North Carolina basketball vs. Notre Dame: Scouting report, score prediction for ACC game

North Carolina basketball’s NCAA Tournament hopes continue to fade with Selection Sunday less than three weeks away.

The Tar Heels (16-11, 8-8 ACC) have lost five of their last six games and remain in line to become the first preseason No. 1 to miss March Madness.

UNC travels to Notre Dame (10-17, 2-14) on Wednesday (9 p.m., ESPN). The Tar Heels earned an 81-64 win against Notre Dame on Jan. 7 at the Smith Center.

Here are some things to know and a score prediction ahead of Carolina’s game against the Fighting Irish.

Avoid Notre Dame letdown

A win against Notre Dame won’t do much to boost North Carolina’s tournament resume, but a loss would be detrimental. Notre Dame has lost nine of its last 10 games, including five in a row. Still, Mike Brey’s bunch hasn’t gone down easily, with four one-possession losses in that stretch.

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Despite Notre Dame’s struggles, UNC has experienced its share of hardships in road games against the Irish. The Tar Heels have a two-game losing streak at Notre Dame and haven’t won in South Bend since 2018.

Experienced UNC struggling to finish

Despite returning four of their five starters from the 2022 national championship game, the Tar Heels have shown that experience alone doesn’t guarantee victories. UNC is 25th in DI experience, according to KenPom.com, with a starting lineup that has played more than 500 career games.

But the Tar Heels are 0-9 in Quad 1 games. In six of those losses, including a 77-69 loss at NC State, UNC had a second-half lead and faltered in the closing minutes. If Carolina is going to make a late-season push, it starts with finding ways to finish.

Player to Watch: Puff Johnson

Puff Johnson has been hampered by right knee soreness throughout the season, but is coming off a 7-point, 7-rebound performance at NC State. Johnson thrived in UNC’s first meeting with the Irish, scoring 11 points and grabbing six rebounds off the bench. Armando Bacot has averaged 21 points and 15 rebounds in his last two games against Notre Dame, but Johnson’s increased production could inject the Heels with a much-needed jolt.

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UNC vs. Notre Dame score prediction

UNC 76, Notre Dame 68: The Tar Heels are 2-7 on the road and have a history of struggling against the Fighting Irish in South Bend. Notre Dame is capable of handing UNC another loss, but the Tar Heels have yet to lose to a squad ranked outside of KenPom.com’s top 100.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball vs. Notre Dame: Scouting report, score prediction