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

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Jan 5, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Blake Wesley (0) goes up for a shot as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot (5) defends in the second half 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. 3: Irish Depth

Finally, the biggest advantage that Notre Dame has in this one is depth, as Rutgers does not have much in terms of front-court support. Sure, they have a tremendous center in Clifford Omoruyi, but outside of him, the Irish should be able to handle whoever the Scarlet Knights put down low in the paint.

On the outside, Rutgers has scorers, but they rely way too much on Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker, so a cold night from either of those players could swing this game into the Irish’s favor. Harper Jr. has been outstanding during his collegiate career, but Baker is a very hot-and-cold player, and the Irish have more than enough guards to make it tough on him in this one.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 01: A closeup of a Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cowboys defeated the Fighting Irish 37-35. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

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Overall, the Irish have a great chance to win against the Scarlet Knights, but Rutgers is a battle-tested team as well, making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year. If Notre Dame can come out and punch them in the face early, they should have enough to keep Rutgers at bay, but this is going to be a tough matchup on Wednesday night.