The Fighting Irish take on Alabama on Sunday before turning their attention to their midweek matchup against the Illini. Notre Dame has struggled to find consistency early, but a win over Iowa on Friday was a big first step. They’ll look to continue that while Illinois hopes its two-musketeers can keep it in the game.
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HOW THE NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Rayvonte Rice is gone along with three others of the team’s top six scorers from last season. Illinois also saw Kendrick Nunn go down after just two games and 37-points.
With a weakened opponent, the Irish have a very good opportunity for a commanding win. Iowa State held the Illini to 73-points with 19 coming from Nunn. Other than Nunn, Malcolm Hill and Mike Thorne Jr., the rest of the team scored a combined 24-points, highlighting their lack of scoring depth.
Notre Dame is also coming off its first win ATS of the year on Friday, giving them a bit of momentum. The Irish are also a solid defensive squad with just 64.6 PPG allowed while scoring a respectable 78.4.
The Irish were the talk of the nation last year and while Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton are gone, players like Demetrius Jackson and Zach Auguste still give the team the top-end talent it needs to succeed in the rough and tumble ACC.
Jackson leads the team with 18.8 PPG. He’s got support in Auguste, V.J. Beachem and Steve Vasturia, amongst others. The four listed are all averaging over 11.6 PPG while Auguste gives the Fighting Irish a top-end player in the front court, with 10.8 RPG and five blocks.
HOW THE ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI CAN COVER THE SPREAD
While a number of key players from last year’s team have moved on, Illinois does have a big transfer in Mike Thorne Jr. who brings size and the ability to help inside with him from Charlotte.
Through seven games, Thorne is averaging 13.4 PPG and 8.4 RPG. The rebounds lead the team. It’s up to Thorne and guard Malcolm Hill to lead the way for a team void of depth after them. Hill has 16.7 PPG and 30 assists. He’s also tied with Jalen Coleman-Lands with 10 steals.
While no other active player has overly impressive numbers outside of Thorne and Hill, the team as a whole is solid offensively, scoring 74.9 PPG and shooting 45.5 percent from the floor.
Notre Dame’s early basketball season inconsistencies also help. The Irish lost a game by a couple points to the Monmouth Hawks, despite going off the betting board as hefty 9-point favorites.
Notre Dame’s starting five accounted for all 68 points while the bench saw just 29 minutes and two shots.
ANAYLSIS AN PREDICTION
Losing Nunn hurts. It’s hard for two-men and a collection of misfits to lead a team against any team, let alone one with a strong starting five like the Fighting Irish.
While Notre Dame comes with its share of question marks, the team is at least healthy which is more than can be said of the Illini.
While the Illini lack the offense to keep pace behind Hill and Thorne, they lack the defense, too. Illinois is ranked well-below average in PPG allowed at 75.6 and field goal percentage against at 45.8 percent. It’s hard to ask a team to improve defensively overnight.
Notre Dame 78, Illinois 67
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