Regular Season Year in Review

This is one of two pretty big posts for the day, so be sure you also check out the Championship Week post below.

Matt from We Never Graduate sent over a batch of questions for a year-end collaborative post. I'll share a link to his responses when he completes them, but here are mine:

1. There have been multiple nationally televised Big East conference games where the lower bowl of the student section wasn't even close to full. To be perfectly blunt, it seems that the majority of the student body couldn't care less about the basketball team. You're a current student. Is the indifference that comes through on TV--and the message boards--as bad as it seems?

The student support has been up and down this year. Obviously ND never has the kind of support seen at universities where basketball is king, but we typically can get a much better turnout than has been the case in several of the games this year. While there has been an uptick recently (the student section was pretty full for the UCONN game), Sunday afternoon contests against South Florida and St. John's barely drew anyone.

I think the way last season ended and this season began has been the number one factor behind our low student attendance. With the football team struggling and Coach Brey's squad ranked in the top-ten, basketball was king on campus for the first couple of months of the 2008-09 season. The College Gameday experience and subsequent support for the Irish against Connecticut that January was one of the highlights of my basketball watching career. At the time, I felt that the program could carry that momentum and the construction of a new arena into a permanent place amongst the college basketball elite.

Unfortunately, that opportunity was wasted. The UCONN game just became loss number three of a seven game slide and even a huge win over Louisville and deep NIT run were not enough to keep the students interested. The football team may have sucked again this year, but the hiring of Brian Kelly has kept students looking forward to next fall instead of focusing on the present.

With last year's letdown still a recent memory and nonconference losses to Northwestern and Loyola Marymount seemingly dooming the season from the start, it's been hard for anyone to get excited about a bubble program. The recent success has helped turned things around in the students' minds a lot, but it has come too late to display a consistent increase in attendance.

I think much of the internet bashing of students has been a bit unfair. It's a consistent topic for the message boards, but I haven't really addressed it too much on the blog. Yes, student support is too low and we need to see a change in the way the student body views the basketball program. However, there are so many factors involved: hangover from yet another frustrating football season, terrible South Bend weather, cupcake nonconference opponents, the sheer number of home games. Without a good team to watch (a Sweet Sixteen contender), the students just aren't going to put in the effort to follow the program like they do for football. That's not an excuse, it's just a fact we have to deal with.

2. Mike Brey deserves applause for getting Cooley, Scott, and Broghammer to contribute when Harangody went down... but does he deserve equal criticism for not utilizing them more at an earlier point in the season?

Absolutely. As always, this help has been better late than never, but there is no reason why we could not have been playing Scott on a more consistent basis all year and giving Cooley/Broghammer at least five minutes per game. Scott has really come into his own recently and developed into the kind of athletic rebounder that the program has needed for years. His offensive development has been surprising, as he seemed to struggle with the ball at the start of the year, but could have come even sooner with a bit of game experience.

We could have used a big man off the bench all season and there is no excuse for why Coach Brey would have been willing to burn redshirts on two of his freshman bigs in meaningless contests without giving them a chance to spell Harangody in short stretches during the Big East season. Gody's injury forced him to open up the rotation a bit and we were able to see that these guys actually do have a bit of talent.

3. Who is your MVP of the regular season?

That's a really tough one. Harangody was the obvious choice, but the team has improved so much without him that it's hard to stick with the All-American. Scott is most-improved. He has been the most valuable guy during this winning streak and has kept a level head while persevering through a playing time crisis to develop into one of our best players. Abromaitis has come off a redshirt year to score in double digits on all but three occasions. His scoring ability and support on the glass has been much-needed all year. He's been utterly reliable in every game this season and should continue to develop into a star.

But I'll go with Tory Jackson. He scores less than ten points per game, frequently takes ill-advised shots in the lane around much taller defenders, and has seen a sharp decrease in his rebound numbers this season. Yet his contributions to the team have been immeasurable. For two-thirds of the year, he was the only guy who seemed to give a damn about playing D. He will continue to be matched up with the best scorers from our opponents in the postseason and I can't wait to see him challenge some of the best players in the country. On top of everything, he is the heart and soul of the program. He is a passionate leader and bleeds blue and gold. Many will remember his 22 points against UCONN that kept the Irish Tournament hopes alive, but I'll never forget the pure excitement that was in his voice for the postgame speech. The Notre Dame senior class of 2010 boasted a former Big East Player of the Year whose individual accomplishments rank amongst the greatest in Notre Dame and Big East basketball history, but he pales in comparison to what Tory has meant to this program. Harangody will go on to have a very successful pro career, but I can think of few better players to start a team around than Tory Jackson.

