FACTS & STATS: Joyce Center (11,418) -- South Bend, Indiana. Television: None. Home Record: Furman 1-0, ND 1-0. Away Record: Furman 0-3, ND 1-0. Neutral Record: Furman 0-0, ND 2-1. Conference Record: Furman 0-0, ND 0-0. Series Record: Notre Dame leads, 1-0.

GAME NOTES: The eighth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish will try to break the school record for the most consecutive home wins today, as they entertain the Furman Paladins in non-conference play at the Joyce Center.

The Irish recently participated in the Maui Invitational, where they lost to top-ranked North Carolina, 102-87, in the championship game on Wednesday. It was the first loss for ND, which opened the season with four straight victories. The Irish now return home, where they have won 38 straight games, marking the second longest such streak in the nation. With a win today, ND would establish a new school record for consecutive home victories, breaking the old mark set from 1943-1948.

As for Furman, is has dropped three straight games since opening the season with a 67-51 home win over Emory. All three setbacks have come on the road, including a 68-63 loss at Dartmouth on Tuesday.

The Paladins and Irish have met only one previous time on the hardwood, with ND posting a 75-50 victory in 2002.

The Paladins went just 4-of-16 from three-point range and were outscored at the foul line, 16-11, as they were nipped by Dartmouth on Tuesday. Furman shot a solid 47.1 percent from the floor to keep things close, but it wasn't enough in the end. Alex Opacic headed the charge with 14 points and five boards, while Noah States contributed 11 points. Jordan Miller, though, was limited to just eight points, but despite that effort he still leads the Paladins in scoring with 15.0 ppg on the year. Opacic ranks second to him with 12.0 ppg and he is also pulling down a team-high 7.0 rpg. Overall, Furman is generating 64.8 ppg behind 44.6 percent shooting from the field this season.

ND lost the battle on the boards, 44-38, and was outscored in the paint, 52-32, as it was defeated by UNC in the finals of the Maui Invitational on Wednesday. The Irish tried to remain competitive by knocking down 15-of-36 long-range attempts, but it couldn't slow down UNC, which shot 55.7 percent from the field. Kyle McAlarney drained 10-of-18 three-pointers in the game and he finished with a career-high 39 points and six assists. Luke Harangody turned in 13 points and seven boards, while Tory Jackson chipped in with 10 points in the losing effort. On the season, Harangody leads ND is both scoring and rebounding with his impressive double-double average of 22.6 ppg and 11.2 rpg. He however, was recently diagnosed with pneumonia and is sidelined indefinitely. McAlarney ranks second to him with 17.2 ppg and he is also handing out 4.2 apg, while Jackson contributes 13.8 ppg and a team-high 5.2 apg. As a team, ND is tallying a hardy 83.0 ppg and hitting on 40.5 percent of its tries from beyond the arc.

Even without Harangody in the lineup, the Irish still have plenty of options to handle a far less talented Furman squad today.

Predicted Outcome

Notre Dame 88, Furman 64