For the third straight season, the Irish had a disappointing season last year, finishing .500 and would have been on the wrong side of the Bubble on selection Sunday. TJ Gibbs and John Mooney were an all-ACC level inside-out duo and now have graduated, leaving a giant question mark as to who can carry the team this year.

Coach: Mike Brey; 536-285 in 25 Seasons Overall; 437-233 in 20 seasons at Notre Dame, 152-91 (64-64) in 7 seasons in the ACC

2019-20 Record: 20-12 (10-10); T-6th in ACC

2019-20 KenPom Efficiency:

National: AdjO: 110.7 (41st of 353)
AdjD: 98.6 (110th of 353)
ACC: AdjO: 105.8 (5th of 15)
AdjD: 106.5 (13th of 15)

 

Roster Roundup

Departures:

G T.J. Gibbs (Graduated)
32 G, 35 mpg, 13.3 ppg, 3.3 apg, 42% 3P%
F Rex Pflueger (Graduated)
31 G, 27.3 mpg, 5.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 33% 3P%
PF Chris Doherty (Transferred to Northeastern)
6 G, 2.3 mpg, 1 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 75% FG%
C John Mooney (Graduated)
31 G, 32.7 mpg, 16.2 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 46% FG%

Returners:

G Prentiss Hubb (JR)
32 G, 35.3 mpg, 12.1 ppg, 5.1 apg, 34% 3P%
SG Robby Carmody (JR)
7 G, 13.7 mpg, 5.4 ppg, 0.6 apg, 0% 3P%
SF Dane Goodwin (JR)
32 G, 26.1 mpg, 10.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 38% 3P%
F Nikola Djogo (RS SR)
25 G, 5.7 mpg, 0.6 ppg, 1 rpg, 11% 3P%
F/C Juwan Durham (RS SR)
32 G, 17.5 mpg, 7.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 57% FG%
F/C Nate Laszewski (JR)
32 G, 21 mpg, 7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 41% FG%

Additions:

G/F Cormac Ryan (RS SO Transfer, Stanford)
24 G, 28.5 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 32% 3P%
SF Tony Sanders (3-star FR) 
PF Elijah Taylor (3-star FR) 
F/C Matt Zona (3-star FR)

*Projected starters in bold

Outlook

The Irish are suffering giant losses from the graduations of Temple Gibbs, John Mooney, and Rex Pfleuger. The only addition of note is Stanford transfer Cormac Ryan (we’re assuming Santa Clara transfer Trey Wertz isn’t going to get an immediate eligibility waiver, initially denied and now ostensibly on appeal). Ryan joins Prentiss Hubb, Dane Goodwin, Nate Laszewski, and Juwan Durham as a competent starting lineup, but the bench is very troublesome.

The returners modestly include Robby Carmody (who will miss the start of the season with a kneecap injury after losing most of last year to a torn ACL) and the barely-used Nikola Djogo along with 3-star freshmen forwards Tony Sanders, Elijah Taylor, and Matt Zona. This team feels like more of the same, losing more than they’re gaining, and they weren’t even a Tourney team last year with all that then-senior talent. Brey needs to work magic to turn some of these bench guys into ACC players for this season.

Otherwise, and most likely, it’s another year destined for the NIT. It’s a shame, as Hubb is one of the best guards in the ACC that few will be talking about. A single injury to a starter could mean another year battling in the conference’s cellar.