Sept. 7, 2017
The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team and the Atlantic Coast Conference have released the 2017-18 schedule, a slate of games that features several challenging road contests and three appearances as part of ESPN’s Big Monday package for the Fighting Irish.
“Since we joined the ACC I have said, ‘This will be the toughest schedule we have ever faced,’ and this year is no different,” head coach Mike Brey said after the lineup of games was revealed.
“I wonder what our schedule will look like when we get to 20 league games.”
Previous to the ACC’s release of its schedule today, the Irish were already faced with a handful of tough contests away from Purcell Pavilion as part of the non-conference schedule. The 2017-18 season opener will be a road contest at historical rival DePaul as the Blue Demons unveil their new home venue at Wintrust Arena in downtown Chicago. The 2017 Maui Invitational will present two opponents who will be in the running for an NCAA tournament berth. Additionally, the Irish will go on the road for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for a showdown with Michigan State.
The road challenges continue at Delaware on Saturday, Dec. 9, before the annual Crossroads Classic game in Indianapolis (Dec. 16) – with Indiana as this year’s opponent.
The ACC slate of games will not provide a break for Brey and the Irish. Big Monday road contests at Duke and North Carolina along with trips to Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Virginia put Notre Dame’s ability to win ACC road games as a key factor in the team’s success this season.
Home games at Purcell Pavilion will be equally challenging this season. As Brey closes in on the all-time wins record at Notre Dame (he needs 12 victories to set the new standard of 394), his team will face North Carolina, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Boston College, NC State, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami and Pittsburgh in Purcell Pavilion.
All of Notre Dame’s 31 regular-season games and two exhibition contests will be nationally broadcast with 19 of those dates on the ESPN (ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU) family of networks. Three of the ACC matchups are part of ESPN’s Big Monday package – at Duke (Jan. 29), at North Carolina (Feb. 12) and at home against Miami (Feb. 19). The Irish have not made three appearances on Big Monday since the 2012-13 season.
Twelve games this season will be on ACC Network Extra (available online via the WatchND app) or the ACC Network (affiliates to be announced).
Here is a full breakdown of each game for the Irish in 2017-18:
Nov. 3, 2017, vs. Bethel College (exhibition), 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra
Series Record: First Meeting
2016-17 Opponent Record: 31-5, 16-2 in the Crossroads League (NAIA)
- Bethel College, located in Mishawaka, Indiana (the town immediately adjacent to west border of South Bend, Indiana) and Notre Dame will face each other for the first time in the 2017-18 exhibition season opener.
- The Pilots have won three NAIA national championships (1995, 1997 and 1998).
Nov. 7, 2017, vs. Cardinal Stritch (exhibition), 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra
Series Record: ND 1-0
2016-17 Opponent Record: 14-16, 10-10 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (Division II)
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 70, Cardinal Stritch 56, Purcell Pavilion, Nov. 2, 2012
- Cardinal Stritch is a private Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
- The Wolves join Catholic (twice), Lewis (three times), Quincy (three times) and Stonehill College (twice) as repeat exhibition game opponents of the Brey era at Notre Dame.
Nov. 11, 2017, at DePaul, TBA
Series Record: ND 62-44
2016-17 Opponent Record: 9-23, 2-16 in the BIG EAST
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 82, DePaul 78, OT, Purcell Pavilion, Feb. 12, 2013
- The Irish and Blue Demons renew their long-standing rivalry on Nov. 11, 2017, the dedication game of Wintrust Arena in downtown Chicago.
- With 104 all-time meetings, the Notre Dame-DePaul series is the second-most prolific in school history, behind 118 meetings with Marquette.
- Mike Brey has a 13-3 career record against DePaul.
Nov. 13, 2017, vs. Mount St. Mary’s, 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Series Record: ND 2-0
2016-17 Opponent Record: 20-16, 14-4 in the Northeast Conference
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 93, Mount St. Mary’s 67, Purcell Pavilion, Dec. 9, 2014
- The Mount returns to Purcell Pavilion for the second time in four years.
- Austin Torres (2 pts, 3 reb), Matt Farrell (1 ast, 1 reb), Matt Gregory (5 mp), Martinas Geben (4 pts, 1 reb) and Bonzie Colson (5 pts, 5 reb) all saw action in the 2014 matchup.
- Mount St. Mary’s earned a spot in the 2017 NCAA tournament, falling in the first round to defending national champions Villanova in Buffalo, New York, the same location the Irish competed in the NCAA tournament last season.
