Miami is already gearing up for March Madness. Head coach Jim Larranaga has guided the team to a season-high No. 7 in the AP Polls. The Hurricanes are also just a half game behind No. 8 North Carolina for the top spot in the ACC. Miami needs to win both of their last two games to ensure at least a share of the regular season league title. Their first test comes Wednesday night at Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish still have plenty to play for. They can clinch a double bye in the ACC Tournament with home wins over Miami and North Carolina State on Saturday. While Miami’s offense may be a headache, the Irish can fight back with their own offense. Notre Dame is one of the best defensive teams in the nation, and will be fired up at home.
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Miami Hurricanes vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Preview
Where: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend
When: Wednesday, March 2, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Miami Hurricanes (+2) at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-2) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the Miami Hurricanes (23-5)
Head coach Jim Larranaga has a firm belief that guard play is critical in March. He’s thankful that the Miami Hurricanes have the duo of Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez firmly set in the backcourt. McClellan leads the team with 15.6 points per game this season. Rodriguez is averaging 11.5 points and 4.4 assists per game this season.
McClellan had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists as he missed just one shot. Rodriguez had 12 points, five assists and three rebounds. They had plenty of help from forward Anthony Lawrence Jr. off the bench. The freshman forward had a team-high 18 points in that game, shooting a perfect 4 of 4 from three. He also had two big blocks.
The trio of McClellan, Rodriguez and Lawrence could have a big day from downtown if Notre Dame continues to struggle defending threes. The Fighting Irish have allowed their opponents to shoot 44 percent from deep in their last two home games.
Miami has won eight of their last 10 games, going 7-3 ATS.
Betting on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (19-10)
Notre Dame is gunning to return to the style of play they’re known for—an unstoppable offense. Point guard Demetrius Jackson should lead the way with team-highs of 16.3 points and 4.9 assists per game. He’s been pretty hot recently, scoring 16.8 points per game in his last five outings. But he struggled to find his shot in the first matchup against Miami, making just 3 of 11 shots for six points.
Jackson doesn’t have to deal the brunt of the Irish’s offense in this game. He could get plenty of help from the likes of Zach Auguste and Bonzie Colson in the frontcourt. Both had big games in the first game against Miami. Auguste had 12 points and nine rebounds, while Colson had 17 points and five rebounds.
Pounding the ball inside could give Notre Dame a chance to slow down Miami’s offense. If left unchecked, Miami could be a nightmare to contain. The Hurricanes are shooting 48 percent this season. They hit 56 percent of their shots in the first matchup of the season.
The Irish will also have a better chance if they can force defensive stops. They’ll need Jackson to be at his best guarding Miami’s backcourt. He leads the team with 1.3 steals per game this season. He had two steals in the first matchup between the two teams.
The Irish have won six straight at home, going 4-1-1 ATS.
Writer’s Prediction
Miami (+2) outguns Notre Dame.
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