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Game 5 Preview: Irish Look to Take Flight vs Falcons

Irish look to close out homestand on Tuesday with perfect 5-0 mark

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s basketball squad looks to wrap its season-opening five-game homestand on a high note when Bowling Green visits Purcell Pavilion on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The Fighting Irish are off to a 4-0 start for the first time since the 2017-18 season in which they started 6-0. Irish versus Falcons will be an early tip, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network. To purchase tickets online, click here.

The Irish lead the all-time series against the Falcons, 5-2, with an unblemished 4-0 mark at home.

MR DOUBLE-DOUBLE

Nate Laszewski recorded 3 straight double-doubles to start the year and was one rebound shy against Lipscomb for making it 4-for-4. His 3 double-doubles is tied for first in the country. 

He’s averaging 19.0 points (T-2nd in ACC) and 10.3 rebounds (3rd in ACC), while his 57.5 percent shooting ranks 4th in the league. 

He’s 1-of-3 players currently in the country averaging at least 19 points and 10 rebounds — joining Purdue’s Zach Edey and San Diego’s Eric Williams Jr. 

CLOSERS

One of the biggest takeaways from the first 4 games is this – Irish down the stretch get clutch.  

Game 1 vs Radford – Irish make 6 of their last 9 from the field over the final 8:22

Game 2 vs YSU – Irish make its last six from the field over the final 4:29

Game 3 vs USI – Irish make its last 11-of-15 over the final 11:33. 

Game 4 vs Lipscomb – Dane Goodwin converts a three with 14 seconds left for the go-ahead game-winner.

DANE FEELIN GOOD(WIN)

Dane entered the year with 8 20+ point scoring performances and now has two through four games. His two is just one shy of the ACC leader – Wake Forest’s Tyree Appleby. 

He’s currently averaging a career best 16.5 ppg on a career high 51.7 percent shooting. He’s connecting on 56.3 percent from deep (9-of-16) and he’s doing so late in games – hitting a trey with 2:48 left against USI and 14 seconds left against Lipscomb. 

Goodwin carried the Irish to a 66-65 victory over Lipscomb, hitting the go-ahead three and game-winner with 14 seconds left. Goodwin tied his career high in made three-pointers, converting 6-of-8 from deep. He finished with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting. 

EARLY SPURTS FROM WERTZ

It’s a been a big jump for Trey Wertz this season as he’s been absolutely dynamic on the offensive end of the court. 

For the first time of his Irish career, Wertz fired off three straight double-digit scoring games (it marked the 5th time in his collegiate career).

First, Wertz fired off 18 points against Radford, connecting on three treys in a row from 8:22-6:51 in the second half. 

Then it was 15 points against Youngstown State. Next, it was a season high 20 points against Southern Indiana, which included 12 points in the 2nd half. 

Wertz is connecting on 56.4 percent from the field and he’s 12-of-14 from two-point range. 

Wertz has made a trey in all four games this season, averaging 2.5 three’s per game. He’s connecting on 40.0 percent from deep.

SPECIAL ABILITY UNLOCKED – FT SHOOTING

Game 1 – 21-of-25

Game 2 – 14-of-15

Game 3 – 23-of-28

Game 4 – 4-of-5

Total – 62-of-73

With that said, Notre Dame ranks 2nd in the country in free-throw percentage, converting 84.9 percent of its shots. 

FRESHMEN READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT

All the talk about the vets but there’s a freshmen class that was ranked in the top-15 in the country that’s ready to make an impact. 

Let’s first start with JJ Starling who was ranked 18th by ESPN and was the highest ranked ND recruit since at least 2007 (when ESPN recruiting database began). That spot wwas previously held by Demetrius Jackson, who was ranked No. 24 in 2013. 

JJ is also the first McDonald’s All-American at Notre Dame since Demetrius Jackson arrived in 2013 and could be the first to start in game one since Torin Francis in 2002. He’s the fifth McDonald’s All-American recruited under Brey’s tenure and the eighth to suit up for the Irish under Brey. 

He ranks 4th in scoring amongst ACC freshmen, averaging 11.8 ppg. He’s shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. 

Starling showed the collegiate world what he’s capable of in a 17-point breakout performance vs Youngstown State on Nov. 13. Starling went clutch mode, making back-to-back treys under the two-minute mark to help clinch the win. 

Next, there’s 6-8 forward Ven-Allen Lubin, who was ranked 69th by ESPN and the ninth best at his position.

Lubin flashed his athletic prowess in game two vs Youngstown St on Nov. 13. Whether it was running down a Penguin player to record a big block, draining his first career three, or simply going 4-for-4 from the field to register nine points 

Lubin might be a small volume shooter but high percentage — he’s made 9-of-15 to start the year. 

SCOREMAC RYAN

Since joining the Irish starting lineup on Feb. 9, 2022, Cormac Ryan has turned into Scoremac, averaging 12.6 ppg (carrying over into this season as well). 

Over the final 12-game run last season he shot an impressive 56.1 percent from the field and 50.9 percent from three. Ryan had the best game of his career against Alabama in the first round of the NCAA tournament, scoring a Brey-era NCAA single game record 29 points and setting the Notre Dame NCAA record with a career-best seven three pointers. 

Now, he’s gone 3-for-4 in double-digit scoring games this season. He notched 10 points and the game-winning basket against Radford, then contributed 13 points against Youngstown St and against Southern Indiana. 

LEARNED HOW TO WIN AND THEN SOME

The quote you heard from Coach Brey often this preseason – “these guys learned how to win last year and now they are ready for the challenge.”

This experienced Irish group went 15-5 in the ACC, earning the No. 2 seed in the league tournament. They then made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, earning a First Four spot. Notre Dame defeated Rutgers in double OT and then Alabama before falling to Texas Tech closely in the Second Round. 

Fast forward to now and that experience has paid off. First, the Irish battled back to take the lead against Radford with 9.5 seconds left for the 79-76 win. Against Youngstown State, it was a three-point game with 2:26 remaining, but the Irish staved off the attack and clinched the 88-81 victory. Then it was Dane Goodwin’s go-ahead three-pointer with 14 seconds left to remain unbeaten for the 66-65 win over Lipscomb. 

NEW COURT, SAME HOME ADVANTAGE

Notre Dame’s court may have gotten a facelift this offseason and sport a new look, but the same home court advantage still applies. 

Last season, the Irish went 14-1 inside Purcell Pavilion, as their .931 winning percentage at home ranked ninth in the nation. This year, they are off to a 4-0 start, thus 18-1 over last 19 home games. 

Prior to last season, the last time an Irish squad had one loss at home or fewer was the 2011-12 season. 

Now let’s add in the women’s team for an overall basketball picture. Combined the men and women went 27-2 inside Purcell for a .967 winning percentage last season. That ranked third last season behind Arizona (29-1, .967) and Tennessee (30-2, .938). 

— ND —