Notre Dame wins over teams at least eight games above .500 since 2018
In a season that figures to have few true highlights, Notre Dame had one Saturday. Virginia entered Purcell Pavilion with a 10-2 record and having received votes in the most recent Top 25 poll. That didn’t matter to the young Irish because they crushed the Cavaliers, 76-54. If anyone tells you they saw that coming, they’re lying.
This wasn’t only an upset against a quality program and Micah Shrewsberry’s first ACC win. It represented a rarity for Notre Dame in recent years. The Cavaliers’ record coming into this game meant they were eight games above .500. Since the Irish last made consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2015 to 2017, they have beaten opponents who were at least eight games above .500 coming in only seven times.
So forgive the Irish if they go a little over the top in celebrating this latest such instance. This doesn’t happen to them very much these days, so they definitely are cause for celebration every time. Here are the most recent of these occurrences:
March 1, 2023 - 88-81 vs. Pittsburgh (entered 21-8)
The Irish won Mike Brey’s final game at Purcell Pavilion. All five starters scored at least 12 points with 20 apiece coming from Cormac Ryan and Marcus Hammond.
Dec. 22, 2021 - 83-73 vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (entered 10-2)
This one might not be that exciting considering it was a nonconference game against a lesser-known opponent. Still, every game under the aforementioned criteria counts, as does the fact that five of the six Irish players in this game scored in double figures.
March 6, 2021 - 83-73 vs. Florida State (entered 15-4)
The Irish upset the No. 11 Seminoles in the regular-season finale. Prentiss Hubb was the main man with 22 points and five assists.
March 7, 2018 - 71-65 vs. Virginia Tech (entered 21-10)
The Irish earned their second win of the ACC Tournament by beating the Hokies, who had a first-round bye. Matt Farrell led all scorers with 22 points, and it’s possible this win put the Irish in that year’s NIT.
Feb. 10, 2018 - 84-69 vs. Florida State (entered 17-7)
The Irish saw four starters reach double figures in this game. Farrell did the most damage with 28 points.
Jan. 6, 2018 - 51-49 at Syracuse (entered 12-3)
Rex Pflueger repeated his last-second tip-in heroics from the NCAA Tournament two years earlier, allowing the shorthanded Irish to stun the host Orange. Pflueger, who scored 12 points, played the entire game alongside T.J. Gibbs, who led the Irish with 18 points.
