IL-CHICAGO vs. NOTRE DAME 11/6/2018 Free Pick & CBB Betting Prediction

The IL-CHICAGO and the NOTRE DAME will both be gunning for a victory on 11/6/2018 at 7:00 PM when they meet in a game matchup.

IL-CHICAGO vs NOTRE DAME
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Indiana

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE: -14
PREDICTION: NOTRE DAME , IL-CHICAGO

Oddsmakers currently have the NOTRE DAME listed as -14 point favorites versus the IL-CHICAGO, while the game’s total is sitting at 148.

Notre Dame looks to forget about a 2017-18 season that was derailed by injuries as it tips off the 2018-19 campaign by hosting Illinois-Chicago on Tuesday. The Fighting Irish were ranked as high as fifth last season before key injuries to Bonzie Colson, Matt Farrell and D.J. Harvey sent them spiraling into the NIT.

Colson and Farrell have graduated, meaning the Irish have lost their two top scorers (combined 36 points per game), their leading rebounder (Colson, 10.1) and their best set-up man (Farrell, 5.5 assists). Coach Mike Brey has built a system based on seniors leading the team but finds himself in an unfamiliar situation this season with five freshmen on the roster. Illinois-Chicago reached 20 wins last year for the first time since the 2003-04 season and finished third in the Horizon League with a 12-6 record. In postseason play, the Flames found themselves in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, where they lost in the final to Northern Colorado.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network

ABOUT ILLINOIS-CHICAGO (2017-18: 20-16): Illinois-Chicago had two key pieces of its 2017-18 team leave the program as Tai Odiase – the Horizon League’s Defensive Player of the Year and also the league’s all-time shot blocker – graduated and Dikembe Dixson, the team’s leading scorer at 14.2 points per game, went to play professionally in Lebanon. The backcourt should be considered Illinois-Chicago’s strength and will be led by junior guard Marcus Ottey, the team’s top returning scorer (13.8 points per game last season). Guard Tarkus Ferguson (10.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists) and Godwin Boahen, the Horizon League’s 2017-18 Sixth Man of the Year, will also be counted on to contribute heavy minutes.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (2017-18: 21-15): Notre Dame does have an impressive incoming freshmen class with four of the recruits ranked in the Top 100 for the 2018-19 recruiting class. Junior guard T.J. Gibbs was third in team scoring last season (15.3 points) and will be relied upon heavily at the offensive end, as will senior Rex Pflueger (8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 32.9 minutes last year). Junior forward John Mooney (3.9 rebounds while averaging 15.4 minutes) and senior forward Elijah Burns (2.3 boards per 10.6 minutes) will be tasked with trying to replace Colson’s interior production at both ends of the court.

TIP-INS

1. Gibbs and Pflueger are the only returning starters from last season for Notre Dame.

2. The Fighting Irish are hoping 6-11 sophomore Juwan Durham can contribute as the former four-star recruit transferred to Notre Dame after just one season at Connecticut.

3. Illinois-Chicago struggled away from home in non-conference action last season, going 0-5 in true road games.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 70, Illinois-Chicago 58

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