Notre Dame Basketball: Expect the Irish to beat Florida State this time

Notre Dame basketball takes on Florida State less than a month after the Seminoles handed the Irish their third loss of the season.

Now, the Irish are coming off of their first win in five games and could really use a win against a ranked team. With six games left on their schedule, Notre Dame could still turn this season into a top ACC finish.

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They need to start with this win. Last time, FSU got the best of the Irish through a dominant post game. Notre Dame couldn’t do anything down low and found little success in stopping the Seminole’s frontcourt.

It appears as though the Irish have found a new strategy. In their last two games, Mike Brey has used a small man game in the Irish’s last two matchups and have found success. They’ve learned that their frontcourt is terrible and aren’t getting better. What they have is a solid backcourt filled with some of the toughest players in the NCAA. Using them will give Notre Dame a lot more success.

This game should be one of the most competitive matchups of the season. Notre Dame wasn’t prepared for top tier teams playing a traditional matchup. But with a small lineup, they give themselves the ability to play their style of game.

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Matt Farrell and V.J. Beachem have exploded recently. Combining for 73 points over the last two games, these two have made a statement that they’re going to be Notre Dame’s stars heading into March. With Bonzie Colson continuing to produce double-double numbers, the Irish have finally found the players they need to carry them.

That doesn’t mean Notre Dame is going to win, though. The Irish still need to find a way to stop Dwayne Bacon and Jonathan Isaac, who put up 34 total points in their last meeting with Notre Dame.

This time should be different. The Irish tried to slow Isaac through their big men when they should’ve made FSU spread out. When you have to matchup with one of the best post players in the country, you aren’t going to win with putting players who average below five rebounds a game.

Colson will likely take the matchup of Isaac this time around. When he’s able to compete in the paint, Notre Dame will use their backcourt to win. If they can get hot from outside, Florida State won’t have the firepower to stay with them.

Prediction: Notre Dame hands FSU a loss, 80-74.

When this game was in Tallahassee, the Seminoles had a huge advantage. Notre Dame was coming off a three-game road trip and still came three points away from victory. Now that this is being played in South Bend, the Irish are going to feel a lot more confident.

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Notre Dame has figured their gameplan out. Playing small is how they’ll win, and if Colson can manage Isaac down low, the Irish backcourt is going to dominate. Unless FSU finds a ton of sharpshooters to stay with Farrell, Beachem, and Vasturia, they aren’t going to keep up.

When it comes down to crunch time, expect Notre Dame to pull away. They’ll get hot in the second half and carry that momentum into a win. Taking down the ACC’s top team with six games left is going to be huge come the conference tournament.