Irish Go For Sixth ACC Road Win At Clemson Saturday

ND_MBB_Game Notes at Clemson

The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball looks to earn its sixth Atlantic Coast Conference road victory at Clemson (12-12, 4-9) on Saturday evening in South Carolina (7 p.m., ACC Network). The Irish are hoping to earn a season sweep of the two games series with the Tigers after the 72-56 victory on Jan. 12, 2022. Dane Goodwin (21) and Blake Wesley (20) paced the Irish offense in the first meeting.      

GAME TRENDS  

In 2021-22 the Notre Dame is…

… 14-0 when they shoot better than their opponent.

… 10-0 when they make 10-or-more three-point field goals.

… 8-1 when a Notre Dame player scores 20-or-more points.

… 11-1 when the Irish out-rebound their opponent. 

A NOTRE DAME WIN WOULD…  

… provide a season-sweep of a two-game series for the third ACC opponent this season (NC State, Louisville). 

… improve the Irish to 6-2 on the road in ACC competition. 

… match the 2015-16 team for the third-most wins in an ACC regular season schedule with 11. 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

• Has established himself as one of the most efficient and skilled scorers in the country.

• The only major conference player in the nation with 14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, .500 FG, .400 3FG, .850 FT numbers.  

• Has scored in double figures in 23 of 24 games this season.

• ACC Co-Player of the Week (12/27/21) who has become an All-ACC level guard this season.

• One of two three true freshmen in the country with 300 points, 80 rebounds, 60 assists and 25 steals.

• National Freshman of the Week on January 10 (CBSSports/BWAA) and three-time ACC Freshman of the Week (including this week). 

• In his first career start in Purcell Pavilion, hit the game-winning jump shot with :12 left to defeat No. 10/12 Kentucky.

• First South Bend, IN, public school MBB prospect to attend Notre Dame since 1985. 

• Named ACC Player of the Week on Monday and backed it up Wednesday night vs. Louisville with 17 points and 15 rebounds.  

• Turned in his best game in an Irish uniform with 23 points and 11 rebounds at Miami, shooting 11-of-16 from the field. 

• 2019-20 Ivy League Player of the Year at Yale, did not participate in 2020-21 as the Ivy League canceled all intercollegiate athletics.

• Ranked by ESPN+ as the fourth-best transfer prospect in 2020-21.

• Leads the country in assist/turnover ratio in conference games (5.4). 

• Has continued his penchant for game-winning plays this season, securing the win over Virginia on Saturday with two free throws at :04 remaining; a driving lay up with :19 left to be the game-sealing basket at Howard (his first game back at the DMV after playing he area during his prep career) and the game-winning jumper at Pittsburgh with :05 left. See page 5 for more details.

• Preseason All-ACC Second Team.

• Suffered a leg bruise in the first half at NC State that limited him to just five minutes played, missed the Louisville game on Wednesday. 

• The Louisville game marked the first game of his career missed due to an injury and ended a games started streak of 34 contests. 

• Became the 67th player in Notre Dame men’s basketball history to surpass 1,000 career points against Duke. 

• Led ND to victory over NC State with 18 pts, 11 reb, including a personal 8-0 run to erase a five point deficit early in the second half. 

OFF THE BENCH 

• The team’s best on-ball defender who routinely assumes the assignment of the opponents best perimeter scoring threat.

• Filled up the stat line against No. 10/12 Kentucky with seven points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal.

• Scored 21 points in the first half in the victory at Duke last year, eventually scoring career-best 28 points.

• Keyed ND’s second half surge at NC State with ball handling against pressure and 12 points off the bench. 

• Went three-for-three from three point range at Louisville, surpassing 1,000 career points (747 scored at Santa Clara). 

• Planned to sit out 2020-21 after transferring from Santa Clara until all underclassmen transfers were given immediate eligibility in 12/20

• Hit the game-winning three pointer at the buzzer in the first round ACC tournament victory over Wake Forest last season. 

IRISH ITEMS – BY THE NUMBERS

DECISIVE RUNS

In six of Notre Dame’s last seven victories the Irish have been challenged in the second half and responded with decisive runs to take control of the game and eventually earn the victory. 

DEFENSE ON A ROLL

Notre Dame has held its last six opponents to 65 or less points in ACC play and has accomplished that feat against 14 of their opponents this season. The 2021-22 Irish are pushing the 2014-15 squad as the best defensive unit of the ACC era for Notre Dame men’s basketball. 

DEFENSE ON A ROLL – PART II

Notre Dame’s last six games holding opponents to 65 points or less is the second-best active streak against Major Conference opponents and only the third such steak in major conference play. 

GOODWIN NUMBERS ARE EYE CATCHING

Senior Dane Goodwin has been flirting with the coveted 50/40/90 shooting splits all season, but also contributes points and rebounds. Taking a look across the country, only two players can boast the numbers of 14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, .500 FG%, .400 3FG% and .850 FT%

Goodwin is the only member of that crew from a major conference. 

ATKINSON JR. SURGING

Reigning ACC Player of the Week Paul Atkinson Jr. has been a dominant force down low for the Irish over the past five games. During that stretch, the Irish have gone 4-1 and into first place in the league standings while earning two conference road victories. 

A breakdown of Atkinson Jr.’s last five games, which include three straight double-doubles. 

BLAKE WESLEY AMONG THE NATION’S TOP FRESHMAN

Freshman Blake Wesley, a two-time ACC Freshman of the Week is among college basketball’s top scoring true freshmen. 

ACC TRUE FRESHMAN SCORING

MAJOR CONFERENCE TRUE FRESHMAN SCORING

Expand to all true freshmen in the country and Wesley is 17th in points per game. 

