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Notre Dame Basketball: There’s One Thing Wrong With the Princeton Win Streak

By Noah Strackbein

Nov 29, 2016; Richmond, VA, USA; Princeton Tigers head coach Mitch Henderson (R) talks with Tigers forward Spencer Weisz (10) against the Virginia Commonwealth Rams in the first half at Stuart Siegel Center. The Rams won 81-70. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2016; Richmond, VA, USA; Princeton Tigers head coach Mitch Henderson (R) talks with Tigers forward Spencer Weisz (10) against the Virginia Commonwealth Rams in the first half at Stuart Siegel Center. The Rams won 81-70. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Everyone seems to believe that Princeton’s 19-game win streak is a threat to Notre Dame basketball’s NCAA Tournament, but looking at it, the Tigers haven’t impressed enough to outmatch the Irish.

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The last time Princeton lost this season was Dec. 20, 2016. Since then, the Tigers have taken over the Ivy League, claimed 19 wins in a row, and found their way into the NCAA Tournament. But against Notre Dame, these 19 games won’t seem so frightening.

Over the last 19 games, Princeton has dominated on the defensive end. As the tenth ranked defense in the country, allowing just 61.6 points per game, the Tigers have won a majority of their contests this season through their strong play on the opposing end of the ball.

Through their win streak, the story didn’t change much. Princeton has only scored 71 points per contest during their final 19 games, three less than they averaged during their first ten. During their last stretch of the season, the Tigers proved defense really does win championships.

Once again, the Fighting Irish will take on a team the complete opposite of them. For a team based off of offense, Notre Dame has a significant advantage over teams who rely on defense. The Irish have averaged 78 PPG this season, producing nearly 88 points during some stretches this year.

The Irish have gone from nothing to one of the most frightening teams in the NCAA. But every time they begin to build the momentum again, they hit another challenge. This time, the optical is a No. 5 vs No. 12 seed where the twelve seed is on a 19-game win streak.

The issue is that Notre Dame has stopped the defensive team before, beating the country’s top defensive team, Virginia in the ACC Tournament.

Notre Dame didn’t beat Virginia through a ridiculous scoring day, but they did win by outmatching the Cavaliers’ defense. When the Irish have four guards in the game, their ability to control the ball and the scoreboard is second-to-none. There’s no reason to believe Princeton will be any different.

From the outside, it’s easy to see why winning 19 games in a row would pose a threat to Notre Dame. This isn’t their first rodeo, though. The Irish have competed with some of the best teams in college basketball and came out on top. Compared to the Ivy League, the ACC’s level of competition is head and shoulders ahead.

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19 games is a lot. For some, it’s a threatening number. But for a team who compares so far above Princeton, Notre Dame isn’t in danger with this win streak.