The Notre Dame Fighting Irish square off against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the fourth round of the ACC tournament at the Verizon Center. The game gets underway at 7:00 pm ET on Friday, Mar. 11 and will air on ESP and ES3.
The Tar Heels beat Pittsburgh 88-71 in the 3. With 19 points and 10 rebounds, Brice Johnson recorded his 20th double-double this season. The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, are coming off an 84-79 win over Duke in the 3. Zach Auguste played well and claimed his 19th double-double of the season, posting 19 points and 22 rebounds.
Over the last five games, Auguste has been on a tear for the Fighting Irish. During that stretch, he has averaged 18.2 points, 14.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks.
This matchup figures to be a high-scoring affair as North Carolina ranks 11th in the nation in offensive efficiency (117.3), while Notre Dame is sixth (118.3). Also, the Fighting Irish’s sixth-ranked offense (offensive efficiency of 118.3) will face off against the 25th-ranked defense of the Tar Heels (defensive efficiency of 100.7).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Fighting Irish won the first game 84-79. Johnson recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Notes
The North Carolina Tar Heels rank 11th for their offensive rating of 117.3. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a defensive rating of 108.0 (ranked 36th).
The North Carolina Tar Heels average 70.8 possessions per game and 1.173 points per possession, while the Notre Dame Fighting Irish earn fewer possessions (64.8) but more points per possession (1.183).
The North Carolina Tar Heels average an effective field goal percentage of 52.1% this season. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have split their games this season (6-6) when opponents have an eFG% of 52.1% or greater.
The North Carolina Tar Heels rank fourth in assists per game with an average of 18.2. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are among the worst in the country with 13.6 assists per game (ranked 150th).
North Carolina, the 54th-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 4.5 per game. Notre Dame does worse, ranked 110th with 3.9.
North Carolina is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to offensive rebounds, ranking ninth. Notre Dame ranks just 183rd in defensive rebounds.
The North Carolina Tar Heels make an average of 6.8 steals per game. When the Notre Dame Fighting Irish allow 6 or more steals, they are an exceptional 9-3.
