8 Must-Watch Conference Tournament Games For Thursday

Jan 17, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard

(11) dribbles as Miami Hurricanes guard

(13) defends in the first half at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

7. Miami vs. Notre Dame, 9:00 PM, ESPN

Unlike the last match-up, this game has two possible tournament teams squaring off. On one side, you have the Miami Hurricanes, who are on the outside looking in according to Lunardi, but just barely. His latest updated bracketology has Miami as the first team out of the tournament, and with Indiana and Texas, teams just on the other side of the bubble, in action today, things could change.

On the other hand, you have a Notre Dame squad who could make a deep conference tournament run and possibly better their current three-seed in the NCAA tournament. While all eyes are on Virginia and Duke in the bracket, it’s the Fighting Irish who hold a win over the Blue Devils and nearly upset the Cavaliers on the road in mid-January.

Better yet, in their only meeting this season, Notre Dame barely escaped the upset-minded Hurricanes with a five-point victory at home. This game will be hotly contested, with Miami playing with nothing to lose against arguably one of the top guards in both the conference and the country, where a win by Miami likely all but seals their names in the tournament. This could be the cherry on the top of a wild day of basketball.

Winner: Notre Dame (barely).

Next: Indiana vs. Northwestern