Notre Dame vs. Kentucky, 2015 NCAA Tournament: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
The Wildcats’ undefeated season rolls on.
The Fighting Irish haven’t said much before their Elite Eight matchup with No. 1 Kentucky on Saturday, learning their lesson after West Virginia talked trash and were annihilated by 39 points. However, that doesn’t mean No. 3 Notre Dame is going to suffer a gentler fate.
Everyone knows about undefeated Kentucky, their impossibly deep rotation of talented players and how they’ve won their first three tournament teams by a combined 75 points. Kentucky is clearly the best team in the nation, but while that makes an upset exceedingly unlikely, it’s not impossible.
Notre Dame has come this far thanks to a potent offensive attack that is the third most efficient in the nation, according to Kenpom. The Fighting Irish hardly ever turn it over, make a high percentage of their shots (especially two-pointers) and are led by Jerian Grant, who is averaging 16.6 points and 6.7 assists this season.
But Notre Dame, like everyone who plays Kentucky, will be undersized. At 6'10, Zach Auguste is Notre Dame's second-leading scorer and tallest player. He will give up a couple inches to Kentucky's formidable trio of Willie Cauley-Stein, Karl-Anthony Towns and Dakari Johnson.
Against anyone else, Notre Dame would have a good shot of making it to the Final Four. But Kentucky’s defense is too swarming and physical. They have a seemingly endless bench of young, talented, fresh subs to put into the game at any time.
Somewhat incredibly, Towns and Cauley-Stein have had quiet tournaments even as Kentucky has rolled past its first three opponents. Cauley-Stein has yet to score 10 or more in a game while Towns, after a 21-point opening game, scored only one point and grabbed two rebounds in Thursday’s win against West Virginia. That may change Saturday.
But so far, it hasn’t really mattered for the Wildcats, who have enough scoring and and abundance of defense. Anything can happen, but Notre Dame will need some really effective shot-making and a minor miracle to dispatch Kentucky.
Here’s how to watch:
Time: 8:49 p.m. ET on TBS
Place: Cleveland, Ohio
Online: March Madness On Demand
Odds: Kentucky -11.0
SB Nation presents: Reasons why Kentucky will go undefeated
See More:
