For Orange, defense leads to easy offense
Notre Dame looked like a team that could cause Syracuse some problems. Earlier in the week the Fighting Irish knocked off a top-10 team in Georgetown with ease, 69-55. Aside from that though, they came into the game with five players shooting 34 percent or better from 3-point range and three of those players are 6’7 or taller; they are a great defensive team, holding opponents to an average of 63 points per game; they’re patient on offense and don’t force many bad shots; and they protect the ball, averaging just 10 turnovers per game. And throughout the first half and the beginning of the second half, Notre Dame gave Syracuse quite a game.