Notre Dame vs. Miami Odds
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5 -115 | 144 -105o / -115u | N/A |
| Miami Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5 -105 | 144 -105o / -115u | N/A |
It will be a quick turnaround for Notre Dame, as it looks to bounce back from a rough loss at home to Duke.
The Fighting Irish lost to the Blue Devils on Monday, 57-43, in a game that also ended their four-game winning streak. But they don't have time to worry about that. Exactly 48 hours later, they make the trip down south to take on Miami in the Watsco Center.
It's been an up-and-down season for the Irish, who have had some amazing wins over teams like Kentucky and North Carolina. However, all of their big wins have come at home. The loss to Duke marked their first home loss of the season.
It's been a much different story for Notre Dame on the road, as it has lost to teams like Boston College, which beat the Irish by 16 on Chestnut Hill.
Meanwhile, people seem to doubt Miami every week, and every week, the Canes have proven them wrong. The Hurricanes are the standalone leader in the ACC and have lost only twice in conference play — both to rival Florida State.
Miami has not lost at home to a team from outside the state of Florida this season. Can it keep that streak alive as it welcomes the Irish to town?
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Notre Dame offense ranks ninth in the ACC, averaging 70.2 points per contest. It's also 10th in shooting percentage, as the team drains shots at a 44.5% clip.
But the Irish rely heavily on the 3. Of all of their points, 38.8% come from beyond the arc. But when you're the 43rd-best 3-point shooting team in the country, why wouldn't you take some shots from deep?
And even better news for the Irish, Miami has had issues in defending the perimeter all season. The Canes rank 300th nationally in 3-point defense, allowing opposing teams to hit at 36.1%.
The Irish offense has been led by Dane Goodwin, who is averaging 14.6 points per game to go with 4.8 rebounds. Blake Wesley and Paul Atkinson Jr. join him as the only other players on the team averaging double figures at 14.5 and 11.7 points per game, respectfully.
On defense, Notre Dame is holding opponents to an average of 66.0 points per contest.
The matchup against Miami bodes well for the Irish, as they should be able to dominate the paint. The Canes have had issues rebounding all season, and their height deficiency compared to the Irish will only make matters worse.
Miami Hurricanes
Even with a 16-5 overall record, Miami is still not ranked in the AP Top 25. However, both the Canes and the Irish received votes this week. Whichever side wins this game will likely break into the AP rankings.
The Canes have shocked everyone this year after being picked to finish 12th in the ACC by most outlets. The game against Notre Dame will be their first at home since they lost to Florida State, 61-60, on Jan. 22.
Miami averages 71.4 points per game on 45.3% shooting from the field. And while they don't depend on it as much as the Irish, the Canes are a good 3-point shooting team in their own right.
As I mentioned, I don't think the Canes will have success on the boards. They will need to continue to be a solid shooting team and limit turnovers, two things they've had success with all season.
The Hurricanes' biggest contributor has been Kameron McGusty, who's posting 18 points per game while also coming through with 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a team-best 1.6 steals per contest.
But he's not the only playmaker for the Canes. Isaiah Wong has been huge, posting 16 points per game and grabbing 3.9 rebounds.
Miami's defense will in all likelihood be the deciding factor in this game. The Canes have struggled throughout the season and will need to step up if they want to avoid their third loss in conference play.
They're giving up 71.4 points per game and allowing opposing teams to post an effective field goal percentage of 52.9%.
However, they have been great when it comes to forcing turnovers. Miami ranks 86th in defensive turnover percentage and 27th in steal percentage. Both numbers will need to improve against an Irish team that turns it over just 10.4 times per contest.
Notre Dame vs. Miami Betting Pick
The Miami defense has its issues, but Notre Dame's struggles on the road have been more significant. The Canes have also been dominant at home, excelling in nearly every statistic on their home floor while putting up a 9-2 record at the Watsco Center.
Notre Dame has also had just one day off since its game against Duke, which I think will affect it against the Canes as well.
I'm taking Miami as a -5.5-point favorite and would bet it as high as -7.
