Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer wasn’t pleased with the compete level of the Blue Devils in their loss at UNC.
During Monday’s ACC coaches Zoom teleconference, Scheyer said it’s “full steam ahead” for Duke as the Blue Devils (16-5, 7-3 ACC) prepare to face Notre Dame (7-15, 2-9) on Wednesday (9 p.m., ESPN) at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
“Playing our hearts out, man,” Scheyer said Monday, is where it starts for Duke as they look to sweep the regular-season series against the Fighting Irish.
“You gotta put it all on the line. … You gotta play every possession like it’s your last one.”
Duke has won 10 of the last 11 against Notre Dame, including a 67-59 win in South Bend on Jan. 6. Here’s a look at some other things to know and a score prediction for Duke’s return to Cameron against the Fighting Irish.
Mark Mitchell’s time to shine for Duke basketball
Duke sophomore Mark Mitchell was the driving force in the Blue Devils’ win at Notre Dame, finishing with a career-high 23 points and 14 rebounds. Since returning from a two-game absence due to a knee injury, Mitchell has averaged 13 points and 8.2 rebounds. He’s a prime candidate for a big night against the bruising Irish.
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The Blue Devils have to get back to sharing the ball
After logging double-digit assists in the first 18 games, Duke has dished out single-digit assists in two of the last three games. Following a 19-assist showing at Virginia Tech, the Devils had their worst assist rate of the season (22.9%) at UNC. Across its five losses, Duke averaged 11 assists. The Blue Devils have to get back to sharing the rock against Notre Dame.
How will Duke handle Notre Dame’s defense, physicality
Despite being at the bottom of the ACC standings, Notre Dame consistently brings a defensive effort that has the Fighting Irish among the top 50 teams in defensive efficiency on KenPom.com. Duke scored a season-low 67 points and shot under 40% in the first meeting. The Irish have consistently brought the fight to opponents, so the Devils better be ready to match that toughness.
Duke vs. Notre Dame score prediction
Duke 77, Notre Dame 58: Coming off arguably its most disappointing effort of the season, it’s safe to bet Duke will come out with plenty of energy against the Irish. If the Blue Devils play to their standard, it’ll be a long night for Notre Dame at Cameron.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball vs. Notre Dame: Score prediction, scouting report
