Notre Dame basketball: 3 reasons Irish will beat Rutgers in the First Four

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Nov 13, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Prentiss Hubb (3), guard Cormac Ryan (5), guard Dane Goodwin (23), guard Blake Wesley (0) and forward Nate Laszewski (14) huddle in the first half against the Cal State Northridge Matadors at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame basketball: 3 reasons the Irish will beat Rutgers in the First Four

No. 1: Notre Dame from the outside

The Notre Dame basketball team made a living from the outside this past season, as they have numerous players who can get hot from beyond the arc on this roster. On Wednesday night, that is going to be crucial for the Irish, as they are not particularly strong on the offensive glass, and will struggle to get second-chance opportunities.

Looking at the roster, Dane Goodwin, Prentiss Hubb, Blake Wesley, and Cormac Ryan can all fill it up from the outside, and that should give the Irish an advantage against Rutgers. Notre Dame had multiple games this season where they hit better than 40 percent from the outside, and going into tournament play, they are going to need their shooters to shoot.

When Rutgers was struggling this season, they were getting killed from the three-point line, as teams were making nearly five more from the outside than they were. That is the kind of difference the Irish need to have in this game, as that could turn this game on its head, and force Rutgers to be more aggressive on the perimeter, opening up lanes for the Irish to get to the basket and finish.