The Knoxville Catholic Varsity Basketball Team will play a home non-conference game against Notre Dame (Chattanooga, TN) today at 4:30 PM.

Matchup Information:

• Teams: Notre Dame vs. Knoxville Catholic
• Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025
• Time: 4:30 PM
• Live stream: Watch Here
• Live stream: Watch Here
• Location: Knoxville Catholic (Knoxville, TN)

A Closer Look at the 2024-2025 Basketball Season: Notre Dame vs. Knoxville Catholic

As the 2024-2025 basketball season heats up, two teams from Tennessee—Notre Dame and Knoxville Catholic—stand out with notable records, contrasting playing styles, and a shared slate of opponents. Let’s dive into their performances, team statistics, and head-to-head battles to compare these two squads.

Team Overview

Notre Dame (8-11 overall)
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have struggled this season with an overall record of 8-11, but their district performance is far stronger, boasting a 3-1 record. While their home games have seen difficulties with a 1-7 home record, they’ve managed to outperform expectations on the road, going 4-2 in away games. Despite a negative win percentage (.421), their defensive strategies have kept games close, reflected in a relatively low points allowed (948). With an average of 51.5 points per game, the Fighting Irish’s offensive efforts have been tempered by the opposition’s defense.

Knoxville Catholic (13-4 overall)
On the other hand, Knoxville Catholic has been a dominant force with an impressive 13-4 record, maintaining a near-perfect district performance at 1.000. Their stellar home record (5-0) and solid away record (5-2) showcase their consistency across various matchups. Knoxville Catholic has averaged 74.0 points per game, significantly outpacing Notre Dame in offensive production. The team also stands out defensively with 34.9 rebounds per game, indicating their strength in controlling the boards. Their total points allowed (1,097) remains higher, but their offensive power compensates for it.

Team Scoring Averages and Performance Breakdown

Notre Dame’s Scoring (51.5 PPG)
The Irish’s scoring is relatively balanced across all four quarters, with an average of 11.5 points in the first quarter, growing to 14.5 in the third. They tend to keep games close with a fourth-quarter surge (14.2 points). Despite this, they often fall short due to a lack of consistent high scoring across the game, with their average of 51.5 points per game indicating a reliance on defense and slowing down the tempo of the game.

Knoxville Catholic’s Scoring (74.0 PPG)
Knoxville Catholic, however, shows a much more potent offensive game, starting strong with 14.8 points in the first quarter and ramping up to 22.0 in the third. Their scoring stays strong throughout the game, with an impressive 74.0 points per game, demonstrating their ability to push the tempo and capitalize on fast-break opportunities. Even though their fourth-quarter scoring (15.3 points) drops slightly, they’ve often built enough of a lead by that point to close out games.

Team Stat Comparison

Looking at the team statistics, Knoxville Catholic leads in nearly every major category:

• Points Per Game: Knoxville Catholic (74.0) vs. Notre Dame (51.5)
• Rebounds Per Game: Knoxville Catholic (34.9)
• Assists Per Game: Knoxville Catholic (15.6)
• Steals Per Game: Knoxville Catholic (11.2)
• Blocks Per Game: Knoxville Catholic (2.8)

These stats highlight the team’s superior ball movement, defensive pressure, and overall efficiency.

Key Players

Both teams feature standout individuals who significantly impact their performances.

Notre Dame

• Gaas Herman leads Notre Dame in scoring with 22.3 points per game, showing his ability to keep his team competitive.
• Carson Asbaty also stands out with 5.7 assists and 3.4 steals per game, contributing greatly to the team’s defense and playmaking.

Knoxville Catholic

• Cade Murphy is the star player for Knoxville Catholic, averaging 24.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He’s the main offensive weapon and a consistent rebounder.
• Carson Asbaty also shines with a strong defensive presence, maintaining 3.4 steals per game.

Head-to-Head with Common Opponents

While both teams have faced common opponents, their records against them paint different pictures:

• McCallie: Notre Dame fell to McCallie (47-38), while Knoxville Catholic has yet to face them.
• Chattanooga Christian: Notre Dame triumphed 63-42, while Knoxville Catholic will play Chattanooga Christian later in the season.
• Baylor: Notre Dame struggled against Baylor, losing 74-39, while Knoxville Catholic defeated Baylor 60-48 in their head-to-head battle.

These results reveal Knoxville Catholic’s superior performance against similar competition.

Record Breakdown

• Notre Dame has a better performance in district games (3-1) but struggles in non-league play with a 3-7 record.
• Knoxville Catholic, on the other hand, has had strong results both within the district (1-0) and in non-district games (10-2).

Conclusion

While Notre Dame has faced challenges this season, particularly with their offensive consistency and home-game struggles, their district performance is commendable. Conversely, Knoxville Catholic has proven itself as one of the top teams in the region, with superior scoring and defense, as well as dominance against common opponents. As both teams continue their seasons, the outcome of their future matchups will likely reflect Knoxville Catholic’s higher overall performance, but Notre Dame’s tenacity could still pose a challenge on any given night.