On February 4, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will face off against the No. 24 ranked Louisville Cardinals at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 PM ET. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2, featuring commentary from Wes Durham and Dennis Scott.
Louisville enters this matchup with a strong record of 15-6 overall and a 5-4 mark in the ACC, while Notre Dame, at 11-11 and 2-7 in conference play, will be looking to turn their season around. The Cardinals are favored by 17.5 points, with a total set at 154.5.
Historically, the Cardinals hold an advantage in the all-time series against the Irish, leading 27-19. In their most recent encounter last February, Louisville secured a decisive 75-60 victory. This year, Notre Dame will aim to improve its standing, as they currently sit at No. 85 in the NET rankings and No. 84 according to KenPom.
A key player for the Irish is Braeden Shrewsberry, who ranks second in the ACC with a 3-point shooting percentage of 41.8%. Freshman standout Jalen Haralson has also made an impact, averaging 15.5 points per game, which places him fifth among ACC freshmen. As a program, Notre Dame is just 11 wins away from achieving the milestone of 2,000 career victories.
The projected starters for the Irish include Cole Certa, Braeden Shrewsberry, Jalen Haralson, Brady Koehler, and Carson Towt. On the other side, Louisville will feature Ryan Conwell, Isaac McKneely, Adrian Wooley, J’Vonne Hadley, and Sananga Fru.
In terms of statistical comparison, Notre Dame is averaging 74.0 points per game, while allowing 72.2 points on defense. Louisville boasts a more robust scoring offense at 86.1 points per game, with a solid defense allowing 70.5 points. Both teams exhibit a similar shooting efficiency, with Notre Dame at 45.0% from the field and Louisville slightly higher at 46.3%.
As the Fighting Irish prepare for this crucial encounter, they will need to harness their talents and adapt strategically to capture an important victory on the road. Fans are eager to see if Notre Dame can upset Louisville and shift the momentum of their season.