Game Day Pics: ND basketball takes down UK

Notre Dame Basketball wrote another chapter in its storied history of dominating top-ranked teams on its home court this past Thursday, when the Irish ballers upset #8 Kentucky 64-50.  

Photo courtesy of Eileen Veihmeyer

Students and fans packed the "Blacked Out" Joyce Center to the brim, creating a hostile environment led by the Leprechaun Legion and several members of the #1 Notre Dame Football team who stood courtside in support of their fellow student-athletes.

OL Mike Golic Jr. fist pumping like a champion today

a live look at the #1 atop Grace Hall for ND Football

Stephon Tuitt, Prince Shembo, and Mike Golic Jr.
leading the student section

Fighting Irish fan Dickie V
contributing to the HeisManti campaign

ND Football captains Kapron Lewis-Moore and Manti Te'o

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, students stormed the court for the 2nd time in 2 years to congratulate their victorious classmates.

Photo courtesy of Eileen Veihmeyer

Stephon Tuitt and Kapron Lewis-Moore rush the court

students celebrating the win and #1 ranking

Spirits remain high in the land of the Fightin' Irish, as Brey's squad continues to take strides and everyone anxiously awaits the football team's trip from South Bend to South Beach for the BCS National Championship game featuring #1 Notre Dame v. #2 Alabama.  

I HEART IRISH HOOPS

It's early February, but stirrings of March Madness have been spreading like wild fire across campus ever since Notre Dame knocked off #1 Syracuse and the students poured out onto the court inside the JACC. Now blazing a hot-streak through their Big East schedule, the on-fire Fighting Irish look to continue living up to the never-say-die fighting mentality idealized here at Notre Dame.

Even Moose caught the wave
of Irish Hoops fever sweeping campus

If you haven't had a chance to watch Brey's squad in action this year, I highly recommend it.  He has them playing some of the best team basketball you will find anywhere in the country, and the young backcourt featuring Atkins, Grant, and Connaughton could be a glimpse into something very special coming soon... maybe even, as the ever-hyperbolizing Brey recently put it, the greatest backcourt in school history.

UPDATE: Not only have the recent efforts of Brey's overachieving squad captured some well deserved attention, landing the Fighting Irish at the #23 spot in the AP Top 25 and #24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, but they are now being mentioned as one of the "powers" of the Big East and forward Jack Cooley has earned his first-ever Big East Player of the Week honors.

Congrats to Cooley on being named Big East Player of the Week
(Check out the ingenious Kanye reference on the t-shirt over his shoulder)

For those of us who can't help but look ahead, Joe Lunardi's latest "Bracketology"has Notre Dame's stock rising, with the Fighting Irish slotted as a #7 seed against fellow Hoosier State hoopers from Purdue, which would have to be one of the most intriguing first round matchups in the NCAA Tournament should it happen to play out that way.

All in all, it's great to feel the excitement continue to build around this hardworking team, and I'm eager to see what kind of magic reigning Big East Coach of the Year (and Honorary Alumni Dawg) Mike Brey can work with these guys come tournament time.

Once again, I highly recommend getting a taste of our home cooking in the JACC this Wednesday night by joining the Leprechaun Legion in creating a hostile environment as the Fighting Irish look for their 10th Big East victory of the season against Rutgers.

A CALL TO ARMS: LEPRECHAUN LEGION OF DOOM

Coach Brey celebrates a victory with his impersonators
in the Leprechaun Legion student section

College basketball is a game of emotion, where momentum swings can change the outcome of a game or entire season.  For that reason, home court advantage plays a huge role in any successful regular season.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the Big East, college basketball’s most dominant conference in 2011.   What comes to mind when you think of the top venues in the conference?   The unmatchable atmosphere of MSG is immediately obvious, both as the site of the Big East Tournament and the source of superhuman strength for the St. John’s Red Storm (just ask the #3 Dukies).  Then, there’s Cuse’s dome sweet dome that brings hordes of orange men and women together behind their beloved citrus-flavored squad.  Mention also has to be made of Pitt’s animalistic “Zoo” and Nova’s Pavillion, which has been sold out for years uncountable.  Actually, speaking of sell-outs brings me to the subject of this post: Notre Dame’s Leprechaun Legion.

