ACC Basketball Power Rankings: Miami, Clemson falls after tough losses

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - DECEMBER 09: Kihei Clark #0 of the Virginia Cavaliers drives past Marcus Evans #2 of the VCU Rams in the second half during a game at John Paul Jones Arena on December 9, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

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8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-3)

Last week: 9th

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have hit their own rough patch in recent games, losing two of their last three games on the schedule. There isn’t much time to focus on their recent loss to the UCLA Bruins this past Saturday, 65-62, with Carsten Edwards and the Purdue Boilermakers up next this Saturday.

It will certainly help their resume to get a victory over the Boilermakers but they’ll need to make shots when the time calls for it. In their loss to the Bruins, T.J. Gibbs scored nine points on 4-of-15 shooting from the floor. Freshman Prentiss Hubb shot 2-of-12 as well in the backcourt, finishing with seven points in the game.

Gibbs and Hubb also struggled shooting the basketball against the Oklahoma Sooners, a team they fell to this past Tuesday. Gibbs and Hubb combined for 22 points on 8-of-25 from the field in an 85-80 loss in that one. Shooting woes could do them in against a team like Purdue so finding their backcourt mojo against them will be key.

Opponents are shooting 33.5 percent from behind the arc against the Fighting Irish so protecting the 3-point line is also important going forward. The Sooners hsot 15-of-29 from 3-point land in their loss and the Bruins shot 9-of-25 from behind the arc in the loss on Saturday.