Notre Dame basketball: 2019-20 keys to the Fighting Irish beating Indiana

Notre Dame Basketball: 2019-20 keys to Fighting Irish beating Indiana

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 06: Prentiss Hubb #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts after making a 3-point basket against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half at the Dean Smith Center on November 06, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 76-65. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 06: Head coach Mike Brey of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts during the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Dean Smith Center on November 06, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 76-65. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Two teams from the Hoosier State battle in the Crossroads Classic on Saturday. In order for Notre Dame Basketball to come away with a win over Indiana, here are three important keys.

Two members of the Hoosier State do battle Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis when the Notre Dame Basketball (8-3) take on the Indiana Hoosiers (10-1) as a part of the Crossroads Classic. This game not only has bragging rights implications but, could be more important come March if both teams are in the at-large conversation for the NCAA Tournament, leading into selection Sunday.

The Hoosiers are off to a 10-1 start, while their opponents have gone 8-2 since an opening night conference loss to North Carolina. After beginning the season 8-0, with their closest win coming by 11 points, and ending with a 16-point victory over No. 17 Florida State, Archie Miller’s Hoosiers have slowed down a bit entering this one. Indiana suffered their lone loss by 20 at Wisconsin, then beat UConn and a struggling Nebraska squad by a combined nine points.

Mike Brey’s Irish entered the season with optimism due to a solid returning core, and despite the loss to the Tar Heels, they began the year 6-1 before running into No. 3 Maryland and falling behind Boston College by 10 at the half before losing by one. Entering this one they have bounced back by knocking off Detroit and UCLA by 53 points.

For Notre Dame, a win over an in-state rival would be their biggest win of the year thus far. Coming away with a win in the Crossroads Classic won’t be easy, but there are aspects of the matchup at both ends of the floor that they can exploit and help them get a win.

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