Historically, the JACC has provided the Fighting Irish with a remarkable advantage over all regular season opponents, no matter the rankings involved.  This trend has continued into the modern era, and during my first two years as a student Notre Dame didn’t lose a single game at home.  They’re back at it again this year, with an unblemished record and only two more home games against Seton Hall and Nova. 

What has been the source of this home court “luck of the Irish?”  None other than the notoriously raucous Leprechaun Legion.   In years past, the loyal Legion has spent many a cold day (and sometimes nights) camping out in sub-zero temperatures in order to gain access to the coveted first few rows that set the tone for every home game.  The Legion has always been extremely vocal and passionate, forcing the College Game Day crew to admit they had never come across a more lively or spirited student section (not even the Cameron Crazies?!) when they visited in 2009.

The Leprechan Legion in action

2011 tells a different story, though.  It’s true that the front few rows continue to impress with pithy remarks spelled across rows in body paint, the fan-favorite “Irish Men” in body suits, and the recent contingent of suit coat and mock turtle neck clad Brey imposters (see above picture) bringing the JACC to life.  While these impressively obsessive members of the Legion have maintained much of the intensity this year, something is sadly lacking during the remarkable run of a team that no one credited at the outset of the season.  If you take a step back, you will notice that our arena is usually embarrassingly empty for a team that is ranked #7 nationally.  With the departure of Harangody, many students found it too hard to keep the faith, thus refusing to buy season tickets.  What they failed to recognize was the late season surge the Fighting Irish had put on without Luke last season, and the dangerous combination of experienced leaders that Brey had developed into a championship caliber squad.  It’s truly a shame that so many won’t get a chance to see these guys play in person.

Alas, not all is lost.  There is something we can do about it.  Actually, there are five things we can do about it:

1.  We must make sure every student ticket already bought is being used for every game.  Many who bought the entire booklet opt to sit out some of the games, and their tickets go to waste.  Unlike football stubs, individual basketball tickets are completely transferrable to other students.  It’s a simple solution:  If you don’t feel like going to a game, give your ticket to someone who does.  If you want to go but don’t have a ticket, ask around campus and odds are you will find one floating around somewhere.

2.  Those of us who do have tickets and continue to attend every game must make up for our comrades’ absence.  This includes not only the student section, but the entire crowd inside the JACC.  For every empty seat you see, you need to be that much louder and livelier.  In case you haven’t noticed, every time the entire crowd gets on its feet and into the game our team can’t help but go on a scoring run or buckle down for a great defensive stand.  The team feeds off our energy, and as a member of the crowd there’s nothing better than watching the direct impact your collective energy can have on a game.  Try it, its fun.

3.  For our final home game, a critical in-conference contest against Villa-no-fun, the powers that be need to find their inner generosity and open up the doors for all students to attend free of charge.  As the world’s preeminent Catholic university, we should be able to find it within ourselves to forgive their lack of loyalty by welcoming back our prodigal sons and daughters to return for one last send off worthy of a team ranked in the top 10.  Not only could doing so seal the deal on an undefeated season at home, but it could represent a tremendous showing of unity that gives the team something to remember as they head off to battle in the Big East Tournament and beyond. 

4.  All you Subway Domers in NYC need to rally around the flag come tournament time in MSG.  Having spent an entire week in the Big Apple during the tournament run last season, I saw first hand just how scattered our supporters were compared to almost every other team in contention.  In fact, most other teams seem to have a designated bar (not that I frequented them…) for their supporters to congregate in, get amped for upcoming games, and most importantly buy/sell/trade tickets with their fellow fans.  With all the Irish Pubs surrounding MSG (so I’ve been told), it baffles me why the Fighting Irish have not been able to come up with such an arrangement.  I’m talking to you, big time NYC alums who have more connections than Tetris:  Set something up to harness the collective energy of the Notre Dame / New York connection (after witnessing ND v. Army in Yankee Stadium, we all know its there…).

