Three Things We Learned: Notre Dame Fighting Irish VS Purdue Boilermakers

This was a hard fought game for both teams. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Purdue Boilermakers came into the game needing a win. Notre Dame was the team who ultimately won, 88-80. It was an entertaining game with great plays on both sides. It was nice to see the Irish beat a solid team, as I would guess Purdue is the best victory Notre Dame has this year. This is what we learned.

Very Even Teams

The entire game, all I could think about was how similar Notre Dame and Purdue were. Both teams are a step down from what they have been in the past. Both teams have some close losses to good teams. Both teams are capable of playing well on any given night and showcasing high level basketball. It was evident with how the game flowed. Notre Dame could never quite pull away. Purdue kept lingering around, showing how similar they are to the Irish.

Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

Here Comes The Scoring

I have always loved the way Mike Brey coaches offense. The ball movement in the first half was nothing short of amazing. There was a 10 minute stretch where the Irish got whatever shot they wanted. Then, the rise of John Mooney and DJ Harvey took over the second half. This was by far the best offensive game Notre Dame has played this year. I think good things are in store going forward.

Newcomer Alert

How about the game Dane Goodwin had? A freshman reserve stepping up to the tune of 11 points and 4 rebounds. There are some players who you watch and you can tell they just have something different about them. Dane Goodwin knows how to play the game of basketball. He is smart and always in the right spots. With Rex Pflueger down with an injury, I would not he surprised to see Goodwin inserted into the starting lineup.

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Notre Dame is now 7-3. They have three more tune up games before ACC play starts. It is important that they win these last few non-conference games against lesser opponents and head into conference play at 10-3.

Notre Dame has shown they can play toe to toe with some quality college basketball teams, and I think that is the biggest takeaway.