4. In your eyes what was the season's biggest disappointment?

Just the overall underperformance we saw for much of the year. Obviously, this team had the talent to perform amongst the league's best, but managed to throw away contests to Northwestern, Loyola Marymount, Cincy, Rutgers, and St. John's. I blame the short bench and the handling of Harangody for much of those problems.

Luke used this season as an extended pro tryout. I don't hold that against him too much, but the coaching staff should have had him riding the pine every time he threw up yet another dumb three pointer. He vacated the paint and destroyed the offensive flow by operating as a shooting guard in a center's body. The rest of the players were more than willing to watch him jack up 20+ shots a game and be our sole rebounding threat on the floor. With him out of the lineup, the ball movement has improved and every guy has been able to play to his ability. Call it the Ewing Theory or whatever you want. Luke Harangody's injury was the best thing that could have happened to our Tournament chances this season.

5. How did this season play out in terms of your preseason expectations?

That's such a tough question. I entered this year thinking we would be better than last season's team. Not the top-ten early season ranking for the program a year ago, but certainly good enough to merit NCAA consideration. Tim Abromaitis has been everything I expected and more. His performance has been such a great improvement over the Hillesland/Ayers fiasco that we should have been two or three games better on that basis alone. On paper, the addition of Abro and Hansbrough replacing McAlarney should have made this team a lock for the NCAAs.

Yet they weren't. Until recently, this team would have been lucky to nail down an NIT bid. Its defensive effort was god-awful for 27 games. The once great star of the program turned into a selfish shell of his former self and Mike Brey was another losing streak away from finding a new job.

The recent success hasn't made me change my mind about this season being a disappointment, indeed I think we should have played like this all year, but there is something endearing about the current squad. Without Harangody, they have been transformed into something we haven't seen on campus in years: a gritty underdog that is willing to fight with anyone and can actually play a little defense when it counts. Sure '07 and '08 were surprises, but this one is different. I have never seen a team completely transform its identity over the course of the year like this. They could very well make a run over the next few weeks and reach a level of success that Mike Brey has only seen once. Or they could completely flame out and lose their next two. Regardless, it's hard to be surprised anymore. This season has been nothing like what I expected.

6. Let's take a small lead of faith and say the Irish sneak in the Big Dance. What's their ceiling when they arrive?

Again, I really need to stop predicting this team's behavior. With the right draw and the current momentum, I could really see them making it to the second weekend. However, this luck could play itself out very quickly. Regardless, it will be interesting watch.

7. Nearly ten years are in the books of the Mike Brey era... do you believe he's the guy who takes Notre Dame to the next level?

No, I really don't. I like Mike Brey a lot as a person and still think he is a very good coach, but my patience finally wore out on him this season. Unfortunately, I have no idea who the right guy could be. Is it Fran McCaffery? I like what he's done at Siena, but it is hard to say definitively that he would be an improvement over Brey. Earlier in the year, I supported a coaching change if only to breath new life into the program. Now however, that would be a much harder sell. There simply is not a Brian Kelly-type coach (or better) available for the hoops program. Any new blood would involve a lot of risk. If Brey continues to make the Big Dance at the current rate, he's going to be retained. I don't think that is the right mentality for the program, but I really don't know if there is anyone out there who can bring about the success we should strive for under the current conditions.

8. What will be your lasting memory of the 09-10 season?

That is still to be determined. I'm glad we didn't do this two weeks ago, because it would have been pretty negative. That still might be the case if the team regresses from its current form. However, if the season ended today I would have two major memories of this year.

First of all, the Loyola Marymount loss now seems like a harbinger of the struggles we saw in Big East play. There was no need for good defense, little intensity all day, and a late-game collapse against a vastly inferior opponent. My proudest moment right now is that UCONN game. It wasn't our best win (that would be against West Virginia way back in January, a game that was seemingly ages ago), but it was one we needed to win. After two big upsets, the team was due for a letdown but somehow pulled out a much needed victory in a low scoring defensive battle. The Marquette game came close to topping it, but there's nothing like getting the W on Senior Night like that with your best player in street clothes.

