Miami vs. Notre Dame Prediction, Picks, and NCAAB Odds (12/30/22)

As conference play begins to get going in College Basketball, an ACC matchup goes underway in South Bend, Indiana as the Miami Hurricanes face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  Miami enters this game ranked 14th in the country and coming off of some pretty big wins.  Their last game saw them defeating Virginia 66-64 which will certainly do a lot for the Hurricanes’ conference.  Virginia was ranked sixth in the country so if Miami can still show their ability to compete with top ACC teams they should also be able to do so with the middle of the pack which Notre Dame currently finds itself in.

Notre Dame enters this game with an 8-5 record and has suffered some bad losses to Power-5 teams as of late.  They went on a 3-game losing skid against Marquette, Georgia, and Florida State.  They also suffered a close loss to Syracuse and even fell to mid-major St. Bonaventure.  Their best win however, came against Michigan State in dominating fashion.  If they can bring that style of play against Miami, they may be able to get another quality win under their belt.  Miami enters this game 12-1 so they will surely have their work cut out for them.  Let’s break down this game’s odds and predictions.

Miami vs. Notre Dame Betting Odds

There are still no betting odds published currently just yet and the line could go either way with this being a home game for Notre Dame.  ESPN Analytics currently gives Miami a 54.2% chance to win.  I expect Miami to enter this game as small odds favorites due to their record and rankings but Notre Dame has proved to be a tough team to play at home, despite their 8-5 record.  Their win against Michigan State proved that they can compete with the top Power-5 conference teams.  Their close losses against Syracuse and Florida State certainly sting for them and they will come out with a spark.  Miami, coming off a big win, needs to make sure their celebrations are out of the way and they don’t come out lackadaisical against an Irish team that could easily be overlooked.  If they can get a win on the road at Notre Dame, the Hurricanes will surely be a force to be reckoned with in the ACC this season.

The over/under total line is not published yet either.  Miami currently averages 78 PPG this season while Notre Dame averages 70.5 PPG.  In terms of points allowed, Miami allows 68 PPG and the Irish allow 67.8.  By those averages, I would expect the line to be placed around 140.

Miami vs. Notre Dame Picks & Predictions

My Pick: Miami ML

I think this game is going to be a very close game up until the end.  I see Notre Dame keeping this game very close and if the spread line was published I may take the Irish given they are underdogs.  But I am going with Miami to pick up this win on the road and they ride the momentum they have from beating Virginia in a close game to finish out another close game.  According to Kenpom’s analytical ranking, Miami enters this game ranked 42th in the country while Notre Dame is 103rd.  Miami currently has four players averaging double digit scoring which surely helps the Hurricane offense going.  Notre Dame has five players averaging double digit scoring but no player that averages 15 or more.  Their leading scorer and rebounder is forward Nate Laszewcki with 14.3 PPG and 7.7 RPG.  Miami will need to do a good job at containing to get the win without a possible upset chance.  

Key Matchup

Isaiah Wong vs. Notre Dame

The biggest matchup will be how Notre Dame is able to contain Miami’s best player, Isaiah Wong.  The guard has been a staple for Miami for many years and is off again to another great start.  Wong has been named two times to the Third-team All-ACC team and this season he was named preseason First Team All-ACC.  He is expected to take Miami far throughout the ACC and it’s games like these where he will need to prove it.  He is currently averaging 17.2 PPG and is shooting 37.7% from 3-point range.  If he has another big night, it could again be a disappointment for this Irish team still looking to find their footing.

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Jack is a Hoosier by birth and Hoosier by alum. Full of hot takes but sharper predictions. Residing now in the Chicago area. When he's not chowing down on deep dish pizza and Italian beef, he's watching and betting sports. Junkie for everything CBB, NBA, NFL, CFB, and MLB. Here to feed you a system to follow that might even be better than the one Tom Brady was gifted his whole career.

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