- The Notre Dame-Mount St. Mary’s game is one of the regional matchups as part of the Maui Invitational.
Nov. 16, 2017, vs. Chicago State, 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra
Series Record: ND 4-0
2016-17 Opponent Record: 6-26, 1-3 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC)
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 91, Chicago State 60, Purcell Pavilion, Nov. 26, 2016
- The Cougars return to Purcell Pavilion for the second consecutive season and third time in the past six seasons.
- Notre Dame connected on 17 three-point field goals against the Cougars last season.
Nov. 20, 2017, vs. Chaminade (Maui Invitational Game 1), 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Series Record: ND 1-0
2016-17 Opponent Record: 18-11, 13-7 in the Pacific West Conference (Division II)
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 94, Chaminade 78, Lahaina Civic Center, Dec. 22, 1993
- The Silverswords participation in the Maui Invitational dates back to 1972, when Chaminade upset top-ranked Virginia. That shocking victory inspired the creation of the Maui Invitational.
- Chaminade is 7-78 all-time in the tournament and 2016 will mark its final year of competition in the annual event.
- Chaminade’s campus is actually located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was founded in 1955 by the Society of Mary, a Roman Catholic religious order and is the only Catholic university in Hawaii.
Nov. 21, 2017, vs. Michigan or LSU (Maui Invitational Game 2), TBA
- Should the Irish face Michigan, it would be the first meeting since the 70-63 come-from-behind Irish victory in the first round of the 2016 NCAA tournament at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
- A meeting with the LSU would be the first since 1990 and just the second between the Irish and Tigers in each program’s history. LSU, ranked No. 13 in the nation with Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Jackson and Stanley Roberts on its roster, defeated the Irish 87-64 in front of a record crowd of 68,112 at the Louisiana Superdome.
Nov. 22, 2017, vs. Maui Invitational Game 3, TBA
Nov. 30, 2017, at Michigan State (ACC-Big Ten Challenge), Breslin Center, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Series Record: ND 60-36
2016-17 Opponent Record: 20-15, 10-8 in the Big Ten
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 79, Michigan State 78 (OT), Purcell Pavilion, Dec. 3, 2014
- Notre Dame and Michigan State will meet in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the second time.
- One of the most prolific series in Notre Dame history (95 meetings) the game this year will mark just the second between the Irish and Spartans since 1979.
- This game will mark Notre Dame’s first appearance at the Breslin Center.
- Notre Dame is 3-1 overall in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and this game will be the final contest in the 2017 annual event.
- Austin Torres played 19 minutes with four rebounds and two points against MSU in 2014.
Dec. 3, 2017, St. Francis Brooklyn, 2 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra
Series Record: ND 2-0
2016-17 Opponent Record: 4-27, 2-16 in the Northeast Conference
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 99, St. Francis Brooklyn 88, Purcell Pavilion, Dec. 27, 1998
- St. Francis Brooklyn, also known as St. Francis New York, returns to Purcell Pavilion for the first time in the Brey era.
Dec. 5, 2017, Ball State, 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Series Record: ND 9-0
2016-17 Opponent Record: 21-13, 11-7 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC)
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 119, Ball State 78, Purcell Pavilion, Jan. 14, 1976
- The Cardinals return to Purcell Pavilion for the first time in 41 years.
Dec. 9, 2017, at Delaware, Bob Carpenter Center, TBA
Series Record: ND 1-0
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 80, Delaware 75, Purcell Pavilion, Dec. 7, 2013, as part of the BlackRock Gotham Classic
2016-17 Opponent Record: 13-20, 5-13 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)
- The Irish will travel to Delaware as Mike Brey takes on former Irish captain and assistant coach Martin Ingelsby, in his second season with the Fighting Hens.
- Brey was the head coach at Delaware from 1995 through 2000, compiling a record of 99-52 with two NCAA tournament berths.
- The Delaware coaching staff also features former Irish player and Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Radio Network analyst Torrian Jones (2001-04) as an assistant coach and former Notre Dame Video Coordinator Pat Rogers (’10) as the team’s Director of Basketball Operations.
Dec. 16, 2017, vs. Indiana (Crossroads Classic), TBA
Series Record: IU 49-22
Last Meeting: Indiana 80, Notre Dame 73, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Dec. 19, 2015, Crossroads Classic
2016-17 Opponent Record: 18-16, 7-11 in the Big Ten
- Notre Dame and Indiana will be meeting for the third time in the Crossroads Classic (’11, ’13, ’15).
- Notre Dame has won three of the last five meetings in the series.
