BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Providence @ Notre Dame

January 14, 2006


Here is a battle of two winless conference teams, both in desperate need of something positive to happen. Notre Dame has lost to Pittsburgh on the road in 2 OT, at DePaul by 6 and at home to Syracuse by 5. They have certainly been right there, but have been unable to get over the hump.

Providence has led in each of their games in the conference at the half, before falling at Georgetown and at home to Louisville, in a game where the Cardinals scored the last 7 points to win by 6.

Each team is likely to play 8 guys, Providence because that is all they have and Notre Dame has limited their rotation to 8, and sometimes 7 depending on Mike Brey's mood with Rick Cornett. With Providence, 6 of the 8 are freshmen and sophomores while the Fighting Irish have 5 juniors and seniors in their mix.

Looking at the match-ups, they seem to heavily favor Notre Dame and Providence is not the most physical team in the league, which always helps Notre Dame. The friars are getting tougher with Geoff Mcdermott who looks to be a player that should cause havoc defensively and on the boards against the Irish and Torin Francis will have to at least make Randall Hanke work for everything he gets by using his strength.

The Irish should be able to crank up their 3-pt shooting in this one and have a decided advantage in rebounding numbers.


The Irish need this one and at home, they should prevail. I like these young Friars, but these road games in the conference are a rpized commodoity and this does not look like one that matches up well for them, unless the Irish have totally lost their will to fight, which I doubt.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 83 Providence 72

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