Can Notre Dame's Home Court Advantage Propel Them Past Panthers?
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, ranked 14th, showcased their dominance at Purcell Pavilion with a commanding victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers. The home team's record now stands at an impressive 78-53 against the unranked Panthers. The Fighting Irish displayed a consistent performance throughout the game, outscoring their opponents in each quarter with totals of 18, 18, 19, and a game-high of 23 points in the final period.
The Fighting Irish were relentless on both ends of the court. They managed to sink an impressive ten three-pointers from twenty-five attempts, translating to a solid forty percent success rate from beyond the arc. Their shooting prowess was not limited to long-range efforts; they also excelled inside the paint with twenty-four points contributing to their overall score.
Defensively, Notre Dame matched Pittsburgh with five blocks and surpassed them with nine steals which played a critical role in disrupting Pittsburgh's offensive flow. These defensive efforts were complemented by eighteen points generated off turnovers compared to just four by the Panthers.
On offense, Notre Dame’s seventeen assists were nearly double that of Pittsburgh’s nine assists. This difference underscored their superior ball movement and teamwork throughout the contest. Moreover, they maintained better control over possession as evidenced by only committing nine turnovers while forcing sixteen from Pittsburgh.
The Panthers did put up some resistance despite being outplayed for most of the game. They managed to secure forty-seven rebounds which was eight more than what Notre Dame gathered; however this advantage did not translate into sufficient scoring opportunities or efficiency as they shot just twenty-nine percent from field goal range and thirteen percent from three-point territory.
Notre Dame’s next challenge will be an away game against Louisville Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center located in Louisville on February 8th at 6:00 PM Eastern Time Zone. Fans can catch all live action broadcast nationally on ESPN channel two hundred six ensuring they don’t miss any part of what promises to be another exciting matchup for The Fighting Irish.