CBS Presents Who Has The EDGE
Frontcourt: ND has Moderate edge -- Akron has the size to match Notre Dame, with seven-footer Zeke Marshall blocking shots at the defensive end, and forwards Nikola Cvetinovic and Brett McKnight providing double-figure scoring. It will be interesting to see if Nash can draw Marshall out of the paint, opening up driving lanes for the guards.
Backcourt: ND has Significant edge -- Hansbrough was the Big East Player of the Year, carrying the Fighting Irish to a No. 2 seed. Abromaitis took a back seat to Hansbrough this season, but he is unstoppable when he gets hot from deep. Akron has two capable playmakers in Steve McNees and Alex Abreu, while Brett McClanahan is the team's best perimeter scorer.
Coaching: ND has Significant edge -- There is a severe disparity in NCAA tournament experience on the sidelines. Notre Dame's Mike Brey has reached the Big Dance four of the last five seasons, and has appeared in nine NCAA tournaments overall. Interestingly, the Fighting Irish have won only one NCAA game since 2003.
Intangibles: ND has Moderate edge -- With the game being played at the United Center, Notre Dame will have a heavy home-crowd advantage against Akron.
Ultimate Edge: ND has Significant edge -- The key battles in this game will take place in the frontcourt. Tyrone Nash is too versatile for Zeke Marshall, but Marshall could be a factor inside on the offensive end. Nash's ability to drag Marshall to the perimeter will be imperative. Meanwhile, Carleton Scott is too quick for either of the Akron forwards, and his inside-outside ability will be a major factor. On the perimeter, Akron defends the 3-point line effectively, but the Zips have not faced a team who can blitz a man-to-man defense like Notre Dame can. They will need to guard Ben Hansbrough and Tim Abromaitis closely. The Fighting Irish have too much inside and outside, and will also have the crowd on their side.