Notre Dame Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Fighting Irish

Starting Lineup

Last year Gibbs and Mooney stood responsible for roughly 40% of Notre Dame’s offensive output, leaving a massive hole for this year’s lineup to account for.

Prentiss Hubb – Point Guard

Although Mooney operated as the team’s primary offensive threat last year, history shows that Mike Brey more often than not enjoys running his offense through the point guard position. With that noted alongside his 12.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists from last year, expect Prentiss Hubb to become “the guy” for the Fighting Irish this season.

If the team wishes to succeed with Hubb at the helm though, cleaning up his game stands as a paramount objective. Formerly leading Notre Dame with 2.7 turnovers per game while shooting just 38.5% from the field, Hubb’s apparent sloppiness warrants some serious caution with his role set to increase substantially this year.

Although these numbers offer no reason for fans to hit the panic button, they remain something one might hope Hubb acknowledged this offseason to consequently improve for his junior year.

However, no issues appear evident regarding Hubb’s confidence. Often pulling up from distance without hesitation to spark fast and effective scoring runs, he seems certain to not only welcome but relishes under the increased spotlight headed his way this year.

Cormac Ryan – Shooting Guard

Although he possesses perhaps the most fitting name for a Fighting Irish player to ever have, a great deal remains unknown about Cormac Ryan. But even though the New York City native sat out last year after transferring from Stanford, Coach Brey has already taken a liking to him, often raving about his vocal presence on the team.

Ryan last played for the Cardinals well over a year ago, leaving little stock for his numbers to carry, but he did lead his team with 49 total three-pointers made despite starting only 17 games. Now joining a team that led the ACC with 899 three-point attempts, expect Ryan to acclimate comfortably into Notre Dame’s offense.

It feels worth noting as well that despite Ryan’s 6’5 stature, he still maintains the necessary ball-handling skills facilitate alongside Hubb. This versatility out on the wing poises to help him create space and get his shot off over defenders with ease, potentially allowing Ryan to make a name for himself as a new ACC player early on.

Dane Goodwin – Small Forward

Dane Goodwin might rotate positions with Ryan this year, but his increased height and apparent comfort down on the block leaves him as the more adept option to fill out the small forward spot at this point. Last year, Goodwin played well as a second-tier scoring option for the Fighting Irish, contributing with 10.8 points per game and earning the team’s “Most Improved Player” award.

But if the Fighting Irish really wishes to contend at all against the ACC’s bigger teams, Goodwin must improve his rebounding totals by substantial measures. Averaging just 3.8 boards per game last year, Goodwin undoubtedly needs to elevate his play, especially with the conference’s reigning rebound champ now gone from the program.

While no guarantee exists for Goodwin and his increased rebounding output, his three-point shooting seems certain to increase. With only a 1.6 minute per game increase from his freshman year, Goodwin more than doubled his three-point attempts and three-pointers made during his sophomore year, all the while shooting at a fair 37.7%. Likely to attain more minutes during his junior year, watch for Goodwin to let it fly early and often for the Fighting Irish.

Nate Laszewski – Power Forward

Although frequently coming off the bench, almost no other Notre Dame player generated more excitement for fans than Nate Laszewski last year. Entering the game down the stretch, he hit buzzer-beating shots against North Carolina and Toledo, delivering arguably the season’s two most exhilarating moments.

But even aside from his clutch play, Lasweski’s ability to stretch the floor makes his elevation to the starting lineup even more intriguing for the Fighting Irish. Able to shoot from anywhere, while still tall enough to play effectively around the rim, Lasweski’s presence on court poises to open things up from an offensive standpoint exponentially for Notre Dame, as he fits the “jump-shooting big” mold avidly supported by basketball modernists.

More importantly though, Lasweski served directly as Mooney’s understudy last year, and although most other players seem certain to see their numbers increase with Mooney now gone, Lasweski owns the best chance for this to occur. Put simply, no other player for the Fighting Irish possesses a higher upside than Lasweski given this skillset and his position, so feel free to bet on him as a breakout candidate for not just Notre Dame, but the entire ACC.

Juwan Durham – Center

According to Brey, Durham put on some extra muscle this offseason likely to help him as he anchors down as Notre Dame’s starting center. But even with just 17.5 minutes per game to spare last year, Durham made his presence known down low, averaging 4.6 rebounds and a team-leading 2.1 blocks per game.

Perhaps Durham’s best game last year came against Alabama A&M, when he rejected five shots, grabbed five rebounds, and also contributed as a scorer with five points. But even with games such as this illustrating the Florida big man as a defensive stopper rather than an actual offensive tool, Durham’s 21 point outing against Duke argues otherwise, leaving him as yet another player with some serious potential.

Furthermore, Durham’s exceptional mobility for a big man, including the speed and athleticism necessary to move well with the fast break unit, nominates him as a likely candidate to make several highlight-reel plays this season. Watch out for Durham, as his ceiling appears almost equally as high as his frontcourt mate Lasweski.