Fighting Irish Men's basketball begins their postseason Thursday, looking to defend their conference title against Duke in the ACC tournament.

The Irish beat Duke earlier this year. 

They struggled big time in their last few games against ACC heavyweights Miami and Virginia. This season they lost by 18 to the Canes right here in South Bend. But there is hope that they can fare well against the Blue Devils. They rank third in the nation in offensive efficiency. 

There is no doubt at this point the Irish are a lock for the NCAA tournament. But where they fall in the mix will hinge on their performance defending their ACC title. Joe Lunardi of ESPN currently has the Irish as a no. 7 seed.

Tip off is at 2 p.m in the Verizon center in Washington DC. You can catch the game on ESPN.