- Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Syracuse Orange
- Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
- Venue: JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY
- Broadcast: ESPN+
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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-10) will be visiting the JMA Wireless Dome this Saturday to compete against the Syracuse Orange (12-9).
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish recently faced a tough opponent, the Virginia Cavaliers, suffering a narrow defeat with a score of 100-97. In this challenging matchup, Notre Dame achieved a field goal percentage of 47.5% (29 of 61) and hit 11 of 27 from beyond the arc. They succeeded at the charity stripe with an impressive percentage of 82.4%, sinking 28 of 34 attempts. On the rebounding front, they gathered a total of 29 boards, including 6 offensive rebounds, and provided 15 assists while forcing 11 turnovers and netting 5 steals. From a defensive standpoint, the Fighting Irish allowed Virginia to shoot 47.7% from the field (31 of 65), while the Cavaliers managed to tally 21 assists and 5 steals. Virginia, who collected 36 rebounds (11 offensive, 25 defensive), shot 80% from the free throw line by converting 28 of their 35 attempts and made 10 of 29 from three-point range. Both teams finished with a comparable number of personal fouls: Notre Dame with 25 and Virginia with 27.
Cole Certa was a standout performer in this matchup, scoring 34 points on 10 of 19 shooting. He played the entire 40 minutes, contributing 2 rebounds and finishing with a shooting efficiency of 52.6% from the field, alongside 1 assist.
With a current record of 11-10, Notre Dame is looking to improve. They average 11.5 turnovers and accumulate 17.6 fouls per game. The team collects an average of 37.6 rebounds per game and has tallied 253 assists, ranking 313th in Division I in assists. The Fighting Irish shoot 35.5% from three-point range (179 of 504) and 69.9% from the free throw line, averaging 74.0 points per game, which is 243rd nationwide. Their field goal shooting stands at 44.8%.
On defense, Notre Dame forces an average of 9.5 turnovers per game and draws 17.9 fouls. Their opponents are shooting 31.5% from three-point territory, ranking 126th in PPG allowed (71.5). The Fighting Irish concede a field goal percentage of 42.5% (510 of 1,199) and allow 32.1 rebounds per game, placing them 141st in the nation in assists allowed, with 269 given up this season.
The Syracuse Orange faced a tough opponent, North Carolina State, in their last game, resulting in an 88-68 loss. In that game, Syracuse secured 32 rebounds (15 offensive, 17 defensive) while turning the ball over 10 times and gaining 8 steals. North Carolina State committed 16 fouls, leading to 16 free-throw attempts for the Orange, of which they converted 9 for a percentage of 56.3%. From three-point range, Syracuse made 7 of 23 attempts (30.4%) and finished with a field goal percentage of 38.8% from 26 of 67 attempts. Conversely, Syracuse allowed North Carolina State to shoot at an efficient 50.8% from the field (33 of 65) and gave up 29.2% from beyond the arc (7 of 24), finishing the game by converting 15 of 18 free throws (83.3%). The Orange permitted North Carolina State to collect a total of 44 rebounds, including 15 offensive boards.
Donnie Freeman emerged as a key player for the Orange, scoring 24 points on 9 of 18 shooting, achieving a field goal percentage of 50.0%, alongside 10 rebounds in 34 minutes of play, but did not record any assists.
The Syracuse Orange hold a record of 12-9 this season. Offensively, they are shooting 46.7% from the field, placing them 109th in the nation. The team has scored a total of 1,581 points this year, averaging 75.3 per game, while securing 35.2 rebounds per contest. The Orange distribute assists 13.2 times per game (248th in Division I) and turn the ball over 11.6 times each game. They also commit 16.4 fouls per contest and have a free throw shooting percentage of 63.4%.
On the defensive end, Syracuse ranks 81st in PPG allowed, giving up 69.9 points per game. They force opponents into 13.3 turnovers on average and allow a shooting percentage of 41.9% from the field (ranked 84th). The defense permits 31.8% shooting from three-point range (134 of 421) and allows opponents a free throw percentage of 72.7%. They concede 13.1 assists and 36.5 rebounds per game, ranking them 167th and 293rd in Division I, respectively.
Who will take the victory in tonight’s NCAA contest against the spread?
Prediction: Back Notre Dame
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