- Mike Brey is 3-5 all-time against the Hoosiers at Notre Dame.
Dec. 19, 2017, vs. Dartmouth, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Series Record: ND 5-0
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 65, Dartmouth 47, Purcell Pavilion, Dec. 20, 2011
2016-17 Opponent Record: 7-20, 4-10 in the Ivy League
- The Big Green is making its fifth trip to Purcell Pavilion and the first since 2011.
- Notre Dame is 46-4 all-time against Ivy League teams.
Dec. 21, 2017, vs. Southeastern Louisiana, 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra
Series Record: First Meeting
2016-17 Opponent Record: 16-16, 9-9 in the Southland Conference.
- Notre Dame and Southeast Louisiana are meeting for the first time.
- The Lions are a member of the Southland Conference, as is Northwestern State, where Mike Brey played guard from 1977-80.
Dec. 30, 2017 vs. Georgia Tech, TBA, ESPN2
Jan. 10, 2017 at Georgia Tech, McCamish Pavilion, 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Series Record: GT 9-7
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 64, Georgia Tech 60, Purcell Pavilion, Feb. 26, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 21-16, 8-10 in the ACC
- The Yellow Jackets are one of two (Boston College) ACC teams the Irish face each season in a home-and-home series.
- Notre Dame and Georgia Tech have split their series three of the four years the Irish have been a part of the ACC.
- Mike Brey is 5-4 all-time against Georgia Tech.
Jan. 3, 2018, vs. NC State, 9 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Feb. 3, 2018, at NC State, PNC Arena, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Series Record: ND 7-4
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 81, NC State 72, PNC Arena, Feb. 18, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 15-17, 4-14 in the ACC
- Notre Dame and NC State will meet in a home-and-home series for the first time since the Irish joined the ACC.
- The Irish have won three of the four ACC meetings with NC State.
- Kevin Keatts is entering his first year as the head coach of the Wolfpack.
Jan. 6, 2018, at Syracuse, Carrier Dome, 3:15 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Series Record: Syracuse 28-20
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 84, Syracuse 66, Purcell Pavilion, Jan. 21, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 19-15, 10-8 in the ACC
- The Irish snapped a four-game losing streak to the Orange last season in Purcell Pavilion.
- Notre Dame will be looking to earn its first win in the Carrier Dome since Jan. 30, 2007.
- The 18-point victory over Syracuse last season marked Notre Dame’s biggest margin of victory over the Orange since an 83-63 victory in Purcell Pavilion on Jan. 21, 1998.
- Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia Tech are the only ACC schools the Irish have not met multiple times in a single year since joining the conference.
Jan. 13, 2018, vs. North Carolina, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Feb. 12, 2018, at North Carolina, Smith Center, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Series Record: UNC 21-7
Last Meeting: North Carolina 83, Notre Dame 76, Greensboro Coliseum, Feb. 4, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 33-7, 14-4 in the ACC
- The Irish will look to break a three-game losing streak to the Tar Heels after posting three consecutive wins over North Carolina.
- Notre Dame is 17-25 all-time against a defending national champion, the last such meeting with North Carolina an 80-71 loss in Purcell Pavilion on Feb. 23, 1994.
- With the scheduled home-and-home series this year, the 2017-18 season marks the fourth time in five years in the ACC the Irish and Tar Heels will meet multiple times (twice in 2014, twice in 2015, three times in 2016).
- Notre Dame’s trip to Chapel Hill on Feb. 12, 2018, will mark the second ESPN Big Monday matchup between the Irish and Tar Heels. Notre Dame defeated UNC on Jan. 5, 2015, at the Smith Center 71-70.
Jan. 16, 2018, vs. Louisville, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Series Record: Louisville 21-15
Last Meeting: Louisville 71, Notre Dame 64, KFC Yum! Center, March 4, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 25-9, 12-6 in the ACC
- Notre Dame is 3-1 against the Cardinals as ACC opponents.
- The Irish have won the last four games over Louisville at Purcell Pavilion. The Cardinals’ last win at Notre Dame came in 2009, a 91-89 double-overtime victory.
- Eight of the last 19 contests between Notre Dame and Louisville have gone into at least one overtime, with three of those contests requiring more than one overtime session to determine a winner.
Jan. 20, 2018, at Clemson, Littlejohn Coliseum, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Series Record: ND 5-0
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 75, Clemson 70, Purcell Pavilion, Jan. 7, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 17-16, 6-12 in the ACC
- The Irish and Tigers have met just five times, all as ACC opponents, which represents the least amount of meetings for Notre Dame against any ACC team.
