Notre Dame’s 74-72 win over Villanova in Rome gave scouts an early look at several players who could matter in the 2027 NBA Draft picture, and the opener delivered a mixed but useful snapshot.
The biggest buzz still follows Luigi Suigo, the potential first-round pick who was making his first college appearance. The 7-foot-3, 289-pound big man finished with seven points, five rebounds, a block and three turnovers, going 3-of-6 from the field and 1-of-2 from 3-point range.
It wasn’t the kind of box score that jumps off the page, but his size and floor-spacing touch showed up enough to keep him in the first-round conversation. Derek Parker had Suigo going to the Brooklyn Nets at No. 28 overall in his first 2027 mock draft.
Notre Dame also got a major lift from its returning pieces. Koehler, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound sophomore, opened what could be a breakout season with 16 points, eight rebounds, an assist, two steals, two blocks and no turnovers.
He shot 6-of-13 overall, 1-of-4 from deep and 3-of-4 at the line, and he also came through with a key shot contest in the closing seconds to help seal the win. As a freshman, the former four-star recruit averaged 5.6 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 45.2% from the field and 38.2% from 3-point range.
The Fighting Irish also leaned on Shrewsberry, who matched Koehler for the team lead with 15 points. He added six rebounds, three assists, a steal and no turnovers while shooting 6-of-14 from the field, 3-of-8 from beyond the arc and 0-of-2 from the free throw line.
Over his first three seasons at Notre Dame, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard averaged 11.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 40% from the field and 38.1% from 3-point range. Another solid year could put him in the second round of the 2027 class.
Villanova’s senior guard Perkins led all scorers with 18 points and added four rebounds, three assists, a steal and one turnover. He shot 6-of-12 from the field, 5-of-11 from 3 and 1-of-3 from the foul line. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, Perkins averaged 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 36.9% from deep as a junior, and a strong senior season could push him into the 2027 NBA Draft mix.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Created A Ranking Debate Fans Wont Ignore
USCs rise and fall in the AP Top 25 has already made for one of the more interesting early-season twists, but the latest shakeup has only added to the conversation around where the Irish fit in the national picture. The Trojans slipped out of the poll after losing to Wisconsin, then turned around and stunned No. 2 Ohio State at home, a result that immediately complicated how voters view both teams and the teams around them.
Ohio States offense never looked settled without its starting quarterback, and the Buckeyes slide in the rankings reflected how much that absence mattered. With several other ranked teams also winning or losing, the poll saw plenty of movement, leaving Notre Dame fans with a fresh reminder that the margin between a top-tier spot and a drop can change quickly when the results start stacking up. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Just Got A New Playoff Debate Fueling Fans
Notre Dames place in the national conversation got a fresh jolt after Week 9, when ESPNs Football Power Index was updated and pushed the Irish to No. 1. The predictive model, which uses simulations and team strength to forecast the rest of the season, flipped the order at the top and sent Ohio State down to No. 2, giving Notre Dame fans another data point to point to as the playoff debate starts to sharpen.
The rest of the updated top five includes Miami, Georgia and LSU, but the Irish are the ones now sitting at the center of the discussion. FPI is only one measure, of course, and it is built to project what comes next rather than reward what has already happened, but any time Notre Dame lands at the top of a national ranking, it adds another layer to the case being made for where the season could go from here. [Read more 🡒]
Jerome Bettis Jr. Just Made Notre Dames WR Pecking Order Interesting
Jerome Bettis Jr. gave Notre Dame another useful wrinkle in the passing game against Navy, turning in the most productive outing of his career with six catches for 78 yards and his first touchdown. It was the kind of performance that tends to change how a receiver is viewed in the rotation, especially for a team still sorting out where the targets are going and who can be trusted when the ball comes their way.
Marcus Freeman and CJ Carr both singled out Bettis for the steady way he has handled his chances, and that matters in a receiver room where opportunities can shift quickly. His expanded role has become one of the more interesting developments for the Irish, not just because of the numbers from one game, but because he looks like a player who can keep forcing his way into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]