All-Big East

Congrats to Luke Harangody for making first team All-Conference and Tim Abromaitis for making Honorable Mention.

Two Weeks Left

Just a few more games remain in the regular season. Though the Winter Olympics might be taking up the brunt of ESPN's attention (and every single channel operated by NBC), there are a few very good stories to watch in the Big East.

1. Villanova is starting to slide away from a chance at the Big East regular season title. With two straight losses and games remaining against Syracuse and West Virginia, the Wildcats could find themselves dropping as low as fourth in the standings after leading for much of the year.

2. Syracuse may have locked up the first seed. Pomeroy now places the Orange as an eight-point favorite at home against 'Nova with their toughest game coming on the road to a Louisville team that defeated them a week ago. The law of averages could play a role in a 'Cuse win there, but expect no more than one loss for the Orange as they finish atop the standings at 15-3.

3. The list of Big East teams receiving bids to the Tournament this year could be pretty slim. ESPN just list five teams as "locks" from the conference with four needing to boost their resumes a bit. After eight a couple years ago, the league will receive no more than last year's total of seven this season, but even that could be a serious stretch.

Harangody Player of the Week

Luke Harangody was named Big East Player of the Week for his performances against Cincy and South Florida last week. That's the second time this season he has picked up the award and sixth time in his career. Against Cincinnati, he had 37 points and 14 boards. His performance against the Bulls was less efficient, but he still finished with 19 and 15. Congrats to Luke.

Fifteen Games Left

At 2-1 in the Big East, the Irish stand on the precipice of three distinctly different five game stretches.

The first, which includes games against three top ten teams, will have a significant effect on any NCAA Tournament hopes. 1-4 here could finish Notre Dame off before we even reach the halfway point of the conference season. Predicted scores are by Ken Pomeroy, followed by the predicted number of possessions and percentage chance of victory.

Sat Jan 9	(10) West Virginia	L, 79-73	66	28%	Home
Sat Jan 16	(56) Cincinnati	L, 77-70	67	26%	Away
Mon Jan 18	(5) Syracuse	L, 89-79	74	21%	Home
Sat Jan 23	(183) DePaul	W, 75-62	62	90%	Home
Wed Jan 27	(29) Villanova	L, 92-80	72	17%	Away

The Irish reach a nice run of easier games, all of which are very winnable. Sweeping these contests, or even taking four of five is extremely important.

Sat Jan 30	(157) Rutgers	W, 78-74	69	65%	Away
Thu Feb 4	(56) Cincinnati	W, 74-73	67	56%	Home
Sun Feb 7	(77) South Florida	W, 74-70	65	65%	Home
Thu Feb 11	(58) Seton Hall	L, 90-83	75	27%	Away
Sun Feb 14	(87) St. John's	W, 77-72	67	70%	Home

Finally, a death march to end the year. ND was unlucky to land five of its most difficult games right at the end of the year. Even one win here would be a very good accomplishment.

Wed Feb 17	(34) Louisville	L, 87-77	72	19%	Away
Wed Feb 24	(27) Pittsburgh	L, 72-70	64	42%	Home
Sat Feb 27	(14) Georgetown	L, 82-69	68	12%	Away
Wed Mar 3	(37) Connecticut	L, 79-78	71	47%	Home
Sat Mar 6	(23) Marquette	L, 84-72	67	15%	Away

Though the loss to Loyola Marymount was a huge disappointment that seriously affected our Tournament hopes, I think that final stretch of games is still what will make or break this season. Regardless of Notre Dame's overall conference record (it probably should be 10-8 at least to make the right side of the bubble), those last five games could have the Irish reeling while under the committee's microscope. Of course, if this team cannot pull out an extra win or two in January or drops a game it should win, the final games won't matter.

Big East Preview: Part II

Big East Teams (By Pomeroy Ranking)-

Syracuse (4th)-

Jim Boeheim's squad hopped onto the national radar with a 16 point win over North Carolina back in November. Syracuse was ranked 24th at the time, the Tar Heels 4th in the nation. The Orange also boast wins over Cal and 11th-ranked Florida (starting the Gators three-game losing streak). The 2-3 zone has been strong this year, ranking 11th in the nation in defensive efficiency. On offense, Syracuse leads the country in effective field goal percentage. The top four scorers on the team have shot 60% or better on the year. It's hard to lose when a guy like Wesley Johnson (Iowa State transfer) has been unstoppable from all over the floor, including 52.4% from three-point range.

