The Louisville Cardinals (19-6, 12-2 ACC) face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-13, 5-8 ACC) in a pivotal ACC clash Sunday at 8 p.m. EST in South Bend. Fresh off a career-high 32 points from Markus Burton in Notre Dame’s overtime win against Boston College, the Irish aim to leverage home-court momentum. Louisville, however, enters as a 6.5-point favorite, riding a 9-1 record in their last 10 games.
Notre Dame’s resilience at home (8-3) hinges on defensive discipline, ranking seventh in the ACC with 23.3 defensive rebounds per game. Guard Matt Allocco anchors this effort, averaging 4.3 rebounds. Still, Louisville’s high-powered offense (79.7 points per game) poses a threat. The Cardinals outscore opponents by 10.4 points on average and hold opponents to 69.3 points—nearly matching Notre Dame’s scoring allowance (70.7).
Sunday’s game could define both teams’ trajectories, analysts note. Key matchups include:
- Burton (21.3 PPG) vs. Louisville’s backcourt duo Chucky Hepburn (15 PPG, 6.2 APG) and Terrence Edwards (16.7 PPG last 10 games)
- Notre Dame’s Braeden Shrewsberry (2.1 three-pointers per game) against Louisville’s perimeter defense
Notre Dame averages 73.8 points—4.5 above Louisville’s typical allowance—while the Cardinals’ offense thrives on ball movement (16.1 assists per game). With both teams meeting for the first time this season, this ACC showdown promises playoff-caliber intensity.