The Miami Hurricanes are one of college basketball’s hottest teams. The once-lovable losers from Coral Gables have reeled off nine wins in a row before their encounter with rival Notre Dame on Tuesday night. With a 14-2 overall record and an undefeated 3-0 start to ACC play, the Canes have put the horrors of last season to rest.
Now, this team, under first-year head coach Jai Lucas, is proving their legitimacy and worth with every win. The squad has a chance to earn the program’s first 10-game win streak
since the 2017-18 season, when UM won its first 10 games to open that year.
In Miami’s way is a Notre Dame squad that is in its third year of a rebuilding project that’s being led by Micah Shrewsberry. The Fighting Irish have struggled for consistency and have lost three of their last four games. Their desperation will be high, so the Canes will have to come out fully prepared. A 4-0 record in conference play is at stake, and this will be a hard-fought contest.
Game Info:
Date: Tuesday, January 13
Time: 7:00 PM ET
TV: ESPNU
Venue: Purcell Pavilion (South Bend, Indiana)
FanDuel Odds: Miami -4.5; O/U 144.5
ESPN Analytics Matchup Predictor: Miami wins (52.6% chance)
All-Time Series: Miami leads 16-15
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Overview:
This year, Notre Dame is striving to regain its respectability. The program hasn’t appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2022 and hasn’t advanced to the Sweet 16 since 2016. Under third-year head coach Micah Shrewsberry, the Fighting Irish are already on their way to surpassing last season’s win total of 15.
Shrewsberry hasn’t been in the college coaching ranks for long. His career began just five years ago. In a short two-year run at Penn State, he led the Nittany Lions to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011, in the 2022-23 season.
After that year, he jumped to coach Notre Dame. So far, he’s helped the program progress little by little. However, times are still tough for the Irish. Despite being 10-6, they lost two of their first three games in ACC play. They have struggled in non-conference play as well.
Notre Dame did beat a quality Missouri team, but suffered a close one-point defeat to Ohio State. They lost by double digits to both Kansas and No. 8 Houston in the Players Era Festival. Then, there was the embarrassing debacle that took place on December 21, when the Irish inexplicably lost to Purdue Fort Wayne, 72-69.
They are coming into this game having lost their last two games to Cal and Clemson. When it comes to the roster, the difficulties have continued to mount. During an overtime road win at TCU on December 5, the leading scorer, Markus Burton (18.5 PPG), injured his ankle and received surgery. It’s the second straight season that Burton has missed significant time.
The loss of Burton has exposed the lack of scoring depth available for Shrewsberry. The only other players averaging double figures in points are freshman guard Jalen Haralson (14.9 PPG) and Shrewsberry’s son, Braeden (11.5 PPG). Since Burton’s ailment, Haralson has compiled a usage percentage of 33.9%, the highest on the team.
However, he hasn’t shot well, especially for a wing guard. His best areas to score are those closest to the basket. The product of nearby Anderson, Indiana, has yet to develop a proper jump shot, has struggled from mid-range areas, and has only taken 17 3-point shots this season.
Take his 11.5 point-per-game average and look at it as an inefficient output, as Haralson has posted shooting splits of .485/.294/.626. On the other hand, Braeden Shrewberry has had a good season as a combo guard. The aspect of his game that stands out is his lights-out 3-point shooting.
The junior has seen his long-range shot improve every year, and now it’s at its peak. The player born just minutes from Penn State now leads the ACC in 3-point shooting percentage (44.9%). Not only is he efficient in the shot, but he is also a high-volume marksman, averaging 6.7 3-point attempts per game.
Cole Certa is also a good shooter to watch. He’s stepped into the starting lineup after Burton went down, and his sole purpose is to fire from downtown. 86 of Certa’s 100 total shots have come from the perimeter, and the native of Le Roy, Illinois, has shot 39.3% from beyond the arc.
Other capable shooters on Notre Dame’s roster are Logan Imes (37.8 3P%) and Brady Koehler (36.8 3P%). One more important piece that will be on the floor a lot is 6’7” big man Carson Towt. Last year, he was a part of the Big Sky All-Defensive team at Northern Arizona.