5.  Finally, we need to mobilize our masses for the NCAA tournament.  Everyone knows that Notre Dame travels exceedingly well for football.  Why can’t this be so for basketball?!  If, God granting, we land a good position in the Chicago region, we should all see it as a golden opportunity handed to us on a silver platter (see what I did there?).  The South Shore Line exists for a reason, the Alumni network in Chicago is ridiculously strong, and need I remind you that the greatest of all holidays (the one that turns the river green) just so happens to coincide with the first rounds of the tournament?  Oh yeah, and Notre Dame students will be on spring break… sounds like the perfect storm for Fighting Irish glory to me…

IRISH CREED writers FightingIrish1313 (far left) and TheNDleprechaun (second from left) watch a Notre Dame victory with the Leprechaun Legion

Texts from a True Fan

When it comes to being a Notre Dame fan, Irish Creed writer FightingIrish1313 is almost as hopelessly neurotic as he is fiercely loyal. To illustrate this point, I have compiled a barely-edited log of the text messages he sent me during our latest basketball win over the #9 ranked UConn Huskies:

(I’ll let you fill in the blanks for yourself)

Tuesday, Jan 4, 2011

7:05 p.m. – “screwed without scott I want cooley to play a lot atkins and ben not good on same line”

7:08 p.m. – “Totally a foul on ben”

7:10 p.m. – “Got lucky there tim u can dribble bud… that last play too easy”

7:17 p.m. – “Ben always gets those stupid fouls in the back court”

7:20 p.m. – “Ouch tim”

7:34 p.m. – “Stupid take by martin”

7:35 p.m. – “And that’s a foul how?”

7:42 p.m. – “Clearly our ball but ref shudnt be able to change his call haha wtf”

7:50 p.m. – “Tim 1 for 4 ft”

7:51 p.m. – “Taste”

8:09 p.m. – “What are these fouls?!”

8:11 p.m. – “This is insane why can’t brey yell!”

8:20 p.m. – “Sloppy ben”

8:23 p.m. – “Ugh bs”

8:24 p.m. – “Omg we’re ____”

8:44 p.m. – “No foul why?”

9:01 p.m. – “Dude famous brey calls a timeout with 9 seconds left and can’t setup a ____ play and tim gosh ____ didn’t shoot that open 3”

9:02 p.m. – “Put it in the hands of the freakin foul shooters nash shudnt be at top of key”

9:02 p.m. – “Holy santa claus ____”

9:05 p.m. – “That was an insane foul call”

9:07 p.m. – “Omg this is luck”

9:08 p.m. – “Almost threw that ____ out of bounds… need a drink”

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!

Irish Game Report

IrishGirl10 presents 4 quarters of action with her first Irish Game Report of the year:

First Quarter: Women's Soccer

This past Sunday, the Irish ladies claimed the Big East National Division Title with a 3-1 win over Providence. This achievement brings the ND title tally to thirteen: ten from the divisional format of the conference and three as a result of winning the overall championship. Considering these ladies have only been members of the Big East Conference for 16 seasons, this record is pretty remarkable; but unsurprising when one considers the consistently outstanding talent featured on the Irish roster. Currently ranked No. 4/5, the team is 14-1-1 for the year; with upcoming matches against Villanova (October 22) and Georgetown (October 24), however, that win column will undoubtedly improve to an even sweet 16. Following the conclusion of their regular season play, the Irish will enter the Big East tournament with the first game slotted for October 28 at a yet-to-be-determined site. Being the loyal Irish fan I know you are, I’m sure you’ll be tuning in. But if not, we’ll have all the latest news and scores right here.

