The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have reeled off a surprising Sweet 16 run after pulling off last minute victories over Michigan and Stephen F. Austin, and now comes a showdown with Wisconsin. The Badgers advanced after upsetting Xavier in the second round, but their run will end at the hands of the Irish. Here are three reasons why Notre Dame will beat Wisconsin and advance to the Elite 8:
3) Pace of play, more athleticism
Wisconsin plays at a slow, methodical pace almost out of necessity because they don't have much athleticism on the court. Hayes is this team’s only NBA prospect and the Badgers don't have anyone else that's above an average athlete. Their execution will give them a chance to beat most teams they play, but they've had problems when they face an athletic team that takes care of the ball.
Notre Dame is that team of athletes that takes care of the ball and plays better offense, which will allow them to dictate the tempo of the game.
2) Notre Dame's offensive efficiency
Excellent three-point shooting has become a staple for the Irish under head coach Mike Brey, and they’ve perfected that offensive system this year. Not only does Notre Dame shoot 37.7 percent from three-point range as a team - they rank fifth in the country in adjusted offense, via KenPom.com. The Irish always space the floor with four capable three-point shooters, which opens up driving lanes and creates good looks for their shooters.
That will allow them to space out Wisconsin's defense to exploit the Badgers' lack of athleticism, allowing the Irish to have a very, very high scoring game.
1) Team of destiny
Following their last-second win over Stephen F. Austin, Brey went into the locker room and told his team that this feels like a team of destiny. Everyone in that locker room nodded their head in agreement - and so do we. The Irish have built on their Elite 8 run from last season, routinely showing a poise and ability to make plays in close games that no one else in the country can match. Who else would you rather trust than a team that is 9-1 in their last 10 games decided by eight points or less?