Notre Dame vs Pitt Picks and Odds (Dec. 28)

Time Stamp: December 28, 2021 5:26 AM
  • The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 3.5-point road favorites over the Pitt Panthers in an NCAA men’s basketball game slated for Tuesday, December 28
  • Notre Dame has won three of four games, including an upset of #18 Kentucky
  • Pitt has also won three of its last four games

As they arrive in Pittsburgh, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are carrying a hot hand both of late and in games against Pitt.

The 6-5 Fighting Irish have won three of their last four games. That stretch includes a 66-62 home verdict over the 18th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats. Notre Dame is also 5-1 straight up in its last six games against the Panthers.

Pitt (5-7) has also won three in a row. However, the Panthers’ victims – Jacksonville, Monmouth and St. John’s – aren’t currently rated among college basketball royalty.

Oddsmakers have set the Fighting Irish as 3.5-point road favorites.  Notre Dame is 5-2 SU in its last seven visits to Pitt.

Notre Dame vs Pitt Odds

Team Moneyline Spread Total
Notre Dame Fighting Irish -170 -3.5 (-110) O 127 (-110)
Pitt Panthers +140 +3.5 (-110) U 127 (-110)

Odds as of December 27th at FanDuel.

Tipoff for Tuesday’s game at the Petersen Events Center is set for 8pm ET. The ACC Network is providing the broadcast.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Trends

The Fighting Irish rank 30th in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom.com (110.0). That’s sixth-best in the ACC. Notre Dame went over 80 points it each of the school’s last two victories. 

Senior guard Dane Goodwin earned a share of ACC player of the week honors. He’s averaging 15.3 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game. Goodwin has scored in double digits in all 11 games this season. He’s the only player in the country players in the country averaging 15.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, shooting over 47% from 3-point range and over 90% from the free-throw line.

Graduate student forward Paul Atkinson has gone off for double digits in each of Notre Dame’s last four games. His .661 career field goal percentage is the best of any returning NCAA player. Freshman guard Blake Wesley has hit for double figures in eight of his 10 games. His 13.5 ppg rate eighth among NCAA true freshmen.

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Pitt Panthers Betting Trends

To suggest that the Pitt offense is dreadful might be an understatement. The Panthers rank 341st in the nation in points per game (60.7), 353rd in possessions per game (62.5), 314th in field goal percentage (40.6), 311th in 3-point FG% (29.3), and 330th in effective FG% (45.0).

The Panthers are getting 25% of their points from the free-throw line. That’s the second-highest rate of any D-1 school. The problem with this is that Pitt is hitting just 65.7% of its free throws. That’s the worst percentage in the ACC and ranks 302nd in the NCAA.

Sophomore guard Femi Odukale shared the ACC player of the week award with Notre Dame’s Goodwin. He matched a career high with 28 points in a 64-55 win over Jacksonville last Tuesday.

Sophomore forward John Hugley leads the Panthers in scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg). Odukale (12.4 ppg) and senior guard Jamarius Burton (10.1 ppg) are also scoring in double digits.

Panthers vs Irish Prediction

Notre Dame and Pittsburgh will be meeting for the 67th time. The Irish lead the series 35-31. Pitt is 19-14 at home. Notre Dame has won 10 of the last 14 meetings.

Both Pitt and Notre Dame are 0-1 in ACC play so far this season. The Panthers are 9-3 against the spread. Notre Dame is 6-5 ATS.  The Panthers rate 181st on KenPom. Among major conference schools, only Georgia (186) is showing a lower rating.

This is a very weak Pitt squad. For the first time in 53 years, the Panthers didn’t win a single non-conference game by a double-digit margin. At the same time, Pitt fell by double digits to non-Power Six schools The Citadel (78-63) and UMBC (87-77).

Pitt has held five of its last six opponents to 58 points or less. To have any chance, the Panthers must utilize their size advantage to dominate the glass and to take away Notre Dame’s 3-point prowess. The Irish score 37.8% of their points from beyond the arc.

Pick: Notre Dame Fighting Irish -3.5 (-110)

The post Notre Dame vs Pitt Picks and Odds (Dec. 28) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

Source: https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/news/ncaab/notre-dame-pitt-picks-odds-december-28/

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