Clash at Purcell Pavilion: Notre Dame Fighting Irish Host The Citadel Bulldogs in Men's Basketball Showdown

As the Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepare to welcome The Citadel Bulldogs to the Purcell Pavilion, fans are eager to see if the home team can capitalize on their familiar court. The upcoming game, scheduled for December 19th, promises an exciting matchup in South Bend.

Analyzing recent performances, the Fighting Irish have shown a mixed bag of results. In their last outing against Marquette Golden Eagles at Fiserv Forum, they fell short with a final score of 59-78. Despite a commendable effort in the second half where they scored 35 points compared to their first-half tally of 24, it wasn't enough to secure victory. A notable concern from that game was their three-point shooting percentage which stood at just 26 percent.

However, looking back at another recent game played on their home turf against Western Michigan Broncos, Notre Dame showcased what they're capable of when everything clicks. They dominated with an impressive scoreline of 86-65 and shot an outstanding 59 percent from the field and approximately 41 percent from beyond the arc.

The trends suggest that while Notre Dame has faced challenges on the road, they've been formidable at home. With this advantage and a supportive crowd behind them at Purcell Pavilion – where they previously showed strong offensive rebounds and points off turnovers – there is potential for them to dictate play against The Citadel Bulldogs.

Notre Dame's fans should expect a determined squad aiming to leverage their home-court prowess while addressing areas such as three-point shooting efficiency and ball handling which have been inconsistent in past games.

The action unfolds live on December 19th at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana. Fans can catch all the excitement starting from 6:00 PM Eastern Time on ACC Network (channel number not repeated).