Notre Dame Men’s Basketball: Fighting Irish VS Virginia Cavaliers Preview

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Men’s Basketball (3-7, 0-4) continues their road trip at No. 18/22 Virginia Cavaliers (7-2, 3-0) on Wednesday, January 12, at 3:30pm (moved up start time). Notre Dame looks to pick up it’s first conference win against a Cavalier team that is currently sitting in second place in the ACC.

Where, When, How to Watch

Where: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA
When: Wednesday, January 13, 2021, 4:30pm ET (new earlier start time)
How to Watch: ACC Network with Jay Alter and Malcom Huckaby, Notre Dame Radio Network with Jack Nolan

What You Should Know

Junior Nate Laszewski is a standout in the ACC so far this season. Laszewski’s 2020-21 field goal percentage (.647) leads the ACC, is third among major conference players, and is 10th in the NCAA. His three-point field goal percentage (.575) also leads the ACC, is second among major conference players, and is fourth in the NCAA.

Notre Dame has not won a game at Virginia in program history but they are hoping to change that this week. Notre Dame’s win at Kentucky on December 12th (64-63) was the program’s first win at Kentucky in the Rupp Arena. They are hoping to have another first at Virginia.

Prentiss Hubb’s assist-per-game record (5.5) in ACC play this year puts him in a three-way tie for first place in the league.

Notre Dame’s free throw percentage (.795) is 10th in the country, and first in the ACC.

In a recent CBS Sports ranking of “Greatest College Basketball Programs Ever,” Notre Dame placed 23rd on the list, and sixth in the ACC. Notre Dame will face eight opponents ranked above them this year, a total of nine times: No. 19 NC State, No. 14 Michigan State (0-1), No. 12 Ohio State (0-1), No. 11 Syracuse, No. 6 Louisville, No. 3 Duke (0-1, twice), No. 2 North Carolina, No. 1 Kentucky (1-0).

The Irish have now lost six games this season due to COVID-19 safety protocols. The program has shown agility, adding Detroit Mercy (to replace three different scheduled home openers), Bellarmine (to replace a planned trip to Syracuse), and North Carolina (to replace at planned trip to Pittsburgh). The Irish were unable to schedule a replacement last week for the loss of the Georgia Tech (Jan. 6) game.

Cheers & GO IRISH!