ACC Basketball: Projecting each team’s key player production for 2021-22

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 19: Buddy Boeheim #35 of the Syracuse Orange reacts during the second half against the San Diego State Aztecs in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on March 19, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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ACC Basketball Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Prentiss Hubb Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame: Trey Wertz and Prentiss Hubb

Decrease in production: Tre Wertz

After two seasons at Santa Clara, Trey Wertz had his lowest scoring average to end the season at just over eight points a game. The lower scoring production for the 6’5 guard corresponds with starting his lowest percentage of games. After having not started in just four of his 62 games played at Santa Clara, Wertz was out of the starting line-up for seven of the twenty-one games he appeared in.

Wertz’s early starts came when Coach Mike Brey moved 6’11 Juwan Durham to the bench in order to play 6’10 Nate Laszewski as the sole big man. His later starts came at the expense of Cormac Ryan who in turn played incrementally fewer minutes and outscored Wertz. This season Wertz will begin the season coming off the bench for either Cormac Ryan or Dane Goodwin, which will allow Wertz to keep his minutes up, just not at last year’s levels, much will be the same with his production.

Increase in production: Prentiss Hubb

With their five top minute getters from last season returning, it looks to be more of the same in store for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, so it is with good reason it should be expected that their best player will continue his three-season streak of improving his scoring, rebounding averages along with his free-throw and two-point field goal percentages. Hubb will continue to be the go-to guy for Coach Brey as Hubb averaged over 13 field goal attempts per game with a 25.4 usage percentage.

There is room for Hubb to improve as well, as he was held to single-digit scoring five times last season, including an 0-7 shooting performance while going scoreless in an 88-78 loss to Purdue. Use whichever cliché you choose, Hubb will be the primary scoring option for Notre Dame this season.