Second Quarter: Men’s Soccer

At a record of 7-4-3, the boys of Notre Dame soccer have seemingly struggled to capitalize on offensive opportunities and find the back of their opponent’s net. With three shutout losses (they managed to sneak one in against West Virginia), three ties after fruitless double-overtimes, and only two wins with a goal margin greater than two, it’s an easy argument to make. What doesn’t fit this picture, however, is the extreme talent and high capability level of this Irish squad – including previous members of the U-14 through 18 U.S. National Teams and their pools. So what’s the problem? Experience. Our roster consists of 8 freshman, 6 sophomore, 8 juniors, and 7 seniors; only two of these seniors saw game action prior to their junior year, with the minutes of play for current juniors and sophomores doing little to impress. What this team needs, unfortunately, is time. With three games left in regular season - match-ups against the strong competitors of Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and Georgetown – the Irish players have multiple opportunities to prove themselves and display the talent their backgrounds suggest. Here’s hoping it happens in time for the start of the Big East tournament November 17.

Half-Time Updates

-Men’s and Women’s Cross Country concluded their seasons at the Pre-NCAA meet, with the boys placing seventh and the girls placing twenty-third overall on October 16.

-Men’s Golf finished second at the Lone Star Invitational in San Antonio, TX on October 18, next weekend they travel to California for the Saint Mary’s Invitational. The women’s team recently finished fifth at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Knoxville, TN; next they will compete in the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, NC.

-Men’s Lacrosse defeated Johns Hopkins 10-7 in the San Francisco Fall Classic on October 16.

-Men’s Tennis is set to host the Midwest Regional Championships starting this Saturday, with the women traveling to Ann Arbor for their Midwest Regional.

-Women’s Basketball is set to participate in the first Super Six Series, a set of games in which two teams are chosen from the top six conferences (Big East, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10, and SEC), with the resulting twelve scheduled to face off six early-season games.

-Volleyball (currently 12-8 for the season) will play this Saturday in South Bend against Syracuse.

Third Quarter: Hockey

Last Thursday and Friday, the Irish opened their season at home with a pair of games against Lake Superior State. Both nights, the boys left the ice with a 4-2 win blazing on the scoreboard. Scoring a goal apiece in the first match-up were freshmen David Gerths and Mike Voran, junior Billy Maday, and senior Calle Ridderwall. Sophomore goaltender Mike Johnson racked up 26 saves, shutting out the Lakers in the third period after their pair of goals split between the first and second. On Friday, seniors Calle Ridderwall and Ben Ryan along with freshmen T.J. Tynan and Anders Lee each recorded goals for the Irish – 3 in the first period and 1 in the third. Once again, Johnson tallied 26 saves, with a shutout in the third period. This Saturday, Notre Dame faces off against a top-ranked Boston College team that is certain to test the legitimacy of these early Irish wins as well as indicate where they deserve to be placed in early CCHA ratings. Despite a 16-11-2 series record that favors the Eagles, the Irish have won four of the last six encounters beginning in 2003-04. Not to mention, the Irish are still seeking vengeance for their defeat at the hands of BC in their first NCAA Tournament Championship. What does this all mean? That when the puck drops this Saturday at 7:05, our boys are going to swiftly and soundly destroy this overrated Back-Up team and reclaim their rightful place at the top of the CCHA.

Fourth Quarter: Basketball

Let’s take a break from the official-sounding game reports and stats. It’s confession time: I hate the NBA. I also hate high school basketball…but that has a lot to do with my required attendance at every. single. game. as a member of the dance team (yes, I was on the dance team – judge as you will). So logically, I must hate college basketball right? WRONG. I love it. Every spring break while my friends are timing their tequila shots to a serenade of raucous whistles, I’m getting spilled on as I paw my way towards the television and the magic of the NCAA tournament. When it was recently announced that the Irish are pegged to finish seventh overall in the Big East Conference, I wasn’t sure quite how to feel. Preceding the Irish are (in order) Pittsburgh, Villanova, Syracuse, Georgetown, West Virginia, and St. Johns; and they are followed by Louisville and Marquette (tied for eighth), Connecticut, Seton Hall, Cincinnati, USF, Providence, Rutgers, and DePaul. Woof. See what I mean? The Irish are crushed in the middle of the conference, in between some insanely talented bookends. If we have learned anything from coach Brey and past seasons, however, it’s that rankings and season records are deceiving. As such, I’m attempting to take the current team placements lightly. Luckily, the Irish appear to start this season with a rather light load: two exhibition matches against Marian and Catholic, continuing on to face Georgia Southern, Liberty, Chicago State, and Maine before the Thanksgiving holiday. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s hoping these games give the Irish the wins and the confidence they need to get started on a consistent and successful season.

