Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Notre Dame has proved its ability to win at Pittsburgh and Louisville in the past, and the same goes for playing a very good Syracuse team at home. The Dec. 13 ACC opener against Florida State will be an interesting look at how quickly the two teams will rebound after disappointing years last season. STEALS These are the games Notre Dame will win if it contends for a top‑four ACC ranking this season. These matchups also provide opportunities for the Irish to pick up style points they can point to when presenting a résumé to the NCAA selection committee. ACC (3): at North Carolina (24‑10), Duke (26‑9) and at Duke (26‑9). Rarely do we consider an Irish home game to be a steal, but such is life for a squad coming off a sub‑.500 season. Both matchups of the home‑and‑home series against Duke are projected as Irish Open Exhibition Season With A Win Notre Dame began its exhibition season with an 88-71 win over Minnesota-Duluth Nov. 1 at Purcell Pavilion. Junior forward Zach Auguste and sophomore point guard Demetrius Jackson scored a team-high 13 points in the first half and finished with 19 and 20, respec- tively. Despite featuring a four-guard lineup most of the game, Notre Dame outscored the Bulldogs 44-16 in the paint. As is expected, the drawback with a four-guard lineup is the height that is sacrificed. Although Notre Dame outrebounded Minnesota-Duluth 22-15, head coach Mike Brey expressed concerns with the rebounding. "A big weakness for us, which we still have to work on and try to figure out, is defensive rebounding," Brey told UND.com after the game. "We are not getting that first miss secure enough of the time. That's really going to come back and bite us. It's something I've talked to them about, it's been a thing even since Italy. Then you look and go, 'Who are guys that can go and get their hands on the ball?'" In addition to that pair, Notre Dame trotted out a starting lineup with senior swingman Pat Connaugh- ton, fifth-year senior guard Jerian Grant and sopho- more guard Steve Vasturia. The Irish begin the regular season Nov. 14 against Binghamton and conclude the weekend by hosting Navy. — Andrew Owens Sophomore point guard Demetrius Jackson scored a team-high 20 points in Notre Dame's 88-71 triumph over Minnesota- Duluth Nov. 1. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND