Sunday
NOTRE DAME IRISH 18-5 @ RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS 10-16
February 17, 12:00 PM | Louis Brown Athletic Center
Notre Dame is coming off a tough loss on the road to UConn. They are one of the best teams in the conference and they need this win to keep pace with the other top teams. That loss ended a 5 game winning streak 2 of which were on the road.
Luke Harangody continues to improve and leads this team avg over 20ppg and 10 boards. He just dropped 32 points and 16 rebounds last game @ UConn, who has some of the best frontcourt defenders in the nation.
Rutgers has lost 5 straight including 3 @ home. They are tied for last place in the conference and the only thing they have left to play for is an outside chance of making it to NY for the BE Tourney. This squad just struggles to take care of the basketball and they only avg 9 assists a game. These guys just like to gun from outside, and they just don't understand how to work the ball to find the best shot available. Every once in a while they get hott, but it doesn't last long. The Knights have just as many problems on the defensive end.
The Knights are going to get crushed on the glass, and they will have no answer for the Irish big men. Notre Dame should have no problem playing inside out and they have good shooters to hit the outside shot, when the Knights start doubling the middle. The Irish are just much better in every aspect of the matchup and should have no problem handling Rutgers in this one. However anything is possible in the Big East, and RU is going to be at home. If they lose this game, their season is over. So I do expect a strong effort from them but Notre Dame should be able to handle the surge and put them away in the second half.
THe line opened at 11 and has dropped to 10/10.5. I expect the line to continue to fall because alot of cappers love home dogs plus big points in conference no matter what(for good reason)
Score Prediction: Irish 77 - Knights 66
Right now Im saying away but I might have a total play when it opens, and still might lay the wood on the road, but unsure as of now. If the line drops to 9.5 Ill probaly take a shot with the Irish