HUBB’S CLUTCH MOMENTS

Senior Prentiss Hubb has posted three game-winning moments this season to further enhance his legacy of stepping up in clutch situations throughout his Irish career. 

2018-19 – thrust into the starting lineup due to an illness to T.J. Gibbs, Hubb scores 16 points and puts the Irish ahead 67-66 with two free throws with 2.8 seconds left against Boston College. The Irish eventually won the game 69-66. 

2019-20 – his three pointer with 1:20 left ties the game at Syracuse, then his two free throws with :18 left seal the 88-87 victory. 

2019-20 – converts five of six free throws in the final minutes of the game as the Irish win 78-74 at Georgia Tech. 

2019-20 – drives the length of the court in the closing seconds at Boston College, finding T.J. Gibbs for the game-winning jumper in the lane at the buzzer. 

2020-21 – scores the final 11 points of the game against Kentucky, including the game-winning drive to the bucket for a 64-63 win. 

2020-21 – his 28-foot three pointer with :37 seconds left puts Notre Dame up five in the 93-89 victory at Duke. 

2021-22 – connects on the game-winning turnaround jump shot with :05 left in the 68-67 victory at Pittsburgh. 

2021-22 – turns in a clutch drive to the hoop at Howard with :19 remaining, turning a one-point lead into the three-point winning margin (71-68). It was Hubb’s first game back in the DMV after his prep hoops career at Gonzaga. 

2021-22 – steps to the line with :04 left and sinks both free throws to secure a 69-65 victory over Virginia. 

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTED BY 1,000 POINT SCORERS

Notre Dame has produced 67 1,000 point scorers throughout the history of the program with 26 of those players having been recruited by Mike Brey and exhausted their eligibility (or turned professional early).

Just this season alone, Dane Goodwin, Trey Wertz (who scored 747 of his career points at Santa Clara) and Nate Laszewski have reached the 1,000-point plateau. Along with Paul Atkinson Jr. and Prentiss Hubb, Notre Dame is the first program in the nation this year to have five players with over 1,000 point scored in a career.    

IRISH INK NATIONALLY-RANKED RECRUITING CLASS

The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball program and Glenn and Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Brey have announced that three prospective student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Notre Dame and compete for the Fighting Irish in 2022-23. 

The three-member class is composed of forwards Dom Campbell and Ven-Allen Lubin, along with guard J.J. Starling. All three are consensus top-100 players and four-star prospects which provide the Irish the 15th-ranked recruiting class by 24/7 Sports (fifth-best in the ACC) and the 18th-rated (fourth-best in the ACC) group from Rivals. 

“Our new staff started with a plan in June and I really like how we stayed focused and committed while being on the road in June and July, then followed through when the visits on campus took place,” Brey said. 

“It was a fabulous team effort by our coaching staff to get a three man class that will be part of a bright future for Notre Dame basketball. Our fans will love to watch these guys play and grow as part of our program.” 

Dom Campbell | Forward | 6-9, 265 | Phillips Exeter Academy (NH) | Scarborough, ME

“Dom is a gifted low post guy with great hands and footwork. He has the ability to carve out space and step out as well. He can make really good decisions with the ball in his hands.” 

– Mike Brey

Rivals 4 Star – 96th overall, 11th power forward

24/7 4 star – 123rd overall, 22nd power forward, 2nd state

Ven-Allen Lubin | Forward | 6-8, 220 | Orlando Christian Prep | Orlando, FL

“Ven-Allen is a position less basketball player. He has the ability to post up, face up, run and change ends. He also brings great length on the defensive end.” 

– Mike Brey

Rivals 4 Star – 63rd overall, 8th power forward

24/7 4 Star – 73rd overall, 14th power forward, 14th state

ESPN 4 star – 91st overall, 13th power forward, 14th state

J.J. Starling | Guard | 6-4, 195  | La Lumiere School (IN) | Baldwinsville, NY

“J.J. is an explosive guard. You can’t pigeonhole him as a point guard or a two man, he does a little bit of everything. The most infectious thing is his energy and charisma that he plays with. He really engages his teammates and leads on the floor.” 

– Mike Brey

Rivals 4 Star – 40th overall, 8th point guard

24/7 – 30th overall, 5th point guard, 1st state

ESPN – 17th overall, 4th point guard, 3rd state

STARLING EARNS A SPOT ON MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN TEAM 

J.J. Starling, a 6-4, 185-pound guard from Baldwinsville, New York, and currently competing at La Lumiere School in Indiana, has been named to the 2022 McDonald’s All-America Boys Basketball Team. Starling has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Notre Dame and compete for the men’s basketball team in 2022-23.

The selections will appear in the 2022 McDonald’s All-American Game, which will be held in Chicago, Illinois, in March of 2022 at WinTrust Arena.

Starling is the 17th rated national recruit from ESPN, 25th by 24/7 Sports and 40th by Rivals.com.

He will become the fifth McDonald’s All-American recruited during Glenn and Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Brey’s tenure and the eighth to suit up for the Irish under Brey.

Notre Dame Men’s Basketball McDonald’s All-Americans

J.J. Starling, 2022

Demetrius Jackson, 2017

Luke Zeller, 2005

Torin Francis, 2002

Chris Thomas, 2001

Danny Miller, 1998 (transferred from Maryland)

Ryan Humphrey, 1997 (transferred from Oklahoma)

LaPhonso Ellis, 1988

Keith Robinson, 1986

Mark Stevenson, 1985 (transferred to Duquesne)

Matt Beeuwsaert, 1984 (transferred to California)

Ken Barlow, 1982

Tim Kempton, 1982

Joe Kleine, 1980 (transferred to Arkansas)

Tom Sluby, 1980

Barry Spencer, 1980

Tim Andree, 1979

John Paxson, 1979

Tracy Jackson, 1977