-IrishGirl10

Pulchritudinous Purcell

So where exactly have I been? Since my last post I have finished up my internship in the OC, driven across the country multiple times crossing through 18 different states (at least once), moved into my apartment in South Bend, started my second major (FTT), and realized that my one goal in life (graduating from Notre Dame) is almost over.

After longboarding home from my Leprechaun Legion meeting this afternoon and feeling excited for the first time since Saturday I figured I would cheer all of our readers up with some basketball talk, since that is definitely what is on all of your minds as we enter the third weekend of September.

Before our meeting I ventured to the hardwood as they were testing our brand new video screen and boy is it something to get excited for. It may be the classiest and nicest video board in the country, and it really got my ideas flowing for a great season.

Some inside tidbits for you all: The Leprechaun Legion will be holding a Student Shirt Design contest for our student shirts, to be unveiled at our first Midnight Madness in recent history. This event will be on the Friday night before the Western Michigan game from 11 pm to 1 am and is open to everyone. I hope you all show up and show the basketball team the support that they deserve to pump up what should be one of our best squads during Brey’s tenure.

I will fill you in more as plans finalize, but for now enjoy the pictures of the video board. I’ll blog about my journey to Michigan State after we pulverize sparty. Go Irish!

A Decade Gone By at Notre Dame

“As I talked to Coach K and others, players on those teams, I've come to realize that Mike Brey played a pretty darn significant role in some of that wonderful success that happened down there.”

A Decade Gone By at Notre Dame

A decade ago yesterday, Notre Dame athletic director Kevin White named Mike Brey as the 17th head coach of the Fighting Irish Men’s Basketball Team. In his tenure, Brey has been the peer of five football coaches, two athletic directors, two University Presidents, and has the 5th highest winning percentage in the Big East during that time period. Brey has over 200 wins with Notre Dame.


Brey has had a successful career with the Fighting Irish

From 2006-2008 the Fighting Irish were undefeated at home in front of the Leprechaun Legion. This was the first time that a Big East team made it two consecutive seasons without losing a conference game on their home court; Brey won back to back Big East Coach of the Year honors for this accomplishment. Unfortunately, the Irish got upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2007 and the second round in 2008, and we have not returned to the Sweet Sixteen since 2003. Getting upset in this year’s first round after a late season surge was a real down moment for the Notre Dame Basketball program, adding to the trend of successful regular season squads under Brey that fizzle during the post season. Notre Dame’s tendency to “live-or-die” by the 3 coupled with a notoriously soft defense makes the Irish an easy upset target as smart coaches know how to hit the Irish hard and early. Although Brey showed some upside with the use of the “burn” offense that sparked Notre Dame’s late-season run, he failed to change his strategy against an Old Dominion squad that Notre Dame needed to come out attacking from the opening tip. These trends need to be addressed immediately as the Irish are fielding their best squad since Troy Murphy captained the team.

Goals heading into the next decade

The Irish need to make themselves a perennial Big East top 5, finishing in the top 3 at least once every three years (as the team cycles and becomes dominated by upper classmen again). We also need to make it to the Sweet-16 every 3 years as well. FINISHING is the biggest goal for Mike Brey over the next decade.

This is one of Brey’s strongest recruiting classes at Notre Dame and he is really getting after it for next year’s class as well. Having a good recruiting class every year is something Brey must do to ensure that the Fighting Irish can remain competitive year in and year out.

