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Notre Dame Basketball: The Irish Stat Line to Success

By Noah Strackbein

Jan 21, 2017; South Bend, IN, USA; The Notre Dame Fighting Irish bench reacts after an Irish three point basket in the first half against the Syracuse Orange at the Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame won 84-66. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2017; South Bend, IN, USA; The Notre Dame Fighting Irish bench reacts after an Irish three point basket in the first half against the Syracuse Orange at the Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame won 84-66. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-East Regional-North Carolina vs Notre Dame
NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-East Regional-North Carolina vs Notre Dame /

Free Throw Percentage – 81% (1st in the NCAA)

Notre Dame is the best free throw shooting team in the country. No really, they’re ranked first in the NCAA with an 81% free throw percentage. This is not a team many opponents wants to send to the line. With multiple games of over 90% shooting from the line, Notre Dame has used their keen eye at the foul line to produce a hand full of wins.

Being sixth in the country in free throw attempts, this mark hasn’t come from nothing. The Irish don’t just head to the line a couple of times a game; they are consistently averaging 18 attempts per game. Shooting above 90% on numerous occasions, this team uses its ability to get fouled as a make or break point for defenses.

With six players shooting over 80% and Steve Vasturia shooting an incredible 91.6% from the line, this team is automatic when they get fouled. For a group of guards and an undersized forward, using the ability to get fouled in a positive aspect has led them in many of their games this season.

Come March, being able to shoot from the line is the deciding factor in more than one tournament game. Year after year the NCAA watches as teams lose heartbreaking games because of missed free throws. Heading into the tournament with confidence like the Irish’s will go a long way towards a title.