West Virginia (5th)-

The other unbeaten team in the Big East boasts a pair of nonconference victories over Texas A&M and Ole Miss, and now a victory over Seton Hall. Last year's edition of the Mountaineers finished the season ranked in the top ten by Ken Pomeroy, but the statistical dominance didn't exactly lead to the kind of success Bob Huggins wants to see in Morgantown. This season should be more successful in the win column. As the Irish learned last year, this program loves to dominate the offensive glass. They are ranked fourth in offensive rebounding percentage this season, led by Devin Ebanks (17 boards against Seton Hall) and Kevin Jones (14 in that game, as well).

Georgetown (18th)-

After a very disappointing 2009, the Hoyas are back near the top of the conference. Wins over Butler, Washington, and Temple have given this squad some credibility. The loss to Old Dominion was a bit disappointing, but the Monarchs are certainly a mid-major team to watch this year. Greg Monroe is starting to look like the player he was hyped to be out of high school, averaging a double-double, and a stable of good guards have the team playing great defense. They won't beat a lot of teams in a shootout, as evidenced by their 46-45 snorefest with Temple, but the Princeton offense does just enough to make this team a winner.

Villanova (30th)-

The preseason favorite has been less than impressive in stretches this year, but they still hold onto a top ten spot in the polls. Jay Wright has been compared to Mike Brey throughout their Big East careers and has taken the clear advantage over the last few seasons with his superb results in the postseason and recruiting. He entered this year with a fantastic opportunity to take the Big East title and mark himself as one of the elite coaches in college basketball. Now the Wildcats find themselves on a tier below looking up at the top two schools. Like ND, they have a very potent offense but struggle on the defensive end of the ball (92nd). The lone loss was to a talented Temple team.

Marquette (31st)-

Outplaying their expectations, the Golden Eagles boast a neutral-site win against Xavier and have performed better than expected in their three losses, including an away contest to intrastate rival Wisconsin. They have combined a top 25 offense with a workable D to leap from a probable NIT bid to competing for a Big East top four finish. Jimmy Butler has been fantastic, ranking 5th in the country with a 142.1 offensive rating.

Pittsburgh (36th)-

Bad loss to Indiana, blown out by Texas, and nothing too exciting the rest of the way. Bad offensively (109th) with a top 20 D. One of the slowest teams in the country, with just 63.3 possessions per game.

Seton Hall (39th)-

Jeremy Hazell is the big star here. He's the second highest scorer in the league with 21.9 points per game. They don't turn the ball over a lot and play pretty solid defense. Yet another Big East team that played Temple, losing 71-65.

Connecticut (41st)-

Lost their two games against good opponents (Duke and Kentucky). Gavin Edwards and Co. block a lot of shots on defense, even without Hasheem Thabeet.

Louisville (45th)-

Surpisingly weak defense so far for a Rick Pitino-coached team. Bad losses at home to Charlotte and Western Carolina. No real nonconference opponents of note.

South Florida (51st)-

Bad loss at home to Central Michigan with no really tough nonconference competition. Pretty much above average as a team across the board.

St. John's (59th)-

Beat Temple, making the Owls 2-2 against the Big East. Lost to Cornell and Duke. D.J. Kennedy has been very good so far this year (16.7 PPG).

Cincinnati (60th)-

Lost to good mid-majors Xavier, Gonzaga, and UAB. Boast a top-25 D but are pretty average scoring the ball.

Notre Dame (77th)-

And here we are. Easily the biggest differential between our strength (offense- 4th) and weakness (defense- 256th). Worst D in the conference, and it ain't even close.

Providence (86th)-

Lost to Iona and BC at home. Jamine Peterson scores 17.8 per game.

Rutgers (171st)-

Block a lot of shots and have held opponents to just 40.5% inside the arc (average nationwide is 47.7%). Mike Rosario is amongst the league's top scorers.

DePaul (188th)-

Just a hair better than last year's awful team. Lost to American and Florida Gulf Coast. Jerry Wainwright is on his way out.

Big East Preview

West Virginia takes the early lead in the Big East after an overtime win against Seton Hall. The Irish kick off their conference slate on Wednesday.

