Where Notre Dame men’s basketball stands in preseason polls and projections
Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey has leaned into the expectations for his team this season.
Make the NCAA Tournament — at minimum.
He feels he has a team capable of doing it. So do many preseason projections and rankings.
Notre Dame is the No. 27 team in the preseason KenPom ratings, higher than every ACC team except Duke (No. 10) and Florida State (No. 24). That’s bolstered by a projected No. 6 ranking in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency.
The Irish also earned three votes in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, tied for seventh with Louisville among ACC members. Duke (No. 9), North Carolina (No. 19), Florida State (No. 20) and Virginia (No. 25) appeared in the poll, while Virginia Tech (25 points) and Syracuse (five) garnered votes.
The ACC’s preseason poll picked Notre Dame to finish eighth, behind Duke (first), Florida State (second), North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Syracuse. North Carolina State (ninth), Georgia Tech (tenth), Clemson, Miami, Wake Forest, Pitt and Boston College (last) complete the poll.
Senior point guard Prentiss Hubb was a second-team preseason All-ACC selection. He averaged a team-high 14.6 points and 5.8 assists per game last season.
Elsewhere, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander ranked all 358 Division I college basketball teams and slotted Notre Dame at No. 50 as the eighth-highest ACC team.
“Can this season mark the end of the worst four-year run of Mike Brey's tenure with the Irish?” Norlander wrote. “ND's average record in that span: 17-15. No NCAA Tournaments. Average KenPom finish: 69th. Brey hopes 2021-22 provides improved dividends.
“Why as high as No. 50? Prentiss Hubb is still here; he'll be invaluable, and maybe second team All-ACC. Big Nate Laszewski seems destined to be a more well-rounded player. And I love the addition of Paul Atkinson [Jr.], who was one of the best players in Yale history and will toughen up the Fighting Irish's identity.
Athlon Sports and Three Man Weave also picked Notre Dame to finish eighth in their respective preseason ACC rankings.
“Mike Brey brings back four starters, including the perennially underrated Prentiss Hubb and potential all-league forward Nate Laszewski,” Athlon’s preview reads. “The Irish also added Ivy League Player of the Year Paul Atkinson Jr.”
Notre Dame went 11-15 and 7-11 in the ACC last season. The Irish were 85th in the final KenPom rankings.
Notre Dame’s 2021-22 regular season begins Nov. 13 at home against Cal State Northridge. It will play two home exhibitions against non-Division I opponents, with the first on Oct. 29 vs. Nazareth College.
----
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
• Sign up for Blue & Gold's news alerts and daily newsletter.
• Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts.
• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @Rivals_Singer, @PatrickEngel_, @tbhorka, @GregLadky, and @ToddBurlage.
• Like us on Facebook.