- Notre Dame will be making its first appearance in updated Littlejohn Coliseum as its last trip to Clemson was played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Jan. 27, 2018, vs. Virginia Tech, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Series Record: ND 7-1
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 76, Virginia Tech 71, Cassell Coliseum, Jan. 14, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 22-11, 10-8 in the ACC
- Notre Dame is 4-0 against Virginia Tech as a member of the ACC.
- Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia Tech are the only ACC schools the Irish have not met multiple times in a single year since joining the conference.
- Mike Brey is 8-2 all-time against Buzz Williams and 7-0 against Virginia Tech.
Jan. 29, 2018, at Duke, Cameron Indoor Stadium, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Series Record: Duke 22-7
Last Meeting: Duke 75, Notre Dame 69, ACC Championship Game, Barclays Center, March 11, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 28-9, 11-7 in the ACC
- Of Notre Dame’s seven wins in the series against Duke, five have come since the Irish joined the ACC for the 2014 season.
- Notre Dame has won five of the last eight meetings with Duke, including its last trip to Cameron Indoor (95-91 on Jan. 16, 2016).
- Notre Dame and Duke have met in the past three ACC tournaments, the Irish claiming victories in the semifinals in 2015, quarterfinals in 2016 and Duke edging Notre Dame in the ACC Championship game last season.
- This meeting will mark the second ESPN Big Monday contest between the Irish and Blue Devils. Duke won at Purcell Pavilion 84-74 last season on Jan. 30, 2017.
Feb. 6, 2018, vs. Boston College, 8 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Feb. 17, 2018, at Boston College, Conte Forum, 4 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Series Record: ND 19-10
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 82, Boston College 66, Purcell Pavilion, March 1, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 9-23, 2-16 in the ACC
- The Eagles are one of two (Georgia Tech) ACC teams the Irish face each season in a home-and-home series.
- Notre Dame has won the last nine meetings with Boston College, eight of those contests as members of the ACC.
- Mike Brey is 11-1 all-time against Boston College.
Feb. 10, 2018, vs. Florida State, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Series Record: FSU 4-3
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 77, Florida State 73, Barclays Center, March 10, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 26-9, 12-6 in the ACC
- The Irish will be looking for their third win in three games against FSU in Purcell Pavilion and third consecutive win over the Seminoles.
- Notre Dame and Florida State battled through three classic games last season with each team ranked in the top 25 at the time of the matchup.
- Notre Dame will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1978 Final Four team at halftime of this game.
Feb. 19, 2018, vs. Miami, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Series Record: ND 11-10
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 64, Miami 62, Watsco Center, January 12, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 21-12, 10-8 in the ACC
- Mike Brey is 5-3 all-time against Jim Larranaga, 4-3 at Notre Dame.
- This game marks Notre Dame’s third appearance on ESPN’s Big Monday this season and the first Big Monday matchup between the Irish and Hurricanes.
- Graduate student Austin Torres posted his best performance of the 2016-17 season at Miami last season, scoring eight points on four-of-five shooting.
Feb. 24, 2018, at Wake Forest, Lawrence Joel Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 3 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Series Record: ND 4-3
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 88, Wake Forest 81, Purcell Pavilion, Jan. 7, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 19-14, 9-9 in the ACC
- Notre Dame has won the last four ACC matchups with Wake Forest, including the last visit to Winston-Salem, a 69-58 victory two years to the date of this season’s scheduled game.
Feb. 28, 2018, vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Series Record: ND 32-30
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 78, Pittsburgh 77 (OT), Petersen Events Center, Dec. 31, 2016
2016-17 Opponent Record: 16-17, 4-14 in the ACC
- Pittsburgh represents the most frequent opponent of any ACC opponent in Notre Dame history with 62 meetings between the Irish and Panthers.
- Mike Brey is 11-10 against Pittsburgh in his time at Notre Dame and 4-0 against Kevin Stallings.
- Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia Tech are the only ACC schools the Irish have not met multiple times in a single year since joining the conference.
March 3, 2018, at Virginia, John Paul Jones Arena, 4 p.m. ET, ACC Network
Series Record: Virginia 10-2
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 71, Virginia 58, Barclays Center, March 9, 2017
2016-17 Opponent Record: 23-11, 11-7 in the ACC
- After dropping the first five meetings in ACC play against Virginia, Notre Dame broke through with a victory over the Cavaliers in the ACC quarterfinals last season.
- The Irish will be making their third trip to John Paul Jones Arena and looking for the program’s first win in Charlottesville.