California vs Notre Dame Prediction 3/8/25 College Basketball Picks

The California Golden Bears are visiting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday, March 8th at the Purcell Pavilion, in this ACC League matchup. Both teams have a 6-12 conference record and have secured their participation in the upcoming ACC Tournament. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a California Golden Bears vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Prediction. We will examine:

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s recent form and player performance

The California Golden Bears’ recent form and player performance

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the California Golden Bears

Recent betting trends in games played between the California Golden Bears and Notre Dame Fighting Irish

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the California Golden Bears vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Preview

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a 13-17 record this season and are tied with California and Syracuse in 13th place in the ACC. The Fighting Irish are coming off a 56-54 win over Stanford. The Fighting Irish are 13-15-2 against the spread, and 15-15 in over/under while having a 10-5 home record.

Offensively, Notre Dame is averaging 72.5 points per game, which ranks 225th in the nation. Defensively, they allow 71.7 points per game (177th). The Fighting Irish shoot with 45.5% from the field (141st) and 35.9% from beyond the arc (77th). The Fighting Irish shoot 74% from the free-throw line (114th) and are grabbing 34.6 rebounds per game (221st).

Markus Button leads Notre Dame in scoring this season, with an average of 21.3 points, adding 3.6 rebounds and 3 assists, while Tre Davis adds 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. 

California Golden Bears Preview

The California Golden Bears have a 13-17 record this season and are tied with Notre Dame and Syracuse in 13th place in the ACC. The Bears are coming off a 68-85 loss to Louisville. The Bears are 16-12-2 against the spread, and 14-16 in over/under while having a 2-10 road record.

Offensively, California is averaging 74.3 points per game, which ranks 169th in the nation. Defensively, they allow 75.7 points per game (288th). The Golden Bears shoot 41.6% from the field (329th) and 32% from beyond the arc (297th). The Golden Bears shoot 74.7% from the free-throw line (89th) and are grabbing 37.2 rebounds per game (82nd).

Andrej Stojakovic leads California in scoring this season, with an average of 16.7 points and 4.6 rebounds, while Jeremiah Wilkinson adds 14.7 points per game.

Why the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will win

• California has lost seven of its last eight road games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• The home team has won each of Notre Dame’s last four games.
• California has lost the first half in seven of its last eight road games against the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Why the California Golden Bears will win

• Notre Dame has lost each of its last four games following a home win.
• Notre Dame has lost the first half in three of its last four home games against the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Total Points Facts

• Sixteen of Notre Dame’s last 19 games against Conference opponents at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center have produced a total of 140 or fewer points.
• Four of California’s last five games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 153+ points.

Matchup/League Facts

• Notre Dame ranks 362nd among Division 1 teams for blocks per game this season (1.6).
• Notre Dame ranks T45th among Division 1 teams for opponent rebounds per game this season (31.9).
• California ranks 358th among Division 1 teams for opponent three-point percentage this season (38.0%).
• California ranks 18th among Division 1 teams for free throws made per game this season (17.1).

California Golden Bears vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Prediction

In their only previous meeting back in 2010, Notre Dame won 57-44 at home, covering the spread. In this California Golden Bears vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Prediction, Notre Dame is coming as a -5.5 home favorites. Both teams have the same record this season, but Notre Dame has been strong at home, while California has been struggling mightily on the road. Both teams need the win in this final game of the regular season, in order to have the best placement possible for the upcoming ACC Tournament. Both teams have been in good form lately, as Notre Dame is 3-1 against the spread in their last 4 games, and California is 4-1-1 against the spread in their last 6. Both teams are 6-2 to the over in their last 8 games, and I expect another high-scoring affair today. Take the over.  

Nikos Lagouretos's Pick: Over 146.5