Michigan State and Notre Dame meet on the hardwood on Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Which team is going to get a marquee win to add to their resume?
TV Schedule: Wednesday, November 30th, 9:15pm EST. ESPN 2.
Arena: Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana
Michigan State (5-2) travels to Notre Dame on Wednesday night as part of the yearly challenge between the ACC and the Big Ten Conference. Sadly this will be the last year of this event between the two well-respected conferences as it was announced on Monday that the ACC will be starting an ACC/SEC Challenge beginning in 2023 next year.
The Spartans like every year have had a very tough non-conference slate. It is not even December and Michigan State has already played the likes of Gonzaga, Kentucky, Villanova, Alabama, Oregon, and a very gritty Portland team who made North Carolina and Michigan State earn their wins by battling the whole forty-minute contest.
Have to give Tom Izzo credit for scheduling such tough schedules year after year. You always want to be playing and competing against the best and that is why Izzo-led teams have had such great success in the Big Ten, plus advancing when it counts in March during his time in East Lansing.
Michigan State should be very proud of their 2-1 record in the Phil Knight Invitational over these past couple days in Portland. It was announced before the PK85 that they would be without two key players in forward Malik Hall and guard Jaden Akins. It is being reported that Akins is doubtful to play against Notre Dame according to Izzo. While Hall is out indefinitely for a few more weeks with a foot injury.
They definitely will miss both out there on the court, but still have plenty of firepower in guards Tyson Walker, A.J. Hoggard, and forwards Joey Hauser and Mady Sissoko. The big man in Sissoko has made huge strides for this Spartans team in the early part of the season.
Notre Dame (5-1) comes into this matchup looking to get back on track after suffering their first loss of the year to Saint Bonaventure. The Bonnies led from start to finish winning by a final score of 63-51 in the Gotham Classic on Friday in New York. The Irish started off flat and that continued through the whole game shooting just 11.8% from three. While the Bonnies shot 41.7% from beyond the arc. Saint Bonaventure just seemed to want it more and played with a lot more passion and intensity in the matchup.
The Irish do have five victories to their name so far, but none of their victories pop off the page like Michigan State. If Notre Dame is able to beat Michigan State on Wednesday it would be a huge win for their resume.
This Notre Dame roster consists of six graduate students which is the most in the country this season. It is a veteran-led group just like it was last year for Mike Brey and the Irish. One of those graduate students who is off to a terrific start this season is forward Nate Laszewski. The skilled big man in Laszewski is averaging 18.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and is shooting 45.8% from three.
Brey has usually only played a seven-or-so-man rotation during his time at Notre Dame. One of the rotational guys who Brey was banking on to play major minutes this year is guard Marcus Hammond. The graduate transfer from Niagara University in Hammond has an MCL injury which has kept him sidelined. Look for him to possibly be back either against Michigan State or on Saturday against Syracuse in the ACC opener.
Getting Hammond back gives the Irish much-needed depth as they really are only rotating six players at the moment. Cannot have only a rotation of six guys you trust in the rotation for much longer, especially heading into conference play very soon.
This matchup between the Spartans and the Irish will be the 98th meeting all time, but only have played just four times since 1979. Notre Dame does have the edge all time with record of 60-37 at the moment. Michigan State has had the bragging rights as of late though winning four of the last five. That one Irish victory did happen in 2014 which was the last time they played each other in South Bend.
Last year Notre Dame protected their home court very well finishing the season going 14-1. With the one loss coming at the hands of Duke. Look for Notre Dame to come out with a lot more energy, and shoot it a lot better from the floor than they did in their last game. Izzo-coached teams always battle but believe their injuries will catch up to them on the road on Wednesday night. Irish just make a few more threes than Michigan State and get a much-needed non-conference win for their resume.
Prediction: Notre Dame 76 Michigan State 73