Notre Dame Looks to Snap Skid, Reignite Season in Rivalry Clash with Boston College
**SOUTH BEND, Ind. ** - It’s gut-check time for Notre Dame men’s basketball.
After five straight losses, the Irish (10-9, 1-5 ACC) are staring down a critical moment in their season. Saturday night’s matchup against Boston College (9-10, 2-4 ACC) isn’t just another conference game-it’s a rivalry showdown at Purcell Pavilion, and it might just be the spark this team needs.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on ACC Network. And while the temperatures outside in South Bend are plunging below zero, the Irish are hoping the energy inside the arena is anything but cold.
A New Chapter in a Familiar Rivalry
Notre Dame swept Boston College last season, including a gritty double-overtime comeback in Chestnut Hill. But this year’s edition of the rivalry features a very different cast of characters.
The top four scorers from those two wins-Markus Burton, Tae Davis, Matt Allocco, and Kebba Njie-are either no longer with the team or unavailable. That group accounted for a combined 71 of Notre Dame’s 87.5 points per game in last year’s matchups with BC.
So, who steps up now?
Jalen Haralson: Freshman Composure, Veteran Production
Jalen Haralson has been a steady presence all season, and Notre Dame will need more of the same from the freshman standout. He’s averaging 14.6 points per game-good for fifth among ACC freshmen-and has scored in double figures in 16 of his 18 appearances.
What makes Haralson so effective? Efficiency and toughness.
He’s converting 67.4% of his shots within 4.5 feet and shooting 51.5% overall from two-point range. He’s also getting to the line consistently, leading the team with 5.7 free throw attempts per game.
This is a young player who plays with poise, and in a rivalry game like this, that composure could be huge.
Sir Mohammed: Heating Up at the Right Time
Another name to watch: sophomore guard Sir Mohammed. He’s coming off the best three-game stretch of his career, scoring 41 points on 17-of-31 shooting. That includes a team-high 14 points last time out against North Carolina.
Mohammed has been especially effective in the paint and midrange, shooting over 50% in both areas. He’s not just finding his rhythm-he’s expanding his offensive game and becoming a reliable scoring option when the Irish need it most.
Ryder Frost: Bringing the Chill from Deep
While the South Bend weather is freezing, Ryder Frost is bringing the heat from beyond the arc. The freshman guard has quietly put together back-to-back strong shooting performances, going 5-of-9 from three over the last two games, including a 10-point outing in his most recent appearance.
Frost’s emergence adds another perimeter threat to a Notre Dame team that’s starting to find more balance in its offensive attack.
Brady Koehler: Stretch Big with Rising Confidence
Freshman forward Brady Koehler earned his first career start in Chapel Hill, and it was well-deserved. He’s coming off a breakout performance at Virginia Tech where he scored 15 of his career-high 17 points in the second half. Koehler was efficient-5-of-7 from the field, 2-of-3 from three, and 5-of-6 from the line.
At 6-foot-10, Koehler’s ability to stretch the floor makes him a matchup headache. He’s shooting 41.7% from three, second-best on the team, and he’s been especially effective in the midrange, where he’s hitting at a 53.8% clip.
In ACC play, he’s averaging 7.0 points on 48.4% shooting, proving he’s more than ready for a bigger role.
Braeden Shrewsberry: The ACC’s Three-Point King
When it comes to shooting from deep, no one in the ACC is doing it better than Braeden Shrewsberry. He leads the conference in three-point percentage at 42.5%, a mark that also ranks 24th nationally. He’s knocking down 2.7 threes per game and has been lethal from the corners, hitting 52.9% from that spot.
Shrewsberry recently joined an exclusive club, becoming just the 14th player in Notre Dame history to reach 200 career made threes. His career-best performance came against Evansville, where he torched the nets for 26 points on 8-of-10 shooting from deep-tying for the seventh-most threes in a game in program history.
Other Irish Contributors Making Noise
- Cole Certa has been a steady contributor in ACC play, averaging 10.0 points per game. Over the last five games, he’s putting up 11.0 per contest and has been nearly automatic from the free-throw line, going 17-of-19 in that stretch. On the season, he’s 44-of-46 from the line-good for a blistering 95.7%.
- Garrett Sundra ended a cold spell from three in a big way, going 2-for-2 from deep at UNC.
- Matt MacLellan has chipped in with efficient minutes, scoring 9 points on 3-of-4 shooting and grabbing 6 rebounds over his last two appearances.
The Bigger Picture
Notre Dame leads the all-time series against Boston College, 29-17, including a 17-7 edge since joining the ACC. But this game isn’t about history-it’s about the present. The Irish need a win to stop the bleeding and build some momentum heading into the heart of conference play.
Statistically, Notre Dame sits at No. 81 in both the NET and KenPom rankings. They’re 2-6 in Quad 1 games and 1-2 in Quad 2.
Their offense is ranked 103rd in adjusted efficiency (114.6), while their defense checks in at a solid 69th (104.2). According to Haslam Metrics, the Irish rank sixth nationally in defensive proximity allowed-a sign of how well they’re contesting shots and protecting the paint.
What’s at Stake
Beyond snapping the losing streak, this game is a chance for Notre Dame to rediscover its identity. With a young core gaining experience and several players stepping up in recent weeks, the pieces are there. Now it’s about putting it all together.
Saturday night’s rivalry tilt offers more than just a shot at redemption-it’s an opportunity to reset the season’s trajectory. And if the Irish can bring the same energy on the court that the South Bend cold is bringing outside, they might just get back on track.