What to know about Notre Dame men's basketball at Virginia Tech
Notre Dame ends its regular season against the team it beat to turn it around. The Irish travel to Blacksburg, Va. to take on Virginia Tech at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday with one last chance to pick up a win before the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
As far as the ACC standings go, Notre Dame sits at 13th and in line for a matchup with Georgia Tech. The Irish can finish anywhere from 11th (this outcome is unlikely, because it requires Louisville beating Boston College) to 14th, which requires a Notre Dame loss to Virginia Tech and a Miami win over Florida State.
Here’s everything you need to know about Notre Dame’s final regular-season matchup until November.
Notre Dame at Virginia Tech game information
- Teams: Notre Dame (12-18, 7-112 ACC) and Virginia Tech (17-13, 9-10 ACC)
- Date: Saturday, March 9
- Location: Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va.
- Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPNU
- Radio: 960 WSBT-AM in South Bend
- Radio announcer: Tony Simeone
Matchup notables
• Notre Dame beat Virginia Tech on Feb. 10, snapping a seven-game losing streak and sparking a run of five wins in six tries. The Irish did so on the backs of freshman guards Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry, who scored 16 and 12 points, respectively and defended veteran Hokie guards Sean Pedulla and Hunter Cattoor well.
• Cattoor got his, making four 3-pointers but also missing 7, which is below his season average of 42.4 percent from beyond the arc. Pedulla got his, too, but he went just 4-of-12 from the field. Burton also totaled 6 steals and 8 assists, both of which were and still are career highs (the assists mark is tied with two other games), and the Irish made just enough plays down the stretch to win 74-66.
• Burton averages 17.0 points, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game. According to Notre Dame’s game notes, he is the only freshman in the country and one of two Power Five players to score at least 17 points, dish 4 assists and pick up 2 steals each night. The other is Syracuse’s Judah Mintz and if their lines hold through Saturday, they’ll be two of only four ACC players to do that since 1996.
• Virginia Tech’s offense revolves around their two scoring guards, Pedulla and Cattoor, and 6-foot-10 senior center Lynn Kidd. Kidd averages 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, although Notre Dame sophomore forward Kebba Njie held him to just 2 last time out. Njie also scored 11, which remains his career high.
• The Hokies have more than enough motivation for this one, as a win would secure a first-round bye in the ACC Tournament. The Nos. 10-15 seeds play Tuesday, and Virginia Tech is currently No. 9.
