Notre Dame comes into tonight’s showdown against Pitt with a 5-9 overall record, and a 2-6 mark in ACC play. Despite that low standing in the conference, the Irish have played a challenging schedule to date and have some of the better individual players in the ACC.
Pitt is looking to snap a recent two-game skid and will not be taking tonight’s opponent lightly. The Panthers got burned a bit last weekend, as the team was riding high from a win over Duke, and lost a 76-75 to Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are currently in last place in the ACC, with their lone conference win coming over Pitt.
Pitt head coach Jeff Capel noted his team can’t take anyone lightly, and is wary over Notre Dame, despite its current record.
“We need to respect the game,” Capel told reporters on Thursday. “Notre Dame is a good team that’s struggled, and so they’re going to be a team that is desperate to win and we know that. They’re a proud program.”
Notre Dame played a non-conference slate that featured programs like Michigan State, Purdue, Kentucky, and Ohio State. The Irish have also already squared off against top ACC programs like Virginia, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech twice.
Mike Brey’s team is battle tested and will be a tough out no matter what their record reads. The Irish have a trio of talented juniors fronting their attack.
Nate Laszewski averages 15.9 points per game and is shooting a staggering 55% from 3-point range this season. Prentiss Hubb is a veteran point guard averaging 14.6 points and 5.1 assists per game. Dane Goodwin rounds out Notre Dame’s ‘big three’ and has been steadily improving during his time in South Bend. The 6’6” wing averages 12.4 a game, and is shooting 34.3 from behind the arc.
“Obviously Brey gives them incredible freedom on the offensive end to be players and to take shots,” Capel said of Notre Dame “So they play with that freedom. They’re a really good team as far as offensively scoring the basketball. They can get out in transition.”
Notre Dame leads the ACC with 124 made 3-point field goals on the season. Conversely, Pitt leads the conference in 3-point field goal percentage defense, as the Panthers are holding opponents to just 28% from the field.
Despite that high ranking, Pitt got into trouble last week against Wake Forest in defending the 3-point line. The Demon Deacons connected on 15 made field goals from deep, and it proved costly in a one-point defeat.
The style of play is something that caught junior guard Ithiel Horton’s eye during his time scouting the Irish ahead of tonight’s game.
“To me what stands out is their shooting and the way they move the ball,” Horton said of Notre Dame. “The style and confidence that they play is going to require a lot of focus. We’re going to have to get back in transition and point out who we have and talk on defense the entire time. Once they get going, they’re a tough team to stop.”
Pitt enters tonight’s contest as the 7th place team in the ACC with a 4-3 conference record. Pitt has to prove it belongs in the top half of the league, and it will requite more than just showing up, according to Capel. He needs to see his team carry out the game plan and play with focus.
“We have to be a team that plays with an edge, that is prepared, and that goes out and is able to follow through on the things that we’ve worked on and the things that allow us to be a good team.”
