Notre Dame University
Head Coach: Mike Brey
CAREER RECORD: 550-304
RECORD AT ND: 451-252
Schedule
11/13/2021 CSU NORTHRIDGE W 68-52
11/16/2021 HIGH POINT W 70-61
11/22/2021 *vs Saint Mary's (CA) L 59-62 0
11/23/2021 *vs Chaminade W 90-64 3391
11/24/2021 *vs Texas A&M L 67-73 0
11/29/2021 at Illinois L 72-82 14907
12/03/2021 at Boston College L 57-73 6023
* - Maui Invitational
Probable Starters
#20 Paul Atkinson Jr. F 6-9 230 Grad 11.1pts, 6.0reb, no 3pt threat
#14 Nate Laszewski F 6-10 235 Sr 8.6pts, 9.1reb, 37.9% from 3
#23 Dane Goodwin G 6-4 202 Sr 14.3pts, 5.4reb, 41.7% from 3
#5 Cormac Ryan G 6-5 195 Sr 8.6pts, 3.6reb, 2.0ast, 27.6% from 3
#0 Blake Wesley G 6-5 185 Fr 12.9pts, 2.6reb, 37.9% from 3
Key Reserves
#2 Trey Wertz G 6-5 192 Sr 4.9pts, 2.4reb, 3.0ast, 22.7% from 3
#3 Prentiss Hubb G 6-3 176 Sr 7.3pts, 2.4reb, 3.0ast, 21.2% from 3
Team Stats
Points per game 69.0
Points allowed 66.7
Scoring margin +2.3
Field goal pct .436
FG% allowed .443
3-point FG pct .320
3pt FG% allowed .426
Free throw pct .716
Rebounds per game 35.1
Rebounds allowed 32.4
Rebounding margin +2.7
Assists per game 12.3
Turnovers per game 11.1
Turnovers forced 11.7
Turnover margin +0.6
Assist/turnover ratio 1.1
Steals per game 5.0
Steals allowed 6.1
Blocks per game 2.9
KenPom Stats
Offensive Eff: 111.8 #24 Nationally
Defensive Eff: 98.9 #113 Nationally
Best Stats:
Defensive reb %: 22.5% #32 nationally
non-steal Offensive TO%: 7.1% #34 Nationally
non-steal defensive TO%: 11.1% #65 Nationally
Worst Stats:
3pt% Defense: allowing 44.3% from 3 (#356 Nationally)
Effective FG% Defense: 53.2% #286 Nationally
3pt shooting %: 29.6% #281 Nationally
Analysis: Kentucky travels to Notre Dame for its first true road game of the season on Saturday afternoon at 5:15pm EST. Notre Dame enters the game having lost 3 of 4, including 2 of 3 games in the Maui Invitational and 2 straight road games at Illinois and at Boston College. The loss to BC was particularly troubling to the Irish, given that it was their largest margin of defeat on the season and Boston College entered the game sitting at 5-3 on the season and also that Notre Dame allowed BC to shoot 50% from the floor and dominate them on the glass, 38-27. In their defense, that was the 5th consecutive game away from South Bend and it was a long road trip. They are back in the friendly confines of South Bend and the Joyce Center, which will surely be rocking this afternoon with the top 10 ranked Kentucky Wildcats coming to town.
