Wolverines to Host No. 11 Fighting Irish in Front of National TV Audience

THIS WEEK
Tuesday, March 19 -- vs. No. 11 Notre Dame (U-M Lacrosse Stadium), 5 p.m.
TV: ESPNU | Live Stats | Live Video
Promotions: Free admission with M Card | More Promotions

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The University of Michigan men's lacrosse team (3-3) will open up a three-game homestand with a two-contest week, beginning with a tilt against No. 11 Notre Dame on Tuesday (March 19) at 5 p.m. from U-M Lacrosse Stadium. The matchup will be broadcast nationally via ESPNU, with Jay Alter and Paul Carcaterra on the call.

Wolverine Bites

• The Wolverines return home for the first time in exactly one month to host the Fighting Irish. Four of Michigan's six remaining contests will take place at U-M Lacrosse Stadium, including three Big Ten games vs. Johns Hopkins (March 30), Penn State (April 13) and Ohio State (April 26). Four of the six opponents rank in the top 20 of the latest USILA coaches poll.

• Last season, in arguably the biggest win in program history, U-M knocked off the Fighting Irish by a 13-12 margin in South Bend, Indiana. The win was the first in program history over a top-five opponent, the first road win over a ranked opponent, and the second win over a ranked opponent in school history. Michigan has one win over a ranked team at home in program history, defeating No. 10 Penn on March 11, 2017 inside Michigan Stadium.

• With a rash of injuries at the faceoff position, Michigan has gone 11-of-64 (15 percent) at the dot over the last two games. U-M has utilized six different players at the dot over that span.

• The U-M offense has accounted for 24 goals over the past two games despite the stuggles at the X. Freshman Bryce Clay has led the offense with six goals and seven points over the span.

• With 49 assists through six games, U-M is averaging 8.17 helpers per contest, ranking ninth nationally in the category. Sophomore attackmen Alex Buckanavage and Kevin Mack are tied for the team lead in the category with 11, ranking 36th nationally (1.83/game). Mack and Buckanavage rank No. 1 and No. 2 on the team in usage, with Mack at 10.5 percent and Buckanavage at 10.3, per Lacrosse Reference.

• The Wolverines enter the matchup with 997 goals scored in team history. U-M is on pace to eclipse the program record for goals in a season of 157, which was set in the 2014 season.

• U-M's offense boasts six players with double-digit points this year and ranks No. 15 in the country in points per game (21.0) and No. 9 in assists per game (8.17).

• U-M has outscored opponents by a 20-13 margin in the opening quarter.

Opponent Preview

Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish enter the Tuesday tilt with a 3-2 overall mark and are coming off a 13-11 loss at Virginia on March 16. All but one of Notre Dame's games have been decided by three goals or less.

Offensively, Notre Dame is one of the most efficient teams in the country, converting on 35 percent of its shots (No. 5 in NCAA) and ranking 25th in total offense with 12.40 goals/game. Three players -- Brendan Gleason (10 goals, 5 assists), Bryan Costabile (12G, 2A) and Brian Willets (11G, 3A) -- have at least 14 points, while Costabile leads the team in shots with 46.

At the dot, Charles Leonard is winning 50 percent of his draws (54-of-108). Additionally, the Fighting Irish are clearing the ball at 87 percent, ranking 14th nationally.

Defensively, ND ranks No. 18 in the country in goals allowed at 9.60 per game, with goalie Matt Schmidt ranking No. 14 in the country with a 9.45 goals-against average. He is also stopping 51 percent of shots faced.

Notre Dame holds a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series.

Ticket Information

Tickets are on sale for Michigan's home schedule, with general admission tickets available for $6 and group tickets (10 or more) on sale for $3 each. Group experiences are also available. » Tickets

Tweet of the Week

?? @UMichLacrosse pic.twitter.com/m90oXaYxQM
— Cascade Lacrosse (@CascadeLacrosse) March 17, 2019

Keep Up With the Wolverines

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Up Next

Saturday, March 23 -- vs. Delaware (U-M Lacrosse Stadium), Noon