- Matchup: Stanford Cardinal vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
- Venue: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, IN
- Broadcast: ESPNU
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The Stanford Cardinal (18-11) are set to face off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-16) at Purcell Pavilion on Wednesday night.
In their most recent game, the Stanford Cardinal triumphed over SMU, securing a decisive win with a final score of 95-75. Stanford showcased an impressive 51.0% field goal percentage (26 of 51) and hit 14 of 27 attempts from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, the Cardinal converted 29 out of 32, yielding a remarkable 90.6% success rate. On the boards, they gathered 26 rebounds, including 7 offensive rebounds. The team also recorded 16 assists and forced 9 turnovers, leading to 8 steals. Defensively, Stanford allowed their opponents to shoot 47.4% from the floor, as SMU managed to make 27 of 57 attempts. SMU recorded 9 assists and secured 25 rebounds (8 offensive, 17 defensive), without registering any blocks. Additionally, SMU hit 14 of their 20 free throws for a 70.0% completion rate, while making 7 of their 18 three-point attempts. Foul counts were 18 for the Cardinal and 25 for SMU.
Benny Gealer was instrumental in this victory, contributing 30 points on 8 of 12 shooting. He logged 36 minutes and grabbed 4 rebounds, finishing with a shooting efficiency of 66.7% and adding 1 assist.
Stanford enters this matchup with an overall record of 18-11 for the season. The team averages 10.8 turnovers per game and commits approximately 17.7 fouls per contest. Collectively, Stanford secures an average of 34.1 rebounds per game and has recorded a total of 349 assists this season, ranking 331st nationally in assists. They are shooting 34.9% from three-point territory (264 of 757) and 73.3% from the free-throw line. With an average of 75.8 points per game (ranking 183rd in college basketball), they maintain a shooting percentage of 43.1% from the field.
Defensively, the Cardinal compel their opponents to commit an average of 12.7 turnovers per game and draw 18.8 fouls. They are currently ranked 9th in D-1 for assists allowed, with 311 relinquished this season. The Cardinal’s defense permits an opponent shooting percentage of 45.6% (721 of 1,580) and they allow an average of 33.0 rebounds per game as a team. Opposing teams shoot 33.9% from three-point range, and Stanford is ranked 136th in D-1 in points per game allowed (72.4).
In their last game, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish secured a tight win over North Carolina State, finishing 96-90. The Fighting Irish collected a total of 35 rebounds, with 23 coming from the defensive end and 12 from the offensive. They surrendered possession 12 times, while recording 3 steals in the matchup. North Carolina State committed 21 fouls, which resulted in 28 free-throw attempts for Notre Dame, who converted 22 for a shooting percentage of 78.6%. In terms of three-pointers, the Irish made 12 of 25 attempts, reaching 48.0%. Overall, Notre Dame finished with 31 made shots on 59 tries, resulting in a shooting percentage of 52.5%. Their defense held North Carolina State to a 46.3% shooting rate on 31 of 67 attempts. Notre Dame allowed North Carolina State to convert 29.4% from beyond the arc, completing 10 of 34 attempts, while hitting 18 of 22 free throws for an 81.8% conversion rate. Defensively, Notre Dame allowed North Carolina State to grab 27 total rebounds, 9 of which came on the offensive end.
Cole Certa was a standout performer for the Irish, hitting 9 of 17 shots for a shooting percentage of 52.9% and securing 2 rebounds. He totaled 32 points during his 41 minutes on the court and provided 2 assists.
This season, Notre Dame holds a record of 13-16. The Fighting Irish average 17.6 fouls per game and convert 68.8% of their free throws. They dish out assists 12.4 times per game (ranking 291st in the nation) and turn the ball over 11.6 times. Notre Dame has scored a total of 2,161 points this season, averaging 74.5 points per game, and they secure 36.8 rebounds per game. The Fighting Irish connect on 44.9% of their field-goal attempts, ranking them 202nd nationally.
Defensively, the Fighting Irish rank 219th in D-1 in points allowed per game, surrendering 74.9 on average. They force their opponents into 9.6 turnovers per game and allow a shooting percentage of 43.7% (ranking 149th in D-1). The Notre Dame defense concedes 33.1% from beyond the arc (263 of 795) and allows opponents to convert 75.6% of their free-throw attempts. They yield an average of 14.2 assists and 33.4 rebounds per game, which ranks them 249th and 122nd in those categories, respectively.
Who will come out on top in tonight’s NCAA game against the spread?
Prediction: Go with Stanford
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