Looking at Notre Dame's personnel, they are led in scoring by guard Dane Goodwin, a 6-4 202lb Senior who is averaging 14.3pts, 5.4reb, and shoots 41.7% from 3pt range. He is easily their best 3pt threat but he will take the ball inside and mix it up with the big boys in the paint as well. Joining Goodwin in the backcourt are Cormac Ryan and Blake Wesley. Cormac Ryan is a 6-5 195lb Senior guard averaging 8.6pts, 3.6reb, and 2.0ast. He's not a great shooter from distance (27.6%) but he's steady with the ball and is a good rebounding guard. Blake Wesley is a 6-5 185lb Freshman guard who is emerging as a solid scorer to help out. He's averaging 12.9pts, 2.6reb and is shooting 37.9% from 3. In the front court, the scoring leader is Paul Atkinson Jr, a 6-9 230lb Grad student averaging 11.1pts, and 6.0reb. He does pretty much all his damage inside in arc and mostly in the paint. He is shooting a staggering 75% from the floor. If you give him post position, he will hurt you multiple moves and nice touch around the rim. The other post player is center Nate Laszewski, a 6-10 235lb Senior averaging 8.6pts, 9.1reb, and shoots the 3 well at 37.9%. He stepped out and made 3 threes in a loss to Illinois. He will be tasked with keeping Oscar Tshiebwe off the glass.
Notre Dame is a ball control, slow-paced team on both ends of the floor. They don't take many risks defensively and they will work patiently for the best shot they can get. Kentucky will need to continue in their defensive stance to the end of the shot clock in order to be successful. They won't force many steals, but they will create turnovers by moving their feet and staying in front. They are very similar to UK defensively in that they try to force long twos. One big issue Notre Dame has this season, which has not always been the case in previous years, is that they have struggled defending the three. They will collapse to defend the lane but they struggle getting out to shooters when the driver throws it back out. Hence, they have allowed 44.3% from 3pt range this season. Now, some of that is just good shooting (we're familiar with that ourselves), but much of it comes from giving up wide-open looks.
I expect Notre Dame to come out fighting hard in this game and I also expect the home crowd to be pumped and lively in this one. On a neutral court, I would expect UK to win comfortably, likely by double digits. But in South Bend, with Notre Dame desperate for win and with UK being one of the last NCAA-T resume builders left out of conference, and this being UK's first true road game of the season, I expect this game to come down to the under 4-minute timeout still in doubt. We will find out what UK is made of this afternoon. KenPom predicts Kentucky 74 Notre Dame 72. Vegas says UK-3.5
My Prediction: Kentucky 75 Notre Dame 70
Head Coach: Mike Brey
CAREER RECORD: 550-304
RECORD AT ND: 451-252
Schedule
11/13/2021 CSU NORTHRIDGE W 68-52
11/16/2021 HIGH POINT W 70-61
11/22/2021 *vs Saint Mary's (CA) L 59-62 0
11/23/2021 *vs Chaminade W 90-64 3391
11/24/2021 *vs Texas A&M L 67-73 0
11/29/2021 at Illinois L 72-82 14907
12/03/2021 at Boston College L 57-73 6023
* - Maui Invitational
Probable Starters
#20 Paul Atkinson Jr. F 6-9 230 Grad 11.1pts, 6.0reb, no 3pt threat
#14 Nate Laszewski F 6-10 235 Sr 8.6pts, 9.1reb, 37.9% from 3
#23 Dane Goodwin G 6-4 202 Sr 14.3pts, 5.4reb, 41.7% from 3
#5 Cormac Ryan G 6-5 195 Sr 8.6pts, 3.6reb, 2.0ast, 27.6% from 3
#0 Blake Wesley G 6-5 185 Fr 12.9pts, 2.6reb, 37.9% from 3
Key Reserves
#2 Trey Wertz G 6-5 192 Sr 4.9pts, 2.4reb, 3.0ast, 22.7% from 3
#3 Prentiss Hubb G 6-3 176 Sr 7.3pts, 2.4reb, 3.0ast, 21.2% from 3
Team Stats
Points per game 69.0
Points allowed 66.7
Scoring margin +2.3
Field goal pct .436
FG% allowed .443
3-point FG pct .320
3pt FG% allowed .426
Free throw pct .716
Rebounds per game 35.1
Rebounds allowed 32.4
Rebounding margin +2.7
Assists per game 12.3
Turnovers per game 11.1
Turnovers forced 11.7
Turnover margin +0.6
Assist/turnover ratio 1.1
Steals per game 5.0
Steals allowed 6.1
