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A marquee matchup closes out the action in Brooklyn Friday night, as Notre Dame begins their tournament against First Four winner Michigan. The Wolverines hung on late against Tulsa on Wednesday, but they’ll be an underdog Friday against a more talented Irish team.
Michigan look to follow in Wichita State’s footsteps, who also won a play-in game and went on to knock off Arizona. Read on for a complete breakdown of the game, including live stream options and a look at odds.
Date: Friday, March 18th
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TV Channel: CBS
Live Stream: Click here for a complete live stream breakdown
Line: Notre Dame -4 via OddsShark
Game Preview: After brackets were released, there was Twitter outrage over Tulsa’s inclusion in the bracket. Now that Michigan took care of the controversy, they’ll see a much tougher opponent in Brooklyn.
Notre Dame notched some impressive wins this season, including a win over Duke in the ACC tournament. Michigan’s biggest key will be slowing down Zach Auguste, who is averaging a double-double over his last 12 games. Michigan will rely on sophomore guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, who has scored 46 points with only three turnovers in in his last three games.
Mike Brey’s club were just two points away from the Final Four last season, losing to Kentucky in the regional final. The schools are familiar with each other on the football field, so this matchup has that rivalry feel. But these teams haven’t met on the hardwood since 2006, when Michigan scored a buzzer-beater win in double overtime in the 2nd round of the NIT.
The winner of this game will advance to meet the winner of West Virginia/Stephen F. Austin on Sunday.