Purdue vs. Notre Dame: Key questions at the 2018 Crossroads Classic

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 23: Carsen Edwards #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament East Regional at TD Garden on March 23, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images /

Is Gibbs poised for a monster game?

Notre Dame’s star player, T.J. Gibbs, is one of the most dangerous guards in the entire nation. While the Fighting Irish struggled with injuries to Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell a year ago, Gibbs stepped up and played superbly well. As a sophomore last season, Gibbs posted 15.3 points and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 40.3% from beyond the arc. Heading into this season, many expected that Gibbs would take the next step to stardom on the national stage.

Yet, that has not quite happened so far this season.

Through nine games, the stud guard has really struggled with his shot. And while he is still leading the team offensively, his scoring has dropped to just 13.7 points per game while his shooting percentages have suffered tremendously: .342/.281/.694 (FG%/3P%/FT%). But it would be a mistake to think that Gibbs is going to struggle over the course of the entire season. After all, he was the main guy for most of last season so he should be used to heavy defensive pressure.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, it is reasonable to expect that Gibbs will start to catch fire from the field. And there is no better time to start than right now. Notre Dame has underachieved a bit so far this season due in part to the struggles of Gibbs but a big game from him could open up the door for a high-quality win over Purdue.

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