Blocks per game 2.9
KenPom Stats
Offensive Eff: 111.8 #24 Nationally
Defensive Eff: 98.9 #113 Nationally
Best Stats:
Defensive reb %: 22.5% #32 nationally
non-steal Offensive TO%: 7.1% #34 Nationally
non-steal defensive TO%: 11.1% #65 Nationally
Worst Stats:
3pt% Defense: allowing 44.3% from 3 (#356 Nationally)
Effective FG% Defense: 53.2% #286 Nationally
3pt shooting %: 29.6% #281 Nationally
Analysis: Kentucky travels to Notre Dame for its first true road game of the season on Saturday afternoon at 5:15pm EST. Notre Dame enters the game having lost 3 of 4, including 2 of 3 games in the Maui Invitational and 2 straight road games at Illinois and at Boston College. The loss to BC was particularly troubling to the Irish, given that it was their largest margin of defeat on the season and Boston College entered the game sitting at 5-3 on the season and also that Notre Dame allowed BC to shoot 50% from the floor and dominate them on the glass, 38-27. In their defense, that was the 5th consecutive game away from South Bend and it was a long road trip. They are back in the friendly confines of South Bend and the Joyce Center, which will surely be rocking this afternoon with the top 10 ranked Kentucky Wildcats coming to town.
Looking at Notre Dame's personnel, they are led in scoring by guard Dane Goodwin, a 6-4 202lb Senior who is averaging 14.3pts, 5.4reb, and shoots 41.7% from 3pt range. He is easily their best 3pt threat but he will take the ball inside and mix it up with the big boys in the paint as well. Joining Goodwin in the backcourt are Cormac Ryan and Blake Wesley. Cormac Ryan is a 6-5 195lb Senior guard averaging 8.6pts, 3.6reb, and 2.0ast. He's not a great shooter from distance (27.6%) but he's steady with the ball and is a good rebounding guard. Blake Wesley is a 6-5 185lb Freshman guard who is emerging as a solid scorer to help out. He's averaging 12.9pts, 2.6reb and is shooting 37.9% from 3. In the front court, the scoring leader is Paul Atkinson Jr, a 6-9 230lb Grad student averaging 11.1pts, and 6.0reb. He does pretty much all his damage inside in arc and mostly in the paint. He is shooting a staggering 75% from the floor. If you give him post position, he will hurt you multiple moves and nice touch around the rim. The other post player is center Nate Laszewski, a 6-10 235lb Senior averaging 8.6pts, 9.1reb, and shoots the 3 well at 37.9%. He stepped out and made 3 threes in a loss to Illinois. He will be tasked with keeping Oscar Tshiebwe off the glass.
Notre Dame is a ball control, slow-paced team on both ends of the floor. They don't take many risks defensively and they will work patiently for the best shot they can get. Kentucky will need to continue in their defensive stance to the end of the shot clock in order to be successful. They won't force many steals, but they will create turnovers by moving their feet and staying in front. They are very similar to UK defensively in that they try to force long twos. One big issue Notre Dame has this season, which has not always been the case in previous years, is that they have struggled defending the three. They will collapse to defend the lane but they struggle getting out to shooters when the driver throws it back out. Hence, they have allowed 44.3% from 3pt range this season. Now, some of that is just good shooting (we're familiar with that ourselves), but much of it comes from giving up wide-open looks.
I expect Notre Dame to come out fighting hard in this game and I also expect the home crowd to be pumped and lively in this one. On a neutral court, I would expect UK to win comfortably, likely by double digits. But in South Bend, with Notre Dame desperate for win and with UK being one of the last NCAA-T resume builders left out of conference, and this being UK's first true road game of the season, I expect this game to come down to the under 4-minute timeout still in doubt. We will find out what UK is made of this afternoon. KenPom predicts Kentucky 74 Notre Dame 72. Vegas says UK-3.5
My Prediction: Kentucky 75 Notre Dame 70
