College Basketball: Notre Dame Need to Build on Big Win

The Fighting Irish dominated Villanova 93-72 on Monday night but Al Dannity says Notre Dame must keeping fighting for an unlikely #1 seed.

This is how you dominate
Notre Dame didn’t just cover the spread last night, they blanketed it with a dominant performance from beyond the arc. The Irish nailed 20 of 32 three-pointers in a rout of their Big East rivals. Once again it was the combination of Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansrbrough that proved decisive for Notre Dame. Abromaitis and Hansbrough each scored 30 points to complete a perfect record for the Irish on their home court. The duo have been crucial to Mike Brey’s team dramatically exceeding what most analysts expected from them this season.

After losing Luke Harangody to the NBA and with veteran Kyle McAlarney also graduating, the Irish were initially viewed as a fringe team for the Big Dance. Not only will Notre Dame make it back to March Madness but they now look certain to be no worse than a #2 seed.

Breaking through the ceiling
While the Big East tournament may not seem a priority, the Fighting Irish have a tangible reason to go after the big prize. The difference between a #1 seed and #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament could be huge. Notre Dame will be favored to make it past an auto-bid opponent in their first game of the Big Dance but the big challenge will come in their second game. A #1 seed would mean facing a #8 or #9 seed for a place in the Sweet 16. A #2 seed would face a #7 or #10 seed instead.

College Basketball betting fans know that in a year where the bubble is particularly soft, that makes in a big difference. Right now the likes of George Mason, Temple, and Vanderbilt could all be on the #7 seed line. Avoiding teams of this caliber until the second weekend should be a priority for Notre Dame. They will likely need a #1 seed to do so.

The challenge
A share of the Big East regular season title would certainly help Notre Dame. In order to do so, they need to win at UConn and for Pitt to lose one of their two remaining games. The biggest factor however will be the Big East Tournament. The Irish are certain of a double-bye, moving them directly into the conference quarter finals. A second win over Pitt would all but guarantee a #1 seed for the Irish. Even if they don’t meet the Panthers, winning the conference tournament might be enough. It all depends on how other contenders fare down the stretch. Duke, Ohio State, BYU, and Kansas are all in the battle for a #1 seed. Should one or two of these teams slip-up, then the door would be open for Notre Dame to take advantage. It’s a long shot but one that’s worth going for.

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