North Carolina @ Notre Dame preview
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center
Last Meeting ( Mar 10, 2021 ) Notre Dame 59, North Carolina 101
The road has been kind to North Carolina this season, so the Tar Heels will try to benefit from another game on an opposing team's home court.
For the third time in Atlantic Coast Conference play, North Carolina will be the visitor when it suits up against Notre Dame on Wednesday night at South Bend, Ind.
North Carolina (10-3, 2-0 ACC) might be getting into a groove.
"I also think this is the time where teams start to figure out who they are on both ends of the floor in terms of their rotation," Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said.
North Carolina led by as many as 36 points in Sunday's 91-65 romp at Boston College.
Because of the postponement of a home game against Virginia Tech last week, the Tar Heels will open ACC play with three road games for the first time since 1983-84.
The Tar Heels are 3-0 overall in road games this season, although their three losses have come in neutral-court games. Their other true road wins are at College of Charleston and Georgia Tech.
While North Carolina has won seven of its last eight games, Notre Dame (7-5, 1-1) has won three in a row and four of five overall.
Like North Carolina, the FIghting Irish seem to be getting into a comfort zone.
"I think that's what you're seeing with Notre Dame, and I think that's what you're seeing with us," he said. "They're experienced. They understand how to play. They understand their system. They can really shoot the basketball. It's going to put a lot of pressure on us defensively."
Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said North Carolina's ability for quick-strike points might come in a different manner than in the past, but the points still rack up fast.
"You look at the scoring and the numbers and the ways they can put the numbers on the board," Brey said. "It's impressive and it's something we're going to have to deal with Wednesday."
Notre Dame lost earlier this season at Boston College. However, the Irish defeated Kentucky, which is a team that blew out North Carolina.
North Carolina's player availability is a bit in flux.
The Tar Heels were without reserve Justin McKoy at Boston College because of COVID protocol. Starter Dawson Garcia exited that game with a head injury after a Boston College player fell on him. Neither practiced Monday.
--Field Level Media