Notre Dame formidable in name only

Why are they wearing green jerseys at home?

That was the question I asked during the Notre Dame and North Dakota State game Wednesday night.

Notre Dame was playing in South Bend, and it looked as though they were playing well.

They were aggressive on loose balls and killing the opposition in the paint.

But why were they wearing green?

I was deceived. The “legal” stream I was watching online wasn’t clear enough. Notre Dame was in fact wearing its home whites, and getting run up and down the court.

After a home loss to a mid-major program, I was not impressed with the Irish.

When IU (8-2) plays Notre Dame (7-3) in the Crossroads Classic at 3:15 p.m. tomorrow, the game is supposed to be a measuring stick of where the current Hoosier team stands.

If IU loses to Notre Dame, I believe the result will be considered a “bad loss” when Joe Lunardi examines which teams will put on their dancing shoes come March.

Consider Notre Dame’s seven wins this year: Miami (Ohio), Stetson, Santa Clara, Army, Cornell, Delaware and Bryant.

According to Pomeroy rankings, an advanced analytics system that ranks every college basketball team, the quality of Notre Dame’s opponents is suspect.

Delaware, ranked 77th of 351 teams, earned the highest placement of Notre Dame’s defeated opponents this season. Of Notre Dame’s seven wins, four teams were ranked 243rd or lower in the Pomeroy rankings.

Notre Dame’s three losses this year were against Indiana State (67), Iowa (16) and North Dakota State (76).

There is no shame in losing by five points to Iowa in Iowa City. But isn’t it a red flag if the most impressive outing Notre Dame has had this year is a loss?

Against North Dakota State, the Irish couldn’t handle 6-foot-8 forward Marshall Bjorklund.

Bjorklund lit up the Irish for 26 points and capitalized on their lack of interior defense. Notre Dame center Garrick Sherman, 6-foot-11, couldn’t handle Bjorklund’s impeccable footwork.

Who on IU could exploit Notre Dame’s interior defense?

Oh, yeah — three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week winner Noah Vonleh.

Now, Bjorklund and Vonleh are different players. Vonleh hasn’t developed consistent post moves yet, but his natural athleticism has been breathtaking at times this year and should be able to take advantage of Notre Dame’s interior defense.

The Irish could have had a bad night. Every team does. If you watched IU in the second half against Syracuse, you’d have questions about the Hoosiers, too.

And the Irish, as they always have, love to heave the ball from behind the arc.

Notre Dame is second in the ACC in total threes made, averaging 8.0 a game, and the Irish shoot more than 40 percent as a team. They also lead the ACC in assists per game.

Teams like Notre Dame can be dangerous if they have a hot shooting night.

Aside from a three-point bonanza from the Irish, I don’t see them hanging with the Hoosiers.

Fans will get excited because Notre Dame is a household name, and they are in the ACC. But, come March, this win won’t look as impressive.

Prediction: IU 73, Notre Dame 60.

Follow columnist Evan Hoopfer on Twitter @EvanHoopfer.