Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Pittsburgh Panthers Picks and Predictions March 11th 2025

Notre Dame Battles Pitt in ACC Tournament Opener After 4OT Thriller

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish just played the longest game in Atlantic Coast Conference history, but there’s no time to rest. After a grueling 60-minute, four-overtime win over Cal to close the regular season, Notre Dame must quickly shift gears for the ACC Tournament opener on Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C.

Standing in their way? The 13th-seeded Pitt Panthers (17-14), who are looking to build momentum after snapping a four-game losing streak. The 12th-seeded Irish (14-17) enter with confidence, but can they recover in time for another strong performance?

The winner of Tuesday’s game will advance to face 5th-seeded North Carolina in the second round on Wednesday.

Notre Dame Riding High After Marathon Win

Saturday’s 112-110 victory over Cal wasn’t just historic—it was a test of endurance.

Head coach Micah Shrewsberry believes the experience has toughened his team for tournament play.

“We’ve been in a lot of situations,” Shrewsberry said. “We’ve been in a lot of close games. We’ve been up and lost. We’ve been down and come back. We’ve played in tough moments, and we’re ready for more.”

The star of the night? Markus Burton.

The freshman guard dropped a career-high 43 points in 53 minutes of action, boosting his ACC-leading scoring average to 22.2 points per game.

Fellow backcourt leader Matt Allocco was also key, logging an incredible 54 minutes and finishing with 24 points, just one off his career best.

Shrewsberry knows keeping Burton fresh while finding new ways to free him up offensively will be crucial in the tournament.

“How can we try to free him in a different way?” Shrewsberry said. “That’s stuff that we can work on and keep growing from.”

Notre Dame has won two straight and three of its last five games—a stretch that started with a 76-72 home victory over Pitt on Feb. 22. In that game, Tae Davis was the X-factor with 21 points. He’ll look to make a similar impact on Tuesday.

Pitt Looking for Momentum After Snapping Losing Streak

Unlike Notre Dame, Pitt enters the tournament coming off a dominant win. The Panthers crushed Boston College 93-67 on Saturday, putting an end to their four-game skid just in time for postseason play.

“This is the perfect time to tap into our energy heading into the ACC Tournament,” said Pitt guard Brandin Cummings.

Earlier this season, Pitt looked like a serious NCAA Tournament contender, but their recent struggles pushed them off the bubble. Now, they’ll need a deep ACC Tournament run to have any shot at an at-large bid.

“We know what we have to do in order to be at our best,” said Pitt guard Jaland Lowe. “When we play together, we’re really good out there.”

Lowe has been one of Pitt’s best players all season, ranking 10th in the ACC in scoring at 16.8 points per game. Against Boston College, he recorded his fifth double-double of the season and became only the third Panther in history to surpass 500 points and 150 assists in a single season.

“When you have the ball a lot, there’s a responsibility that comes with that,” said Pitt head coach Jeff Capel, praising Lowe’s impact.

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Key Matchups to Watch

Notre Dame

• Markus Burton – ACC-leading scorer (22.2 PPG), coming off a 43-point game.
• Matt Allocco – Reliable veteran, logging heavy minutes.
• Tae Davis – Scored 21 points vs. Pitt last time out.

Pitt

• Pitt’s Defense – Needs to find a way to slow down Burton and Allocco.
• Jaland Lowe – 16.8 PPG, team leader in assists, coming off a dominant game.
• Brandin Cummings – Key guard with momentum heading into the tournament.

Final Thoughts: Who Advances to Face North Carolina?

With Notre Dame riding high after an emotional win and Pitt fresh off a much-needed victory, this ACC Tournament opener is shaping up to be a tight, high-energy matchup.

Will Burton’s offensive firepower push the Irish into the next round? Or will Lowe and Pitt’s defense step up and deliver when it matters most?

One thing’s for sure—both teams will leave everything on the court.

Tip-off: Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C.