Nov. 20, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The 2014-15 college basketball season may be less than a week old, but plans for the 2015-16 University of Notre Dame’s men’s basketball schedule already are underway. For the second time in five years, the Irish are headed to Orlando, Florida to take part in the 2015 Orlando Classic at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
The 2015 field also will include Alabama, Dayton, Iowa, Southern California, Wichita State, Xavier and a team yet to be determined. The dates of the tournament will be Nov. 26, 27 and 29.
Notre Dame captured the 2010 crown with victories over Georgia (89-83 in double overtime), California (57-44) and Wisconsin (58-51).
The Irish are 59-29 (.670) all-time against the teams slated to take part in next year’s event. Notre Dame owns a 3-1 record versus Alabama. The last meeting between the two schools took place on Dec. 7, 2006 with the Irish earning a 99-85 victory at Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame and Dayton previously have met on 40 occasions with the Irish holding a 28-12 advantage in the series. The last meeting took place on Jan. 17, 1995 in Dayton, Ohio, as the Flyers came away with a 73-63 victory.
Notre Dame owns an 8-6 advantage in its 14-game series with Iowa, but has lost five of the last six matchups, including last year’s 98-93 setback in Iowa City in a game that was part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
While USC is an annual opponent on the Notre Dame football schedule, the Irish and Trojans have met just nine times on the hardwood (USC leads 5-4) with the last meeting taking place on Dec. 11, 1993 (a 75-64 USC win) victory in Los Angeles.
Should the Irish and Shockers meet in Orlando, it would mark just the third meeting between the two schools. The Irish won the first game played in the series on Jan. 24, 1990, 88-78 at Notre Dame, followed by a Wichita State victory (60-50) on Jan. 10, 1991 on its home floor.
Notre Dame and Xavier have previously played on 19 occasions with the Irish leading that series 15-4. The last meeting took place in the second round of the NCAA Championship in Greensboro, N.C. with the Musketeers coming away with a 67-63 victory.