Notre Dame vs. Hampton: 2018 NIT First Round Preview
By Ryan Shepard
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will look to rebound from the heartbreak of being the 69th team in this year’s NCAA Tournament Field with a win at home against the Hampton Pirates.
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Date: March 13th 2018
Location: Purcell Pavillion (South Bend, IN)
How have the Fighting Irish been playing as of late?
Since star player, Bonzie Colson, has returned to the starting lineup the Irish have been decent. Winning three of their last five, the Irish beat tournament bound Virginia Tech and came within five points of beating Virginia.
However, it’s an extremely small sample size. The consensus is that without Colson they are a solid team, but of the three wins they earned since Colson returned, only one of them came against a team with a winning record. Not to mention, the Irish got blown off of the court in the second half of their last game against Duke. The Colson led Irish is an unknown heading into the NIT.
How have the Pirates been playing as of late?
https://twitter.com/NCAAHoops247/status/972577255867256832
The Pirates blew their shot at an NCAA Tournament berth this season. Tied at fifty-eight, the Pirates were outscored 13-5 in the final minutes of their loss in the 2018 MEAC Conference Championship. With that being said, the Pirates have been one of the hottest teams since the New Year. The Pirates won fourteen of their last eighteen, including earning a 12-4 conference record. Playing their best basketball late in the season, the Pirates could cause the Irish some problems in the first round of the NIT.
Key Player
Jermaine Marrow receiving his All-MEAC award prior to last night game pic.twitter.com/7LM0ZhE2AM
— Jim Heath (@heathbar757) March 8, 2018
In the thirteen games prior to the 2018 MEAC Tournament, Jermaine Morrow averaged twenty-two points and six rebounds. In the 2018 MEAC Tournament, the Hampton guard averaged twelve points and five rebounds.
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If the Pirates are going to have any chance at pulling the upset, he will have to play the way he did during the regular season.
Prediction: Hampton 71, Notre Dame 70