Preview: Virginia Visits Notre Dame in ACC Clash SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — The Virginia Cavaliers look to rebound from a rare loss when they visit the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at the Joyce Athletic Center. Virginia (16-3, 6-2 ACC) saw a six-game winning streak snapped in an 85-80 home loss to North Carolina on Saturday. The Cavaliers, known for their methodical pace and stout defense, will aim to reassert their conference standing against a Notre Dame team (11-9, 3-6) seeking consistency. A key matchup will feature Virginia forward Thijs De Ridder against Notre Dame guard Braeden Shrewsberry. De Ridder is coming off a 20-point, 8-rebound performance against the Tar Heels and has averaged 18.1 points over his last seven games, including a 22-point, 13-rebound effort in a triple-overtime loss at Virginia Tech. His versatility has been central to Virginia’s attack. Shrewsberry leads the Fighting Irish but has been inconsistent in ACC play. He erupted for 22 points in Notre Dame’s 68-64 win over Boston College last Saturday but was held to single digits in four of the previous five conference games. Notre Dame will need a high-level performance from him to challenge Virginia’s disciplined system. The Fighting Irish have struggled against top-tier ACC competition, with recent double-digit losses to North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Miami. Their defense, however, kept them in last week’s win, a formula they must replicate. Virginia’s trademark pack-line defense will test a Notre Dame offense averaging just 68.2 points in conference games. The Cavaliers have held opponents to 60 points or fewer eight times this season. Historically, Virginia has controlled the tempo in this series. The Cavaliers’ ability to manage the game and exploit interior matchups with De Ridder will be pivotal. Notre Dame’s hope lies in forcing turnovers, hitting outside shots and protecting its home court, where it is 9-3 this season. Tuesday’s contest tips off at 9 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on an ACC network affiliate. Virginia visits Boston College next on Saturday, while Notre Dame travels to Syracuse.