Notre Dame @ Clemson preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 6, 2019 ) Clemson 64, Notre Dame 62

Halfway through the conference season, Notre Dame and Clemson certainly are heading in different directions. The Fighting Irish visit the Tigers on Sunday in a matchup of two middle-of-the-pack teams in the ACC.

The Irish have won three in a row following a 1-4 stretch, but three straight road games are looming as they aim to continue their move up the ACC standings. "I think our frame of mind ... how we're playing ... I'm excited about it," coach Mike Brey said after the most recent win. Meanwhile, the Tigers have dropped four of their last six games with the only wins in that stretch coming by three points over Wake Forest and by one point over Syracuse. "We had some chances, had some looks, and we've struggled to make those big-time 3s on the road that you need to win games like this," coach Brad Brownell said after a 51-44 loss to Virginia on Wednesday.

TIME: 6 p.m. ET. TV: ACC Network

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (14-8, 5-6 ACC): John Mooney registered his 18th double-double of the season - second most in Division I - against Pitt with 17 points and 10 rebounds, moving his season averages to 16.5 points and 13 rebounds. T.J. Gibbs had 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting against the Panthers in shooting at least 50 percent from the field for the ninth time in 10 games. Sophomore guard Prentiss Hubb averages 12.2 points but has just 17 in the last three games combined, shooting 5-of-26 over that span.

ABOUT CLEMSON (11-11, 5-7): The Tigers have two double-digit scorers on the season in Aamir Simms (13.4 points) and Tevin Mack (12.0), who are also the top two rebounders on the squad with a combined average of 12.9 boards. Simms finished 6-of-16 from the floor in each of the last two games and is shooting just 32.7 percent over the last five games. Mack is 4-of-19 from the floor in the last two contests and is 4-of-34 from 3-point range in the last six outings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Since reaching double figures in three straight games in early January, Clemson sophomore G John Newman III has gone six straight games without scoring 10 points.

2. Notre Dame F Juwan Durham has 51 blocks. Everyone else on the Irish roster has combined for 38.

3. Clemson's bench did not contribute a point in the loss to Virginia.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 73, Clemson 66