Once again, the preseason coaches poll from October:

	Pts.
1. Villanova (10)	218
2. West Virginia (5)	215
3. Connecticut (1)	185
4. Louisville	179
5. Georgetown	161
6. Syracuse	152
7. Cincinnati	135
8. Notre Dame	132
9. Pittsburgh	119
10. Seton Hall	110
11. St. John's	82
12. Marquette	78
13. Providence	52
14. USF	44
15. Rutgers	43
16. DePaul	15

*First-place votes in parentheses

2009-10 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year

Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

2009-10 BIG EAST Preseason Rookie of the Year

Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati

2009-10 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team

Luke Harangody, Notre Dame (Player of the Year), F, Sr., 6-8, 255, Schererville, Ind.

Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, G, Sr., 6-1, 190, Indianapolis, Ind.

Greg Monroe, Georgetown, C, So., 6-11, 247, New Orleans, La.

Lazar Hayward, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-6, 225, Buffalo, N.Y.

Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-2, 195, Herndon, Va.

Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia, F, Sr., 6-7, 225, Newark, N.J.

2009-10 Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team

Jerome Dyson, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-3, 190, Potomac, Md.

Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, So., 6-1, 172, Bronx, N.Y.

Samardo Samuels, Louisville, F, So., 6-9, 260, Trelawny, Jamaica

Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-5, 185, Bronx, N.Y.

Dominique Jones, USF, G, Jr., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.

Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, F, So., 6-9, 210, Long Island City, N.Y.

• a tie in the balloting created six positions

2009-10 Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention

Stanley Robinson, Connecticut, F, Sr., 6-9, 210, Birmingham, Ala.

Arinze Onuaku, Syracuse, C, Sr., 6-9, 275, Lanham, Md

Non-Conference Scoring Leader-

Luke Harangody- ND- 24.2 PPG

Non-Conference Rebounding Leader-

Herb Pope- Seton Hall- 11.8 RPG

Non-Conference Assists Leader-

Kemba Walker- Connecticut- 6.3 APG

Non-Conference Steals Leader-

Andy Rautins- Syracuse- 2.7 SPG

Non-Conference Three Point Percentage Leader-

Darius Johnson-Odom- Marquette- 55.6%

Notre Dame Statistical Leaders-

• Tory Jackson/Ben Hansbrough- 1st and 2nd in Assist to Turnover Ratio
• Luke Harangody- 1st in Defensive Rebounds
• Tim Abromaitis- 1st in Free Throw Percentage

Taking a Peak at the Big East

We won't face these guys until January (ok, late December), but here are a few things to watch from the other teams in the league.

Is Villanova a legitimate frontrunner? They should be favored in every nonconference game, but a slip-up in Puerto Rico (a three-game tournament with only one other NCAA tournament team, Dayton) could spell trouble. they lose Dante Cunningham, but Scottie Reynolds, Corey Stokes, and Corey Fisher are all back to lead a three-guard offense.

How will Marquette handle the loss of three stars? Dominic James, Wesley Matthews, and Jerel McNeal are all gone, making the Golden Eagles one of the few programs to lose more production through graduation than Notre Dame. The Big East coaches rank Marquette twelfth, but it is hard to see them falling that far. We will really see how good a coach Buzz Williams is in his second campaign as the head man.

How many Big East teams will make the tournament this year? Five are ranked in the AP poll, compared with seven a year ago in the preseason. Seven Big East teams ended up making the NCAA tournament as well last season. If the Irish play to their preseason ranking, they will be right on the bubble come Selection Sunday. Finishing at least in the top six of the conference should be expected for a comfortable automatic bid.

I am travelling down to San Antonio for the football game tomorrow and may not be able to post during the trip, but will definitely get out a full season preview by the end of the weekend. Have a good Friday, everyone.

Big East Roundtable

Part I-

http://theeastcoastbias.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/roundtable-whatschanged/

Big East Roundtable Questions

Pico Dulce does his usual good work with hosting a Big East round table discussion.

Questions:

1. What's new with your team since the end of last season?

1. A lot. Harangody is back, a surprise to few, but the four seniors need to be replaced. At shooting guard enters Ben Hansbrough, a transfer from Mississippi State who made a name for himself in 2008 in a losing effort to Memphis in the second round of the NCAAs. Highly recruited Purdue transfer Scott Martin will start at small forward. Both guys have big upside but are big question marks. Sparingly-used junior Ty Nash will most likely be the other new starter, playing next to Harangody in the post.

