Game Time: 7:00 PM  ET, Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022

Venue: Joyce Center, South Bend, Indiana

Where to Watch:  ESPN NEWS

 

DraftKings Sportsbook:  Notre Dame -4.5

Caesars:  Spread: 

VegasInsider:  Spread: Notre Dame -4.5

WynnBet: Spread: 

 

Syracuse: 9-7 in conference, 15-12 overall (ACC)

Notre Dame: 12-4 in conference, 19-8 on the season (ACC)

An ACC matchup of basketball royalty.  Syracuse is having a rough year… not horrible, but they are simply not winning enough.  Their head coach has been there for decades upon decades and now is holding on to make sure his kids or grandkids have a place to play in college hoops.  Notre Dame is winning.  The Fighting Irish are especially winning at home.  It’ll be an interesting night… let’s see if the numbers can tell us which team to put our money on.

The Syracuse Orange have won 7 of their last ten games.  They are also 6-4 ATS during that stretch.  The only recent losses are to Duke, Vermont, and Pittsburgh.  Not a bad run, still they are barely above .500. Leading scorer Buddy Boeheim is the literal progeny of the head coach… his brother Jimmy Boeheim doesn’t lead the team in anything.  Syracuse scores the ball well… but really couldn’t stop a cold.  The defense is soft and they will not be making any changes in the lineup.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have won 8 of their last ten games.  They went 7-3 ATS during that stretch. The two losses were to Wake Forest and Duke.  Leading scorer 6’5 guard Blake Wesley pours in 14.7 ppg while leading rebounder 6’9 forward Paul Atkinson Jr pulls down 6.9 rpg.  The duo don’t lead the team as much as they excel at one thing in a team concept.  Notre Dame has had its success this season from playing a team first concept.

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Syracuse is 15-12 on the season, but 14-13 ATS.  They have logged 13 Overs and 14 Unders.  They are a dismal 3-6 in road games.

Notre Dame is 19-8 on the season, but 13-13 ATS.  They have notched 12 Overs, 13 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are a jaw dropping 11-1 in home games.

Syracuse is 42nd in scoring with 77.3 ppg, 180th  in rebounds with 32.3, and 37th in AST/TO with 1.3.  The defense is where the whole enchilada falls apart.  They rank 301st on defense while allowing 73.8 ppg.  

Notre Dame is 173rd in scoring with 71.2 ppg, 232nd in rebounds with 31.4 per game, and 43rd in AST/TO ratio with 1.3.  They are stout enough on defense with a 107th ranking while allowing 66.6 ppg from opponents.

Our prediction for Wednesday, February 23rd is… Notre Dame 73 - Syracuse 65

Notre Dame is heads and shoulders above Syracuse on the defensive end.  That difference will allow the Fighting Irish to pull ahead a little bit quarter after quarter…. Until finally they will be closing out the Orange with a decent lead.

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Notre Dame is 24-9 ATS in home games when playing against a marginal winning team since 1997.

Notre Dame is 58 Under and 32 Over versus excellent ball handling teams (less than 12 TO game) since 1997.

Syracuse is 5-15 ATS after playing two games as a home favorite since 1997.

Syracuse: C J. Edwards (wrist) Out for season.

Notre Dame: F N. Laszewski (illness) Out ** R, Carmody (knee) Out ** E. Taylor (Academics) Out

Syracuse: Jimmy Boeheim, Frank Anselem, Joseph Girard III, Cole Swider, Buddy Boeheim

Notre Dame: Blake Wesley, Prentiss Hubb, Cormac Ryan, Paul Atkinson Jr, Dane Goodwin

Syracuse

Points: Buddy Boeheim 19.0

Assists: Joseph Girard III 4.3

Rebounds: Cole Swider 7.0

Steals: Joseph Girard III 1.8

Blocks: Jesse Edwards 2.8

Notre Dame

Points: Blake Wesley 14.7

Assists: Prentiss Hubb 3.6

Rebounds:  Paul Atkinson Jr 6.9

Steals: Blake Wesley 1.3

Blocks: Paul Atkinson Jr 0.6

Syracuse: Jim Boeheim

Notre Dame: Mike Brey