ACC Basketball power rankings: Wake Forest rises, Virginia slides down

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - DECEMBER 22: Jayden Gardner #1 of the Virginia Cavaliers defends Hunter Tyson #5 of the Clemson Tigers in the first half during a game at John Paul Jones Arena on December 22, 2021 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

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

443. . 6-5 (0-1). . Fighting Irish . 12. team

The Irish are one of the most confusing teams to analyze this season. They have one of the oldest rosters in all of college basketball, an effective impact transfer in Paul Atkinson (11.8 ppg and 6.4 rpg) and a potential NBA Draft pick in freshman breakout star in Blake Wesley, who is second on the team with 13.5 ppg.

So why isn’t Notre Dame higher with a real chance at finishing in the top 4 of the standings? Because of unexpected regressions from arguably the team’s two best players from last season, Prentiss Hubbs and Nate Laszewski. The forward Laszewski is still getting boards but seen his scoring nearly cut in half to just 7.0 ppg. It’s been worst for Hubbs, going for just 7.0 ppg and 3.1 apg, and was coming off the bench for a three-game stretch before coming back into the starting lineup.

Had the veterans and the newcomers been able to mesh better, this is a top 20 caliber team, especially with leading scorer Dane Goodwin (15.4 ppg) playing so well. That’s evident by beating Kentucky at home over a week ago. But losing by 16 points on the road at Boston College also shows how low the floor is for this team. If they lose at Pittsburgh this week, that will only make matters much worse and likely ruin any at-large hopes they currently have.