Tip time, TV and scouting reports for Notre Dame men's basketball at Virginia Tech Saturday
Tom Noie
Along comes the Atlantic Coast Conference opponent to close the regular season that helped Notre Dame men’s basketball salvage its campaign.
The Irish had lost seven straight prior to the February 10 home game against Virginia Tech, Saturday’s opponent in always-tricky Cassell Coliseum. The Irish beat the Hokies, part of a win run of five of six before Tuesday’s meltdown at No. 7 North Carolina.
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How about another win to kick-start another Notre Dame run?
When does the game between Notre Dame and Virginia Tech start? Is it on TV? Where does the all-time series stand?
☘ WHO: Notre Dame (12-18 overall; 7-12 ACC, three-way tie for 11th place) vs. Virginia Tech (16-13; 8-10, three-way tie for eighth)
☘ WHERE: Cassell Coliseum (9,275), Blacksburg, Virginia
☘ WHEN: Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
☘ TV: ESPNU
☘ RADIO: WSBT (960 AM).
☘ ONLINE: Follow every Notre Dame game with live updates from Tribune beat writer Tom Noie at X (formerly Twitter) at twitter.com/tnoieNDI
Scouting the Virginia Tech Hokies
Guard Sean Pedulla scored 15 points with five rebounds, seven assists and two steals as five Hokies scored double figures in Tuesday’s 80-64 victory at Louisville. Virginia Tech shot 53 percent in the first half and led 49-31 at intermission. It tied its season best with 13 pointers while winning for the second straight time and third in the last five games. ... The Hokies returned three starters off last year’s team that finished 19-15 overall, 8-12 and 11th place in the ACC. They were picked this preseason to finish eighth. ... Virginia Tech has won 26 games at Cassell Coliseum over the last two years. ...Virginia Tech is 13-2 at home this season, 7-2 in league play with the losses to Duke and Miami (Fla.). The Hokies have won three straight and five of six at Cassell ...Virginia Tech is 5-6 against its six repeat league opponents.
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By the numbers
2: Virginia Tech enters the final weekend of the regular season ranked second in the ACC in free throw percentage (.792) and assists (15.23).
15: Virginia Tech registered its largest comeback since Dec. 12, 2013 (trailed West Virginia by 17) when it rallied from 15 points down to beat Wake Forest, 87-76 on March 3.
149: Saturday is career game No. 149, a program record, for graduate student guard Hunter Cattoor.
.661: Clemson transfer Lynn Kidd leads the ACC and is third in the nation in field goal percentage. He took only three shots and made one in the first meeting against Notre Dame. Kidd is the lone Hokie to start all 30 games.
7,709: Average attendance this season at Cassell Coliseum, which ranks ninth in the 15-team ACC.
Who's hot
Sophomore guard MJ Collins has become a gotta-play guard for Mike Young. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound sophomore from Clover, South Carolina has played at least 33 minutes in each of the last six games, with three games scored in double figures. He had 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in 38 minutes at Louisville.
Often assigned to the other team’s best guard (hello, Markus Burton), Collins is averaging 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 28.8 minutes.
Who's not
Prior to busting out with 11 points Tuesday at Louisville, North Carolina transfer Tyler Nickel had scored a combined three points – 0, 3, 0 – in his previous three games. The sophomore swingman was a combined 1-for-17 from the field. Nickel is averaging 8.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 24.6 minutes over 29 games in his first season in Blacksburg.
Quoting the Hokies
"It’s a big part of what we do, always. We’ve got a good shooting team. We haven’t shot it great in stretches (but) we shoot the ball well.” — Head coach Mike Young, whose team ranks fifth in the league in 3-pointers made with 251 (8.3 per game) and sixth in 3-point percentage (.359).
Series history
Having first met in 1973, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech have each won 10 times. Notre Dame is 4-3 in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech leads as ACC colleagues, 8-7. Notre Dame’s 74-66 win in South Bend on February 10 snapped a six-game Hokie win streak. The Irish haven’t won in Blacksburg (three straight losses) since a 76-71 victory on January 14, 2017.
Scouting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Unable to weather scoring runs of 12-2, 16-0 and 18-0, Notre Dame never led and trailed by as many as 38 points in Tuesday’s 84-51 loss at No. 7 North Carolina. It was the second fewest points scored in an ACC game for Notre Dame, which had won two straight and five of six. ... The Irish went from 22nd nationally in scoring defense (65.4 ppg.) to 32nd (66.1) after Tuesday’s loss. ... Markus Burton scored 16 points with four rebounds and eight assists and Braeden Shrewsberry added 12 points and five rebounds in the 74-66 victory over Virginia Tech on February 10. The game featured six ties and five lead changes. Notre Dame trailed by as many as nine and led by as many as 11. ... The Irish are 3-10 away from home this season, 2-9 in true road games and 2-7 in ACC road games with wins at Georgia Tech and Louisville. ... Notre Dame is 4-7 this season against its six repeat league opponents.
By the numbers
13.2: Average margin of defeat for Notre Dame in its six league road losses.
15: Picked in preseason to finish 15th — last — in the ACC, Notre Dame enters the final weekend of the regular season in a three-way tie for 11th.
33.5: Largest deficit average for Notre Dame in its last two league roads games. Notre Dame trailed Syracuse by 29 points and trailed North Carolina by 38.
84.5: Average points allowed by Notre Dame in its last two league road games — 88 to Syracuse, 81 to North Carolina.
511: Points scored this season by Burton, nine shy of setting the program record for points by a freshman. Troy Murphy holds the current mark of 519.
Who's hot
Sophomore swingman Tae Davis has scored double figures — 11, 18, 11, 12 — in a season-high four straight games. He was the only Irish to hit double figures (11 points) against North Carolina. His 18 against Clemson was his ACC career high. In 29 games (28 starts), Davis is averaging 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 25.7 minutes. He's shooting .479 percent from the field, .167 percent from 3 and .707 percent from the foul line. All numbers are career bests for Davis, who played last season at Seton Hall.
Who's not
Cooking from 3 late last month, freshman guard Braeden Shrewsberry has cooled. After scoring double figures in three straight games, when he shot 15-of-29 (.517) from 3, Shrewsberry has scored eight and nine points the last two games after going 7-of-19 (.368) from 3. Shrewsberry ranks seventh in the league in average 3-pointers made (2.40).
Quoting the Irish
"Our culture's gotten better. It's remained strong through tough times. Now the culture's creating itself. When it's culture, the head coach defines it, the assistant coaches defend it, and the players exhibit it. That's what's happening right now." — Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry
Looking ahead
Notre Dame will remain on the road after Saturday and bus to Washington, site of next week’s ACC tournament. If the season ended today, Notre Dame would be the No. 12 seed and face No. 13 Georgia Tech (14-16; 7-12) on Tuesday at 2 p.m. (ACC Network) from Capital One Arena.
Specific opponents and game times will be set Saturday night.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact: (574) 235-6153.