Syracuse @ Notre Dame preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 4, 2020 ) Notre Dame 88, Syracuse 87

For the second time this month, Syracuse and Notre Dame will square off Wednesday when the Orange visit the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame won at Syracuse 88-87 on Jan. 4 behind John Mooney's 28 points and 14 rebounds and has a chance to sweep the season series from its ACC rival.

Notre Dame had 26 assists in the first matchup, much to the delight of veteran coach Mike Brey. "That's the way the game should be played. That's a beautiful game," said Brey, whose team followed up that victory with back-to-back losses before rebounding to win at Georgia Tech its last time out. Meanwhile, the Orange have won three games in a row, capped by a two-point win at Virginia Tech in their last contest as Buddy Boeheim scored 26 points and Elijah Hughes registered 17. "Confidence," Hughes said when asked what has changed in the team. "We just feel really good. Guys are playing really well."

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN2

ABOUT SYRACUSE (11-7, 4-3 ACC): The Orange have three double-digit scorers in Hughes (19.3 points), Boeheim (16.2) and Joseph Girard III (12.0), all of whom shoot at least 36 percent from 3-point range and at least 77 percent from the foul line. Hughes has been remarkably consistent over the last seven games, scoring in order 18, 19, 19, 18, 18, 19 and 17 points as he continues to enjoy a solid junior season. Boeheim was 5-of-13 from 3-point range against Virginia Tech and has averaged 4.6 made 3-pointers over his last 10 games.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (11-6, 2-4): The Fighting Irish rode Prentiss Hubb's 25 points and T.J. Gibbs' 17 points in the win over Georgia Tech, while Mooney had another double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Gibbs has shot at least 50 percent from the field in five straight games and has committed a total of seven turnovers in his last eight games. Hubb has scored at least 22 points in three of his last four outings and has knocked down multiple 3-pointers in nine of his last 10 games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Syracuse F Marek Dolezaj has three double-doubles this season -- all in the last five games.

2. Mooney has double-digit rebounds in every game since the season opener.

3. Boeheim, Girard and Hughes combined to make 14 3-pointers in the first matchup.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 67, Syracuse 64