Notre Dame Set to Host Unbeaten Missouri in ACC/SEC Challenge Clash
For the first time in program history, Notre Dame will host an ACC/SEC Challenge game - and they’re doing it against one of the hottest teams in the country. Missouri rolls into South Bend on Tuesday night with an unblemished 8-0 record, while the Fighting Irish are looking to protect their perfect 4-0 mark at home.
This one has all the ingredients of a compelling early-season test - not just for Notre Dame, but for a Missouri squad that’s been cruising through its schedule so far.
Let’s start with the Tigers. They haven’t just been winning - they’ve been dominating.
Missouri is fresh off an 86-59 dismantling of Cleveland State, a game in which they opened with a 23-0 run. That’s not a typo.
Twenty-three straight points to start the game. That kind of statement says something about a team’s preparation, focus, and ability to execute right out of the gate.
Jacob Crews led the way in that win, putting up 20 points and grabbing eight boards. But what really jumps off the page is Missouri’s control in the paint - a 40-18 scoring edge inside and a 20-5 advantage in second-chance points. That’s a team playing with physicality and purpose.
And it’s not just one guy doing the damage. Missouri’s offense is balanced, with five players averaging double figures.
They’re putting up 92.9 points per game and winning by an average margin of 24.7. That’s not just efficient - that’s dominant.
The Tigers also lead the SEC in field goal percentage at 55.5%, a number that speaks to both shot selection and execution.
Now, it’s fair to point out that Missouri’s strength of schedule hasn’t exactly been elite - the average KenPom ranking of their opponents is 281. That makes this trip to Notre Dame a real barometer.
Are the Tigers as good as their numbers suggest? Tuesday night should give us a better idea.
Crews seems confident. “I think we’re ready,” he said.
“I know how we practice. I know how the coaches prepare us.
I think we’re excited as well.”
On the other side, Notre Dame is looking to bounce back after a tough showing at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. The Irish went 1-2 in the event, wrapping up with a 66-56 loss to then-No.
3 Houston in the consolation round. That game started rough - Houston jumped out to a 26-4 lead - but Notre Dame clawed back in the second half and made it a fight.
Freshman guard Markus Burton continues to be a bright spot. He dropped 19 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists in that game, and he’s quickly becoming a go-to presence for a team still finding its identity under head coach Braeden Shrewsberry.
Notre Dame doesn’t light up the scoreboard, but they hang their hat on defense. Only once this season have they allowed more than 70 points - and that was in an 86-79 win over Bellarmine. They’re gritty, they play hard, and they’re learning how to close out games.
“We’re a good team and we were right there in a close game against a good team,” Shrewsberry said after the Houston loss. “We’re angry right now, but we’ve got to build off the good things and get better at the bad things and come out and win the next close game. We gotta close it out and prove we’re a different team.”
That mindset is going to be crucial against a Missouri squad that’s been steamrolling opponents.
In terms of ACC/SEC Challenge history, Missouri is 2-0 in the event, while Notre Dame is still looking for its first win at 0-2. But history won’t mean much once the ball tips on Tuesday night.
This is a chance for Missouri to prove their early-season dominance is more than just a product of soft scheduling. And it’s a chance for Notre Dame to show they can hang with - and beat - a team that’s been playing at a high level.
Two programs with something to prove. One national stage. This one should be fun.