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Well, here we are. Notre Dame beat Florida State to head to the ACC Championship game for the second time in three years. The Irish beat the Seminoles by a final score of 77-73. Notre Dame got a decent sized lead early in the game and from there on played to protect it. It never got closer than the final score difference of four points. This is what we learned.
3-Point Shot Does It Again
Notre Dame came out red hot shooting the ball. It was an unbelievable performance, finishing the game 13-27 from behind the arc. To go deep in the NCAA tournament, Notre Dame will have to use this recipe. They are going to have to dominate other teams when it comes to shooting 3-pointers. It is their equalizer and momentum changer. Notre Dame going 13-27 from 3-point land while Florida State going 5-15 is the perfect way for the Irish to build and maintain leads.
Steve Vasturia Is BACK
He exploded and found his form. What a time to do it. With one more game to play before the NCAA tournament, Vasturia is back to being himself. Did you really expect anything different from the senior? He has proven to show up when it matters most all season and even all four years in a Notre Dame uniform. Vasturia was 4-5 shooting 3’s and finished with 18 points against Florida State. I’ll take that percentage going forward.
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Irish Are Battle Tested
I’m not sure how more prepared a team could be heading into the Big Dance. Notre Dame has shown they can beat good teams. They can play with teams that are more athletic and more talented. Heck, they are on the verge of beating Virginia, Florida State, and now Duke to win an ACC title. I will be curious to see if these plays out, what seed Notre Dame gets in the NCAA tournament. I think a four seed is most likely if they win today against Duke.
I desperately want Notre Dame to beat Duke today. How cool would two ACC titles in three years be? We’re talking about Notre Dame basketball! Beating the likes of North Carolina, Duke, Virginia, Louisville and Syracuse two out of three years would be something special. Mike Brey and Co. will tip off at 9 pm in the Barclays Center to try and get it done!