When Notre Dame hosts No. 14 Virginia on Tuesday night in South Bend, it won’t just be another ACC matchup-it’s a chance for the Fighting Irish to snap a nearly three-year drought against ranked opponents. For Virginia, it’s about getting back on track after a tough home loss and avoiding their first losing streak of the season.
Let’s start with the Irish. At 11-9 overall and 2-5 in conference play, Notre Dame is still trying to find its rhythm under head coach Micah Shrewsberry.
But Saturday’s 68-64 comeback win over Boston College may have been a turning point. The Irish erased an 11-point halftime deficit behind a 22-point performance from Braeden Shrewsberry, giving the team its first win of 2026 and snapping a five-game skid.
It’s been a tough stretch for Notre Dame when it comes to ranked opponents. The last time they beat a Top 25 team?
March 1, 2023, when they knocked off then-No. 25 Pitt at home.
Since then, they’ve dropped 11 straight against ranked foes, including two this season: a 66-56 loss to then-No. 3 Houston in Las Vegas and a 91-69 defeat at North Carolina just last week.
Still, there’s reason for optimism in South Bend. The Irish are 8-3 at home this season and showed some real grit in Saturday’s win. Coach Shrewsberry praised his players for staying locked in despite the recent struggles.
"I'm proud of these guys for sticking with it," he said. "They've never wavered in their belief and their preparation, their enthusiasm and their togetherness."
Freshman guard Jalen Haralson continues to lead the way with 14.7 points per game, while Braeden Shrewsberry is contributing 11.2 points and shooting a solid 41.1% from beyond the arc. The absence of Markus Burton, who averaged 18.5 points before going down with a broken ankle, has certainly been felt-but the team is learning to adjust.
On the other side, Virginia comes in at 16-3 overall and 5-2 in ACC play, but they’re fresh off a gut-punch of a loss. The Cavaliers were in full control against No.
22 North Carolina on Saturday, up by 16 late in the first half, before it all unraveled. The Tar Heels turned up the pace, capitalized on turnovers, and outscored Virginia 19-2 in points off giveaways en route to an 85-80 win in Charlottesville.
First-year head coach Ryan Odom didn’t sugarcoat it.
"The defensive intensity was not where we needed it to be," Odom said. "The communication was lacking, really, in general. A poor defensive performance overall."
North Carolina shot a blistering 63.3% from the field in the second half, and Virginia’s normally steady defense couldn’t keep up. Turnovers were a major issue-not just committing them, but allowing them to turn into points.
"You’re going to turn it over on occasion," Odom said. "The key is you can’t have those turn into baskets, and (Saturday) they turned into baskets."
Offensively, the Cavaliers have been one of the more balanced teams in the ACC. Thijs De Ridder poured in 20 points against UNC and leads the team with 16.3 per game.
Malik Thomas adds 13.5 points, while Chance Mallory gives them a spark off the bench with 10.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. And it’s not just a one- or two-man show-eight different Virginia players have hit at least 13 threes this season.
They’re scoring at a clip of 83.8 points per game, with a 4-1 road record to show for it.
Notre Dame, by comparison, averages 72.9 points per game and will need to control the tempo if they want to hang with Virginia’s high-powered offense. The Irish did beat the Cavaliers last season, a convincing 74-59 win in Charlottesville, but Virginia still holds a commanding 18-5 edge in the all-time series.
So what’s at stake Tuesday night? For Notre Dame, it’s a shot at a statement win and a sign that the program is turning a corner under Shrewsberry. For Virginia, it’s about bouncing back, tightening up the defense, and proving that Saturday’s collapse was a one-off.
Two teams, two different trajectories, and one pivotal ACC clash. Tipoff can’t come soon enough.