2. Cash or Clunker: Name the teams that you think will be the top 3 squads next season in the Big East (the Cash)... and the bottom 3 (Clunkers). Bonus: which team's finish in the league is most difficult to predict?


2. Cash- Everyone has question marks, but I think UCONN stay near the top this year. 'Nova could really break through with Jay Wright's first team that can contend for the league title. After that, maybe West Virginia or somebody else, but I think there's a big drop from the top two.

Clunkers- Rutgers/South Florida/DePaul. You pick the order. That's all the time I'll devote to that.

Unpredictable- I'll put the Irish here. This program just never finishes where they are expected. With such low expectations, we could make a run for the top 4 if everything falls in place. Of course, a complete disaster (10-12 in the league) is very well within the range of possibility.

3. The Big East enters the season without a lot of players who have carryover buzz from last season - Luke Harangody and perhaps Scottie Reynolds are the names a casual fan might be most familiar with. Which players will step up and be the “face of the league”?

3. Again, I'll pick the easiest choice for an ND blogger and say Harangody will be the face of the league. He's already well-known enough around the country and has to carry this team if the Irish want to get back to the top four. If things fall in place, it's going to say big things about his leadership.

4. Before practice starts, who would you say is the most pivotal player on your team? Who is your candidate for breakout player in the Big East (and please state how the player will be better than last year)?

4. Again, Harangody is the most pivotal player for the Irish, but Scott Martin could be a breakout star. The Irish need a small forward who can contribute on both ends to be competitive. We didn't get that last year with Ayers and Hillesland, but Martin has all the talent to be a household name. No one really knows how he will perform in a starting role, but I'm hopeful.

5. Twitter has become influential in broadcasting basketball/ sports information. What's your opinion of the service? Have you adopted Twitter for your blog? What have been the plusses and minuses?

5. Twitter is decent for sports reporting, but I've had such an aversion to it due to its usage as a tool for reporting every aspect of one's rather uninteresting life. I don't have an account and likely never will.

6. What have you been doing with your time without basketball games?

6. Fall at ND is football season. Needless to say, it's a bit difficult to think about a winter sport with such nice weather in South Bend and a team on the gridiron that isn't completely disappointing.

7. The summer is slow; so when Pitino's "mistake" is made public, or when Calipari's former team is penalized, or when someone posits a way for the Big East Conference to pick up new football members, the story tends to stick around a little longer than it would during the season. What college basketball story are you tired of this offseason?

7. Pitino. He sure seems like a scumbag now, but I really don't need to know the details of his bad decisions. The woman involved is certainly no victim either, but Pitino has further to fall. I'm ready for this to go away.

Season in Review

Last season's review is here.

A season with such high hopes got off track early in the Big East season and pretty clearly failed to live up to expectations. Throughout the season I said that the year would be judged on our ability or inability to make the Sweet Sixteen. Less than that would be a failure. Not making the Tournament constitutes a disaster.

This should have been a much better team. We lost a lot more than I predicted with Rob Kurz's departure and I'm sure Gene Cross leaving was also a factor. This team was simply not built to contend with the best teams in the country on a nightly basis. After the best player in this vaunted senior class became the #1 priority for opposing defenses, no one was left to consistently help out Luke Harangody on offense. And defense, well, it was just horrendous all year.

The team started well with a win over a top ten opponent in Texas at the Maui Invitational and a decent showing against #1 North Carolina. Losing to Ohio State was a disappointment, but most people wrote it off as just one tough non-conference game too many. After the St. John's disaster, the writing was on the wall for a disappointing year, but few realized it at the time.

Going into the first Louisville game, we knew the Irish would face an eight-game gauntlet that would challenge the viability of Notre Dame as a premier Big East program. Losing in overtime at Freedom Hall seemed to be a decent start, but a lack of leadership allowed the loss to affect the next several games. Before we knew it, the Irish had lost seven straight and were well out of NCAA Tournament contention.

A big win in the rematch with Louisville breathed a little life back into the program and the Irish played well down the stretch until a make-or-break game against Villanova in the second to last contest of the year. The loss to a future Final Four squad killed pretty much all hope of an at-large bid.

