The Irish Enter Their 16th Big East Season with an Attractive Facelift

Like most Hollywood plastic surgeries, Notre Dame's new form of team-play is a recognizable difference from their appearance on the court in seasons past. Off to one of their most impressive starts in their 106 years of basketball, the #15 ranked Fighting Irish (11-1) will find out over the next week if they can continue their hot streak and hang with the best, as they face 3 top ten teams in 7 days, beginning with #9 Georgetown tonight.

Despite not receiving much love in the pre-season, the Irish have exploded to a #15 ranking, as their unselfish play has allowed all of the team members to shine and for different guys to step up when one of the others is down. This collaborative synergy began last year when star player Luke Harangody was injured, the Irish were sitting at 6-8 in the Big East, and all hopes of the post season were gone. Led by Abromaitis and Hansbrough, the team rallied to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament, and they have been an outstanding 17-3 since. Abromaitis’ post-season struggle and the loss of Harangody and four-year point guard Tory Jackson left bleak thoughts for many about the upcoming season, however, each player has utilized their special skills to redefine themselves or add a new characteristic to their existing game.

Tim as a Rebounder

Photo courtesy of Maggie Kate O'Brien '13

Bouncing back from post-season struggles, Abromaitis has not only been the team’s leading scorer with 16.1 ppg, but has also added a new, greatly appreciated element to his game. Tim has a team-best 90 rebounds, with an average of 7.5 per game. This includes 4 straight games of grabbing at least 8 boards, tying his season high with 11 last game against UMBC. Abromaitis brought down 8 or more rebounds only 4 times last season, but he has eclipsed that mark 7 times already this year. After ending last season shooting only 3-31 from behind the arc, and 4-24 to start play this year, Tim has since hit 20 of his last 45 3 point attempts, bringing his season average to 34.8% from behind the 3 point line. Tim is also shooting 84.1% from the free throw line so far this season.

Carleton as a Top Scorer

Photo courtesy of Maggie Kate O'Brien '13

In addition to his size and inside defensive prevalence, Carleton Scott has found a consistency and strength in his offensive scoring game. Averaging 12.8 points per game, Scott holds the longest double-digit scoring streak for the Irish this season, having put up double figures in each of the past 10 games. Scott has put up 20 or more points twice on the season, and has a team-high 3 double-doubles on the year. Scott has put his wingspan to use as well, with a team-high 23 blocks heading in to the Big East season.

Ben as Starting Point Guard

Photo courtesy of Maggie Kate O'Brien '13

Having been a master from behind the arc last season, Ben has adjusted his game to move from shooting guard to the team’s starting point guard this season. This adjustment has helped him dish out a team-high 48 assists (4 per game) while also being the team’s second leading scorer with 15.3 ppg. Ben has put up double figures a team-best 11 times so far this season, and continues to be a strong defender with 11 steals on the year. Continuing his performance from 3-point land, Hansbrough is shooting 48.5% from behind the arc and has made at least one 3 pointer in his last 16 games.

Nash finds Consistency

Photo courtesy of Maggie Kate O'Brien '13

Nash finds himself in the middle of the pack when it comes to statistics, but his improvement is clearly noticeable and his presence undoubtedly felt on the Irish squad. After shooting 60% from the free-throw line last season, Nash has become more comfortable at the line this season netting 73.2% of his attempts. Nash has increased his points-per-game average from 7.8 ppg last season to the team’s fourth best average of 10.2 scores per game. Nash is also third on the team in assists (35) and rebounds (72). Most impressively, Nash has a team high 27 offensive rebounds, a statistic with which the outside-shooting Irish struggle each season.

Cooley as a Cleanup Man

Photo courtesy of Maggie Kate O'Brien '13

When Cooley comes in off of the bench, Irish fans know that the team’s leading sixth man is about to contribute. Jack is netting an impressive 66.7% of his shots from the floor, including two double-digit scoring games on the year. When one of the starters need a breath, Cooley keeps the offensive rhythm intact while also making his defensive presence known, as he is third on the team with 7 blocks.

Martin Finds the Floor

Photo courtesy of Maggie Kate O'Brien '13

After sitting out his transfer season and being out with an ACL injury for the entirety of last year, Scott Martin has finally been able to contribute to Notre Dame Basketball. Martin is heading into the Big East season on a high note, coming off of a career high 3 three-point makes on 5 attempts against UMBC. His last performance matched his season high with 15 points in the game, eclipsing double digits for the fourth time this season. The Irish will look for Martin to continue his recent successes and hopefully become the fifth Irish player to average in the double-digits in points-per-game.

Atkins Came Ready to Play

Photo courtesy of Maggie Kate O'Brien '13

Freshman point guard Eric Atkins has made his presence known right away as he is averaging 7.2 ppg and is second on the team with 42 assists. When Hansbrough needs a breath or the Irish need him to concentrate on his 3-point game, Atkins picks up right where the senior starter left off. Averaging 27.4 minutes per game, Atkins has a team-best 3.0 assist to turnover ratio, and even tied Carleton Scott for top-scorer against Wisconsin. The freshman is continuing to gain confidence in both his distribution and shooting with each passing game, and it will be interesting to see who will be the starting point guard at season’s end.

Unselfishness

Notre Dame's new unselfish play can be seen in many forms, including four starters averaging double-digit points in every game, with four different Irish players leading the team in scoring in a game this season. The Irish also boast an average 18.7 assists per game, a mark that is third in the Big East and seventh in the nation. The Irish play as a team in all aspects of the game, even on the boards, where the players embrace Tim Abromaitis as the unexpected leader off the glass. Tellingly, the Irish have only been outrebounded once this season, and that resulted in a loss to Kentucky.

Keys to Success

Although sharing the wealth and “ham-and-egging” it really well this season, the Irish will need to focus on consistency from the free-throw line and on the boards if they want to have a successful Big East season. In seasons past, the Notre Dame's lack of success in rebounds led to many second, third, or even fourth attempt shots that kept other teams in games that the Irish should have run away with. So far this season, the Irish boast a +10.2 rebound margin, including a 152-117 edge on offensive boards. This statistic needs to hold true against the Big East big men if the Irish want to continue their winning ways.

The Irish have made 74 more free throws than their opponents have had attempts so far this season, shooting 73.8% from the line. This is a statistic that needs to hold strong and hopefully improve as the Irish enter Big East play, as their will be a lot of fouls called on both teams, and the leading free-throw shooting team will often come out victorious. As seen against Kentucky, the one time the Irish let themselves be outrebounded the Irish returned to South Bend with their only loss of the season. By controlling the game, especially in aspects completely in one’s control (free-throw shooting) the Irish will find themselves victorious more times than not this season.

Georgetown

Despite holding a 14-12 series lead over Notre Dame, the Hoyas have lost the last two times they have faced the Fighting Irish. Last season, the Irish won 78-64 in D.C. In a similar matchup in 2009, the last time the Hoyas traveled to South Bend, the #13 Irish defeated the #9 ranked Georgetown team 73-67 in Purcell Pavilion. Let’s hope for similar results tonight, as the Irish look to win their fifth straight Big East opener.

Note:

Keep in mind, the Irish have quite possibly the hardest beginning to a Big East season that anyone has ever faced. Winning one out of the next three games should be considered a victory in every fan's mind, and winning any more than that is an incredible sign for the rest of the season. As seen last year, the Irish can close the regular season strong, and every early win is just positive momentum and extra confidence for this strong Irish team.

GO IRISH!