What channel is Notre Dame basketball vs. Duke on Saturday? Time, TV, prediction

This would be the ultimate steal-it game, where everything falls into place, Notre Dame basketball doesn’t fall to pieces and finds a way to get out of the toughest possible place to get out of with a league win.

Notre Dame last beat a top-five team on the road on January 24, 2011, when it won 56-51 at No. 2 Pittsburgh.

Irish head coach Micah Shrewsberry has long said that his team, his program, doesn’t fear anybody. They’ll play any team, any time and at any place. Saturday, they get the chance.

The core of these Irish received their Cameron Indoor baptism last season in a 71-53 loss. Everyone expects a similar score, which might work in the Irish favor. They’ll be better prepared to handle everything on Saturday, but that might not be nearly enough.

Winners of eight straight and 10 of 11, No. 4-ranked Duke seems to have hit its stride. Roles have been figured out. Rotations have settled. We cannot say the same for Notre Dame. Maybe Saturday, of all days, we see Notre Dame punch above its weight class and knock out the ACC bully.

Noie: Could Notre Dame basketball find a way to win another close Atlantic Coast Conference game?

Noie: What the heck happened at the end of that one for Notre Dame basketball?

Notre Dame basketball vs. Duke start time

What channel is Notre Dame basketball at Duke on?

Series history

Duke leads the all-time series 31-8, including 8-4 as ACC colleagues and 11-2 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils have won four straight and 11 of 12 dating back to 2017.

Notre Dame last won in Cameron on February 9, 2021, 93-89. The last time Notre Dame won a road game against a ranked team? That also was in Cameron against then-No. 10 Duke, 95-91, on January 16, 2016.

This is the only regular season meeting between the teams.

Keep an eye on …

Notre Dame (7-8; 1-3 ACC)

The Irish need more shot-making from their shot maker. sophomore shooting guard Braeden Shrewsberry.

With the return of Markus Burton, Notre Dame has seemingly figured out to get more easy baskets and get more baskets from its bigs (Kebba Njie had his first career double-double for points and rebounds, 10 and 11, Wednesday at N.C. State). What it needs now is better (more) 3-point shooting.

Since going 4-for-6 from 3 in the New Year’s Eve loss at Georgia Tech, Shrewsberry is a combined 7-for-21 (.333 percent) from 3 in his last two games. He’s taken a lot of shots, and they’ve been good shots. Good looks. Open looks. They haven’t fallen. They must fall for someone who ranks fifth in 3-point percentage.

Shrewsberry’s proven they can. He scored 25 points on 6-for-11 from 3 last month against Syracuse. He’s due for another of those games.

No. 4 Duke (13-2; 5-0)

Get a good, long look at freshman swingman Cooper Flagg now, because it might be the only time you see him play against Notre Dame.

Flagg is touted as the No. 1 pick in the June NBA draft. He’s lived up to that hype. Earlier this week, Flagg earned ACC Player and Rookie of the Week honors for the second time. He’s averaging team-highs for points (17.4), rebounds (8.4), assists (3.6) and minutes (30.7) and, unofficially, sales of his No. 2 jersey. You don’t know what Flagg might do in a given game, but you know he’s going to do something special.

If the Irish can get out of Cameron without getting postered by one of Flagg’s dunks (Google it) that would be a success. Seriously, though, Flagg is special.

Notre Dame vs. Duke prediction

Duke 73, Notre Dame 59: Maybe Duke will decide to ease off the ACC throttle a bit after throttling Pittsburgh at home on Monday, 76-47. Maybe Flagg and Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor all get lost on the way to Cameron. Or run out of shoes. Maybe the Cameron Crazies decide that noon is a little too early to get that crazy. And maybe the guys on Notre Dame all decide to play the game of their lives and shock the ACC – and college basketball – world. It might be the only chance for the Irish, and even then, Duke is simply better.