles can be attributed to their lack of passing, as they record just 12.5 assist per game as a team (241st in the country).
The Yellow Jackets have also had problems with ball security, turning the ball over an average of 13.5 times per game.
Additionally, the Jackets can't seem to stop fouling. Georgia Tech ranks 282nd in the country, racking up an average of 18.5 fouls per game.
There have been some positives for the Yellow Jackets, though. They limit opponents to just 42% shooting and allow just 67.7 points per game. Tech has also been able to force an average of 12.9 turnovers per game, and it limits opponents to just 31.4% from 3.
Slowing down Notre Dame from 3-point range will be a must if the Jackets want to have any hope of keeping this game close.
Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech Betting Pick
The tide has to turn for the Yellow Jackets at some point, but I don't think it will be against Notre Dame. The Irish have been dominant, and I don't see them losing to these Yellow Jackets, even on the road.
However, I think there is a better edge in the total for this game.
Both of these teams have been efficient on defense, regardless of where their stats rank nationally. They have had some impressive performances against some of the best teams in college basketball. Notre Dame, for example, held Kentucky to just 62 points, while Georgia Tech held Wisconsin to just 70.
Not to mention, these two teams are also two of the slowest paced in the country. I was able to get the under at 135.5 and I would feel comfortable taking it as low as 132.
