by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Dec 28, 2021
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Where to watch: ACC Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Notre Dame -3.5
BetMGM: Notre Dame -3.5
Caesars: Notre Dame -4
Season record
Notre Dame: 6-5 (0-1 ACC)
Pittsburgh: 5-7 (0-1 ACC)
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Notre Dame - Pittsburgh preview and analysis
Recent form
Notre Dame: won 83-73 vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 22
Pittsburgh: won 64-55 vs. Jacksonville on Dec. 21
It’s the ACC home opener for the Pittsburgh Panthers when they face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Tuesday, and it’s a game both programs could use to build some momentum before the bulk of conference play.
Both teams are 0-1 in ACC play but it was even more of an underwhelming non-conference slate for the Panthers and Fighting Irish. Things have picked up as of late with the Panthers winning three of four after losing four straight, and Notre Dame also on a three-wins-in-four-games run after losing the previous three.
The Irish are coming off an 83-73 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in which they made 16 3-pointers and survived a tough test from the Islanders. Notre Dame leading scorer Dane Goodwin had a season-high 21 points while making five of those 16 threes to help take down the leaders of the Southland Conference.
Goodwin has hit double figures in every game this season; the sharpshooter is averaging 15.6 per game over his last five starts and has made nine threes in his last two games. He had 18 points in 24 minutes on Dec. 20 against Western Michigan. The senior guard became the 66th Notre Dame player ever to reach 1,000 points and was named the ACC Co-Player of the Week on Monday.
The other Player of the Week? He’s playing against him Tuesday.
Pittsburgh sophomore guard Femi Odukale scored a career-high 28 points in the Panthers’ 64-55 win against Jacksonville on Dec. 21. It was the sixth double-digit scoring game for Odukale this season, who is second on Pitt with 12.4 points and 3.4 assists per game.
The Panthers have held five of their past six opponents to fewer than 60 points, allowing 57.8 points per game in that span. Mouhamadou Gueye had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Pitt.
Prediction
The Panthers are 3-5 all-time in ACC home openers under head coach Jeff Capel, but more importantly, Notre Dame has won five of the last six meetings. It may not be the marquee matchup in the ACC, but Notre Dame is still a talented group that should win this game comfortably. Notre Dame by 10
Betting trends
Notre Dame is 2-8 ATS this season and 28-38 over the past three seasons.
Notre Dame is 6-17 ATS in its last 23 following a non-conference game.
Pittsburgh is 7-5 ATS in its last 12 as a home dog.
Projected starting lineup
Notre Dame:
PG: Prentiss Hubb
SG: Dane Goodwin
SF: Blake Wesley
PF: Paul Atkinson Jr.
C: Nate Laszewski
SF: Blake Wesley
PF: Paul Atkinson Jr.
C: Nate Laszewski
Pittsburgh:
PG: Femi Odukale
SG: Jamarius Burton
SF: William Jeffress
PF: John Hughley
C: Mouhamadou Gueye
SF: William Jeffress
PF: John Hughley
C: Mouhamadou Gueye
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
