Wednesday College Basketball Odds, Pick, Predictions: Clemson Tigers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images. Pictured: Blake Wesley (Notre Dame)
- Notre Dame hosts Clemson in a critical ACC matchup for both squads.
- The Irish have won three games in a row in ACC play, including one at home against North Carolina.
- In what looks like a coin flip game, Doug Ziefel explains where the value on the total lies.
Clemson vs. Notre Dame Odds
| Clemson Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -105 | 140.5 +100o / -120u | N/A |
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -115 | 140.5 +100o / -120u | N/A |
The ACC got a huge wrench thrown into it when Miami defeated Duke this past weekend. That upset only pushed the door open wider for the myriad of teams that are capable of winning this conference.
In this ACC clash, the Clemson Tigers travel to South Bend to take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in a battle between two teams that have shown their capabilities.
Clemson has yet to rise up against stiffer competition, but it is not from a lack of effort. Three of the Tigers' five losses have come by seven points or less. This matchup projects to be a tight one, but this may be the game where the Tigers finally get over the hump.
Mike Brey's Fighting Irish have been on a roll as of late, as they enter this game on a five-game winning streak. A home victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels highlights Notre Dame's streak. The win over North Carolina cemented another streak, as the Fighting Irish are undefeated at home this season.
Will they continue to defend their home court?
Let's dive in to find out.
Tigers to Dial-In From Long Range
Clemson's success this season has stemmed from its highly-efficient 3-point shooting. The Tigers are third in the nation in 3-point percentage, as they convert nearly 41% of their attempts from deep.
The man who is mainly responsible for those numbers is Al-Amir Dawes. Dawes averages over 11 points per game, but has shown that he can catch fire and carry the Tigers. He has posted double digits in points in eight of his 15 appearances.
While Dawes is the sharpshooter of the club, PJ Hall is the long-range tank. The 6-foot-10 forward is the Tigers' leading scorer, and while his size may dictate an inside skill set, the big man has proven that he cannot be left alone behind the arc.
Hall is a respectable 33% shooter from deep, and his touch often gets lost among the barrage of shooters the Tigers have.
Hall and Dawes are just two of Clemson's myriad of shooters on their roster. These shooters will play a prominent role in this game, as the Fighting Irish have been awful at defending the 3.
Notre Dame is 278th in 3-point percentage allowed.
Irish's Success Comes From Inside-Out Game
Notre Dame is not a team with a very deep rotation. Brey deploys only seven players per game, but they all have unique skill sets that allow them to play off one another.
It all starts with the big man in the middle, Paul Atkinson Jr. He averages nearly 12 points per game by utilizing his size and skill around the basket at a highly-efficient rate. The majority of Atkinson's shots come at or around the rim, and he has converted those attempts over 65% of the time.
In addition, his touch around the rim often draws defenders away from the next crucial man in the Fighting Irish's attack.
Dane Goodwin is Notre Dame's leading scorer, averaging 15 points per game. He benefits from the good looks Atkinson creates and has converted them at a very high rate. Goodwin has shot an impeccable 43% from deep and almost 48% from the field in general.
The combo of Atkinson and Goodwin — and contributions from fellow guard Blake Wesley — will be a lot for Clemson to handle. I expect Goodwin and Wesley to be significant factors from behind the arc, as the Tigers allow almost 42% of their points from deep.
Clemson vs. Notre Dame Betting Pick
Each of these teams will have success from the field and from 3, in particular. But it comes with the territory of a Clemson game, as it lives and dies by the 3 on both ends of the court.
Though the Fighting Irish's pace is much slower than the national average, I don't see it impacting the scoreboard. Each of these teams average over 70 points per game and should have no problem hitting that mark in this one as 3s will be raining.
This could very well be the game where Clemson takes down a solid team, but the Irish tend to play up at home. That means I will be avoiding that coin flip and targeting the total.
Take the over and enjoy the 3-point barrage.
Pick: Over 140
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