Georgia Tech @ Notre Dame preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 15, 2020 ) Notre Dame 78, Georgia Tech 74

Notre Dame got a big performance from an unexpected source after losing back-to-back games, and now look to finish a season sweep of Georgia Tech in Saturday’s home contest. Sophomore forward Nate Laszewski entered Wednesday’s matchup with Wake Forest averaging 6.7 points, but shot 6-for-8 from the field and hit three 3-pointers en route to a season-high 18 points in helping lift the Fighting Irish to a 90-80 victory.

“Everyone on the team tells me when I have a look to step up and take it, to play with confidence and play with swagger,” Laszewski told reporters after scoring two more points than he had in his previous four games combined. The Yellow Jackets hope to avenge their 78-74 home defeat against the Irish on Jan. 15, but may be forced to do so without leading scorer Michael Devoe. The sophomore guard, who averages 16.2 points, did not play in Tuesday’s 82-54 rout of Division II Morehouse with a left foot injury that has sidelined him for Georgia Tech’s past two games. “I was proud of our guys that we kept continuing to find the open man,” Yellow Jackets coach Josh Pastner told reporters postgame. “We shared the ball. We made the one-more pass.”

TIME: Noon ET. TV: RSN

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (10-11, 4-6 ACC): Senior forward James Banks III narrowly missed a double-double Tuesday with 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, and in his past seven games is averaging 11 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks. Junior guard Jose Alvarado is averaging 12.3 points along with 4.4 assists, and has scored 18 or more points four times in his past eight games (including 26 against North Carolina State on Jan. 25). Georgia Tech has won two in a row since losing four of its previous five games.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (12-8, 3-6): Senior forward John Mooney, whose streak of 12 consecutive double-doubles ended on Jan. 25 at Florida State, finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds Wednesday. Senior guard T.J. Gibbs led the Irish with a season-high 23 points against Wake Forest and became the school’s all-time leading scorer in ACC regular-season play. Notre Dame finished with just seven turnovers Wednesday, and through Thursday ranked second in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (9.8).

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Mooney entered the weekend second in the nation in rebounds per game (13.4).

2. Georgia Tech is 3-2 on the road in ACC play this season, and a victory Saturday would give the Yellow Jackets four conference road wins for the first time since 2007-08.

3. Notre Dame sophomore G Prentiss Hubb led the Irish with 25 points in the earlier victory over Georgia Tech, which got 22 points from Devoe.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 83, Georgia Tech 73