He is by far Notre Dame’s best rebounder, averaging 10.4 boards per game. No other player has come close to matching his production on the boards. The native of Gilbert, Arizona, has also been averaging 6.9 points per game.
Players to Watch
Miami: Ernest Udeh Jr.
Due to Notre Dame having one of the best rebounders in the country, it would be wise to emphasize Ernest Udeh’s importance for this matchup. The trenches, known as the paint, are still one of the most important aspects of basketball, even in this era heavily reliant on 3-pointers.
The rebounding battle is always part of the equation that contributes to winning. Luckily for Miami, they have one of the top board collectors in the nation in the former TCU Horned Frog. Udeh’s positive impact on this UM team hasn’t gone unnoticed.
So far, the senior is averaging 10.5 rebounds per game. That ranks him second in the ACC, one spot ahead of Towt. The matchup between the two centers will be intriguing to watch. If Miami is going to win this game, it will need Udeh to continue his prowess on the glass against the toughest rebounder he will be pitted against all season.
Notre Dame: Braeden Shrewsberry
As mentioned, Braeden Shrewsberry is Notre Dame’s top shooter. His ability to connect from long range consistently can break any game open. He is, without a doubt, their best weapon on the offensive end. Much of the attention on Miami’s end will be centered around limiting Shrewsberry’s clean looks.
It’ll be interesting to see how he can be effective and to what extent. If he gets hot, Notre Dame will surely be in a position to win the game. It can be argued that Shrewsberry will be the most important player that steps onto the court during Tuesday’s matchup.
While he won’t get most of the touches or ball usage, Shrewsberry is effective in off-ball movement. He always finds himself in the open areas of the court, and his quickness could be a problem for Miami. He is also itching to get back to form after a disappointing 5-point performance.
Miami’s Keys to Victory:
Limit Notre Dame’s 3s: Once again, it’s all about the 3-point shooting. It’s a broken record at this point, but Miami has to do this if it is to pull off another road win. The Fighting Irish have too much firepower from the perimeter not to be taken seriously.
Notre Dame is second in the ACC, shooting the 3-ball at a 37.2% clip. Only NC State shoots a higher percentage. Jai Lucas’ defensive plan for the Canes should be to clamp up and guard the arc heavily. If the Hurricanes take the Irish’s ability to knock down triples, it’ll force them to take a one-dimensional approach by getting most of their points inside.
UM cannot afford to let Notre Dame have a shooting gallery. If they do, Miami will be in massive trouble, as they will be forced to take long-range shots themselves, an aspect that isn’t Miami’s strength.
Attack the Paint: Notre Dame doesn’t have much size in their rotation. Miami has the advantage down low with their three-headed monster of Malik Reneau, Shelton Henderson, and the lob-slamming Udeh. All are strong and can overwhelm Notre Dame.
This is a game where Miami’s bigs should get plenty of opportunities to shine on the offensive end. Notre Dame is last in the ACC in blocked shots (33). They lack a dominant rim protector, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see the frontcourt get involved early and often.
This will also be a great opportunity for the guards to slash to the basket as well. Tre Donaldson has shown his ability to finish near the rim all season. Lots of paint points will be on the table for UM. If they dominate the inside, Notre Dame will eventually wear down.
Avoid Stupid Basketball: This Notre Dame defensive unit is not imposing or scary. They don’t cause lots of havoc, and they haven’t shown the ability to put much pressure on opposing offenses. Notre Dame has the worst turnover margin in the ACC (-2.25).
They have committed nearly as many turnovers (188) as assists (197). The only way the Irish will collect turnovers is if Miami just hands them the rock and plays lackadaisically. The Canes can’t go out there and play sloppily. The worst types of losses are the ones where mistakes are made.
Take care of the ball. Don’t give up possessions. Take the right shots. Don’t force anything on the offensive end. The turnovers will eventually come as Notre Dame is tied for fifth in the conference in total turnovers. They have struggled to hold onto the ball all season. Miami has to be smart, fluent, fundamental basketball. If they do, a win will be in sight.
