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Notre Dame Basketball: Irish vs Princeton Tigers Live Stream

By Noah Strackbein

Mar 15, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Bonzie Colson (35) shoots a free throw during the practice session for the first round of 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Bonzie Colson (35) shoots a free throw during the practice session for the first round of 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /
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Notre Dame basketball takes on Princeton in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Watch online as these two teams battle for the first win of their Final Four run.

After one of their best seasons, Notre Dame is looking to begin the next step in their success by starting their run in March. Taking on a Princeton team who’s last loss came in December, the challenge is not as easy as some first-round matchups are.

For the Fighting Irish, they should be confident in this game. Princeton may have won their last 19 games, but looking at each team, Notre Dame’s talent is far beyond the Tigers’.

This one shouldn’t be as close as some people believe it will be, but in March, it’s easy to understand where everyone is coming from. It’s impossible to say Princeton won’t put up a fight, but saying they’ll beat Notre Dame is a little far fetched.

It isn’t like the Irish didn’t finish the year strong. Despite their ACC Championship loss, Notre Dame finished 2017 6-1 in their final seven games and was one of the best teams in the ACC Tournament. With a chip on their shoulder because of their seeding, the Fighting Irish should be just as driven, if not more, than the Tigers.

The key to success for Notre Dame will be Bonzie Colson. For the first time all season, the 6’5 big man will match up with someone his own height. The only difference is that Colson is averaging 17.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, while Princeton’s Steve Cook is producing 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest.

Once Colson dominates the frontcourt, it’ll be up to Notre Dame’s backcourt to secure the win. Fortunately, they are as experienced and talented as any group of guards in the NCAA. Being a part of the last two Elite Eight runs, Matt Farrell, V.J. Beachem, and Steve Vasturia know everything there is to know about March Madness.

If they can make the Tigers’ backcourt nervous from the beginning, they’ll take away everything Princeton has to win. Seeing how well they’ve won the battle on the perimeter all season, it should come as no surprise when they begin to take over this game.

Next: What to Expect From Princeton

Princeton wins through their defense, which is something Notre Dame has taken advantage of all year. They’re an offensive team who takes care of the ball better than anyone in the country. If and when they get hot, this game is in their hands. Don’t expect it to take long before the Irish have this one under control.

Here’s how to watch Notre Dame vs Princeton: 

Date: Thursday, March 16, 2017
Start Time: 12:15 PM EST
Location: Buffalo, NY
Venue: KeyBank Center
TV: CBS
Live Stream: NCAA.com