Channeling his inner Mike Krzyzewski

Prior to his five-year stint at Delaware and coming to Notre Dame, Mike Brey was an assistant at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski. The Duke Blue Devils were very similar to the Irish before Krzyzewski arrived in 1980. They had a previous coaching regime that would consistently get the team into the tournament, but they could never bring home the hardware. And although it doesn’t seem like Brey has laid the tracks for a powerhouse like Krzyzewski, it did take Krzyzewski 11 years at Duke before he won his first title (with Mike Brey on the sideline)… Who knows, this decade could have unforeseen surprises for Fighting Irish fans.

Like Brian Kelly, Notre Dame was Mike Brey’s dream job and everything else just a stepping stone until there. His goal was to turn Notre Dame around like Krzyzewski did with Duke, recruiting the smartest players with the best personalities, and turning them into outstanding ball players. Brey was familiar with the academic standards a coach faces at Notre Dame, as they were very similar when he arrived at Duke. But he was confident he could establish a “national recruiting network (like he) developed at Duke… here at Notre Dame.” Although Notre Dame hasn’t had consistent recruiting, Mike Brey seems to know this as he has really hit the ground running these past two seasons. For Notre Dame to have perennial success and for Brey to get another contract extension, getting top notch players in and developing them every year is a must.

Mike Brey as a Notre Dame man

Coaching qualifications aside, Mike Brey is the ideal “face” of a Notre Dame program. Coach is always e-mailing the student body, asking them for their support at upcoming basketball games, and thanking them afterwards win or lose. When tendomer, myself, and other students camped out for basketball games it was almost a given that Brey would come out with an order of pizza pies to hold us over and help us stay nourished/energized to cheer on the Irish. He can be frequently seen in the dining hall or around campus, talking to students and actually engaging in conversation outside of basketball. During preseason dorm talks, Brey always precedes a student’s question by asking them their name, home town, and major. If a detached onlooker were to see this they would think he was a professor, not the head basketball coach! There isn’t a high-profile coach in the country more reachable, and he is truly an asset to the university. Let’s hope that he can continue to bring in strong recruiting classes like this past one, and lead the Irish to the NCAA tournament year after year like he did upon his arrival a decade ago.

LLUUUUUUUUUKKEE!!!

I’m not going to lie, I didn’t want Luke on the floor at the end of this season. I knew that he was our best player in seasons past but after the team came together during his injury I didn’t want someone who needed to change his game for NBA scouts to interrupt the confident hot streak our team was running on.

But I forgot that Luke was Notre Dame. One of the nicest guys I had ever seen around campus, always working hard and wanting to win for the Irish. He was the most underrated All American of all time and will be remembered as a Notre Dame legend, despite not ending on the highest note.

In his first NBA summer league game, Luke Harangody was wet from behind the arc as if he was back at Freedom Hall in 2008, the site of his first collegiate three-pointers. Gody posted a respectable 23 points and 4 rebounds including 4 of 6 on threes, earning himself the number 2 spot on the NBA rookie ladder.



In his second game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Luke struggled from the field but made all 6 of his free throw attempts and added a team-high 12 boards to give himself his first double-double with the Celtics, albeit in summer league.



Was Luke’s three point percentage in the first game a fluke or will Gody be able to solidify himself as a shooter in the NBA?

Analysis so far: Luke looked a lot like he did at the end of the season on Tuesday night, missing a handful of open shots including four contested layups. He needs to show his strength in finishing those attempts. Despite his attempt at re-imaging himself as a shooter in the NBA, Luke still has his unique shooting form that Notre Dame fans have grown to know well. If he can continue to perform as he did in his first game, fans and commentators will respect his unorthodox style; if not, he is sure to encounter a lot of criticism.

Luke has shown a lot of highs and lows, from good hustle and defense, to poor boxing out and allowing an alley-oop in his face. Then again, against the Sixers he was going against 6-10 Marreese Speights, who has averaged over 16 minutes per game in his first two years in the NBA.

It will be interesting to see how Luke will emerge in the coming weeks and if he will make the regular season roster come summer’s end. Check back with Irish Creed for future Gody updates as we track his summer league play for you. We wish him the best of luck as he plays for another one of Erin’s teams, even if it happens to be in Satan’s city.