After two games in the Big East Tournament, the Irish returned home for the NIT. They rolled off three close wins against good competition at the Joyce Center to return to Madison Square Garden, but ultimately fell to Penn State in the semifinals.

Grades-

Coaching Staff- F

This would have been at least a D had the Irish simply failed to make the Sweet Sixteen. However, finishing in the NIT after spending the beginning of the year in the top ten is simply unacceptable. Coach Brey is back on the hot seat (justly), but will reutrn for at least one more year. With Virginia hiring Tony Bennett, there's very little chance of him taking another position as well.

I like Coach Brey a lot personally and he is a pretty good coach. Unfortunately, "pretty good" gets you to the NIT half the time with Notre Dame's resources. If the athletic department makes some strides to show faith in the basketball program (i.e. a practice facility and similar academic requirements to football), Coach will need to do his part to take this program to the next level. If we go to the NIT again next season, I think it's time to move on.

Kyle McAlarney- B-

Kyle finishes his career as my favorite Irish player of recent memory. The best pure shooter I have ever seen, K-Mac carries with him a good story and will graduate in May, something many people would not have predicted two years ago. Kyle showed a lot of heart in returning to school after his suspension and was a very effective player most of his career. Unfortunately, teams discovered him after the Ohio State game and kept Mac in check the rest of the season. When we was open, he was a terrific scorer. He just didn't get a lot of open looks this year. He gets a bit of a better grade because I don't want to give out all bad marks and I really think he would have succeeded with more help from his teammates.

Ryan Ayers- C

Ayers really strugged during the Irish losing streak and never came into his own as a reliable third scorer. His rebounding from the small forward position was never that great and he never developed to be more than a one-deminsional player on offense. On the other side of the ball, his wingspan allowed him to make up for a lack of athleticism and become our second best defender. Down the stretch, he stepped his game up a bit with consecutive double figure outings, but was unable to put up the kind of numbers we needed.

Zach Hillesland- F

In fairness, Zach played out of position all year. He is a 3, not a power forward. However, by the end of the season he clearly did not deserve to be on the floor. A poor shooter with a tendency to make bad decisions dribbling the basketball, Zach created heart attacks for Notre Dame fans when he touched the ball. His post defense left plenty to be desired and he never rebounded well enough for a 4. With all of his shortcomings, you have to have some respect for a guy who played through pain all year (plantar fasciitis, black eyes, multiple shoulder separations).

Luke Zeller- D+

The former McDonald's All-American played his way out of the rotation by the end of the season. He never developed as a post player and was a good, but not great, three point shooter this year. Played single digits after the losing streak and never lived up to expectations.

Tory Jackson- B-

The junior point guard improved his assist/turnover ratio to over two and shot better this season. His free throw shooting has improved with practice and he became a viabile three point threat over the course of the year. Though he still continues to make the dumb decisions with the basketball that have plagued him from time to time since his freshman year, he has grown into one of the better point guards in the conference.

Luke Harangody- B

It's hard to get a bad grade when you're a second team All-American. Luke put up more gaudy numbers this season, but his percentages dropped significantly. I attribute this to an attempt by the big guy to carry the team during long stretches of games. He works as hard as anyone and has developed a really good shooting touch to go with his inside game. Needs to quit complaining to refs and diving to get fouls, however. If he plays within himself next season and gets help from other guys on the roster, his stats may not be as good but he will be a more effective player. First on the to-do list is an emphasis on following his own shot and giving greater effort on defense.

Jonathan Peoples- C-

The backup point guard did his job this season and improved his assist/turnover ratio. Unfortunately, the shooting was down significantly and he finished with only one game in double figures scoring. When you're playing sparingly, it can be tough to get into a rhythm. That seemed to be the case this season.

Carleton Scott- INC

Really don't understand why this guy was kept under wraps all year. Five or six minutes a game could have been beneficial, but he never saw any real competition. Hopefully he will make his way into the rotation next season.

Conference Comparison

You're going to hear a lot of talk this week about which conference is the best. Obviously I am partial to the Big East and also dislike the Big Ten due to living in the midwest for most of my life, but you can judge for yourself.

