Notre Dame Basketball: Takeaways from season opening win over CSUN

Nov 13, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Prentiss Hubb (3) , guard Cormac Ryan (5) , guard Dane Goodwin (23) , guard Blake Wesley (0) and forward Nate Laszewski (14) huddle in the first half against the Cal State Northridge Matadors at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

2 of 3

Notre Dame Basketball guard Blake Wesley Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame shot 40% from deep

Notre Dame was able to shoot 40% from three-point range making 11 three-point shots on Saturday. Dane Goodwin accounted for six of them. While freshman guard Blake Wesley made four and senior guard Trey Wertz made one three-point field goal.

It is no secret with Notre Dame’s roster that they are a three-point shooting team. They can score in other ways too obviously but will rely on their three-point shooting a lot this season.

They won’t shoot 40% or better every game, but Coach Mike Brey and the rest of the staff will take double-digit three-point field goals every game because that at least puts them into position to win the game outright.

Paul Atkinson provides Irish with true big man down low

Paul Atkinson had a great career at Yale before transferring to Notre Dame this year to finish out his college career. The former Ivy League Player of the year picked up right where he left off for Notre Dame in his debut for the Irish.

Atkinson scored 16 points, 6 rebounds, and one assist in the win over the Matadors. He just brings a different element to Notre Dame that was missing at the forward position last year.

On the very first possession that Notre Dame scored on Paul Atkinson backed down his defender and did an impressive spin move to get by the defender and get the Irish on the scoreboard. Atkinson continued his streak of scoring double digits which is now at 31 consecutive games in a row dating back to his time at Yale.

Home/Notre Dame Fighting Irish