NCAA Basketball Matchup: Pittsburgh vs Notre Dame
How will the Pittsburgh Panthers respond to a shocking loss this past week? Pitt was rolling along in the top ten before falling at home to unranked Wagner. The Panthers must put the pieces together quickly as they travel to South Bend to take on Notre Dame Tuesday night.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
7:00 PM EST
College Basketball Gambling Odds from Bookmaker
NCAA Basketball Betting Favorite: Pittsburgh -1.5
Over/Under: 136.5
Notre Dame is just 8-5 this season, but they are never tough to beat on their home floor. The oddsmakers are expecting a tight Big East battle in this one.
Jamie Dixon and the Panthers aren’t accustomed to losing at home, and they definitely aren’t used to losing to a team from the Northeast Conference. The Panthers made just two out of 15 from beyond the arc in their stunning 59-54 loss against Wagner. Ashton Gibbs is the team’s leading scorer, but he is shooting just 38% from the floor so far this year. As usual, the Panthers strength lies in their ability to rebound the basketball. Pitt allows the fewest amount of offensive rebounds of any team in the nation. The defense has been mediocre, and they must improve as the season moves along. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Notre Dame suffered a very tough break when Tim Abromaitis went down with a season-ending knee injury in practice this November. Abromaitis was the team’s play maker and best player, and he is badly missed. Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant are young, but they have assumed the leadership role on this team. Atkins leads the team with 13.7 points per game, while Grant leads the team in assists and steals. Notre Dame is allowing opponents to shoot 37% from beyond the arc, a number that must improve if they are going to be successful in Big East play.
Pittsburgh is the better team, and I think they’ll be on a mission in this one. Look for Jamie Dixon’s team to get back on track.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 71 Notre Dame 66
