NCAA Men’s Basketball: Ohio State Buckeyes vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Possible Lineups and Predictions

The Ohio State Buckeyes prepare for their toughest challenge so far as they face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They have started the season strongly, going 3-0 so far, with wins against Illinois State, UMass Lowell, and Morehead State.

The Buckeyes have an experienced roster which has been clicking well so far. They gambled and signed junior Justice Sueing, who sat out the entire year due to transfer rules. But he is repaying their faith and is currently averaging 15 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Duane Washington and E.J. Liddell have also contributed well, with just over 14 points per game each.

The Fighting Irish have dealt with multiple canceled games and have played just twice. They started the season with a tough 10 point loss to Michigan State and then beat Detroit by eight points. Prentiss Hubb has been leading the scoring for Notre Dame averaging 20. 5 points per game, while Nate Laszewski and Dane Goodwin are averaging over 13 points per game each.

Expected lineups

CJ Walker and Duane Washington will start in the backcourt for Ohio State and will be surrounded by Justice Sueing, E.J. Liddell, and Kyle Young. The Buckeyes have been consistent with their starting lineup so far, and in their biggest game so far, they will play to their strengths.

As for the Fighting Irish, Prentiss Hubb, Cormac Ryan, and Dane Goodwin are the guard and Nate Laszewski and Juwan Durham fill out the lineup. Notre Dame has been reliant heavily on their starters so far and will be doing the same in this upcoming game.

Can the Ohio State Buckeyes break the Notre Dame fortress?

While playing at home, the Fighting Irish haven’t lost a game since 2017. They are unbeaten in 24 games and have been rock solid while playing at the Joyce Center. Although the Buckeyes are better than them on paper, the Fighting Irish have shown heart in their previous games and just lost by 10 against the Spartans.

The biggest advantage for the Buckeyes is their depth. None of their players have had to play over 30 minutes per game, whereas the Fighting Irish have all their starters play over 30 minutes per game. This could cause exhaustion and a team like the Buckeyes could run them over.

Ohio State has been solid so far, but they haven’t been tested yet. But they come into this matchup as the favorites and will be aiming to break open the Notre Dame fortress.