Notre Dame basketball is mired in a rough patch. The Irish went 13-20 a year ago and they’ve finished below .500 in four of the last six years. The height of the Mike Brey era feels like a very long time ago.

However, there is hope in South Bend that better days are ahead. It’s Year 2 for head coach Micah Shrewsberry and star G Markus Burton, and the program made major roster upgrades in the offseason.

As the Irish prep for the Nov. 6 opener with Stonehill, here are the 5 toughest games they’ll play in the regular season:

Propelled by a historic recruiting class headlined by blue-chippers Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, the Scarlet Knight are making an unlikely appearance in the Top 25. ND might be catching Rutgers at a good time, in South Bend and before the kids have fully adapted to the speed of the college game.

Hubert Davis’ fourth team in Chapel Hill will be built around G RJ Davis, an All-American and one of the top players in the nation. The Tar Heels have adjusted to graduations by adding Cade Tyson from Belmont along with top-10 recruits Ian Jackson and Drake Powell.

No. 2 Alabama is ready to make another Final Four run under head coach Nate Oats. The Crimson Tide’s offense will be high-scoring once again, with G Mark Sears running the show. It’ll be a telltale close to November as the Irish face three ranked opponents in the span of five days.

The Irish get their first opportunity to witness Cooper Flagg mania up close and personal. The generational talent and No. 1 overall recruit will be asked to lead a Blue Devil program being forced to replace last year’s top four scorers.

Kelvin Sampson has built a machine at Houston, winning at least 32 games in three consecutive years. While you don’t get better after losing PG Jamal Shead, the fourth-ranked Cougars return four starters and will once again rank among the stingiest defenses in the country.

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