Pomeroy Rankings-

Teams in the Top 10-
ACC- 2
Big East- 3
Big Ten- 0

Teams in the Top 25-
ACC- 4
Big East- 8
Big Ten- 3

Discussion over. Pomeroy ranks the ACC tops due to its strength at the bottom (all twelve teams are in the top 100) with the Pac 10 second (similar story, with 9 teams in the top 50 and 3 in the top 25). I can live with that. DePaul is awful with South Florida and Rutgers just a touch better, but the Big East has sixteen teams.

Average Rankings of the Top Ten Teams-
ACC- 38.3
Big East- 22.3 (nine in the top 35, then #76 Providence)
Big Ten- 45

This is a good comparison. Eliminate the cupcakes of each league (Virginia/Georgia Tech, the Big East bottom four, and Indiana), and see the true talent in each conference. It's not a competition.

I'm sick of hearing Big Ten homers put as many as eight teams in the Tournament. Only four are truly deserving. The rest would be eaten alive by the seven Big East locks. Heck, I'd put my money on Georgetown or ND (well, maybe not the Irish) against Ohio State or Northwestern on a neutral court right now. Michigan or Northwestern? It wouldn't be competitive.

That's not to say Notre Dame or the Hoyas are worthy of a tournament bid right now. Of course they aren't. However, considering the Big Ten for more than four bids is pure silliness. Watching the Big Ten Tournament this week will make you nauseous. Talking heads like Brent Musberger will try to convince you that the trash produced by Big Ten offenses is a product of great defense. Let's see if that's true.

Average Defensive Rankings of the Top Ten Teams-
ACC- 59.3
Big East- 43.2
Big Ten- 52.8

Teams With Top 25 (Top 10) Defenses-
ACC- 4 (1)
Big East- 4 (3)
Big Ten- 4 (3)

Average Offensive Rankings of the Top Ten Teams-
ACC- 40.2
Big East- 19.2
Big Ten- 57.6

Not even close.

Big East Blogger Roundtable

East Coast Bias is hosting a roundtable discussion for Big East basketball blogs. My answers to their questions:

1. Who is on your all-conference team (if the all-conference team stopped at 5)? Who is your player of the year; coach of the year; freshman of the year?

All-Conference Team-

Luke Harangody- Notre Dame
Jerel McNeal- Marquette
DeJuan Blair- Pittsburgh
Hasheem Thabeet- Connecticut
Jeremy Hazell- Seton Hall

Player of the Year- Blair- Easily outplayed Thabeet head to head. Not the top scorer on the team, but changes games with his rebounding ability.
Coach of the Year- Jamie Dixon- Pittsburgh- Has team in position for share of Big East title after being picked third. Calhoun and Pitino are also good picks since no one has really surprised this season.
Freshman of the Year- Greg Monroe- Georgetown- Not the best stats, but very efficient and clearly the most talented.

2. How did your team do, in 100 words or less - surprises, disappointments, etc.

Very disappointing season. The Irish went from a top ten squad (probably overrated at the time) to out of the Tournament. A very experienced squad looked uncomfortable most of the time and could not score at the same level once Kyle McAlarney was discovered by opponents. Defense has been very poor all year.

3. Pick one "most overrated: most overrated player, team, coach, venue, or anything else you can think of (be creative).

Hasheem Thabeet hands down. He is a fantastic defensive player, but has received a ridiculous amount of hype for Player of the Year all season. He uses the fifth most possessions on the team (behind injured Jerome Dyson and substitute Kemba Walker), indicating he is a very small factor on offense for the team. Irish fans, think Luke Zeller, our #5 possession-user. Seriously, that's the kind of non-factor Thabeet is on offense.

4. Will a Big East team win it all? How many will get to the Sweet Sixteen (obviously, brackets and seeding will play a part)?

Yes, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and Louisville could take it all the way. My money's on UCONN. I think we'll only see four teams in the Sweet Sixteen, with those three and Villanova/Marquette.

5. Good or bad, who was the most surprising team in the league?

The Irish were picked 4th. They'll finish 10th. No one else had that big a disparity from preseason to final standings.

6. Favorite and least favorite teams, aesthetically, to watch in the Big East.

I love watching Louisville. I'm used to seeing good offense with the Irish so some good D is fun to watch. Full court press is a fantastic weapon when used correctly. Guys like Andre McGee and Preston Knowles are defensive stoppers off the bench.

Georgetown's Princeton-style offense is frustrating for opponents when it works. Since John Thompson has been unable to teach his team how to play this year, it has been brutal for friend and foe alike. Six games with less than 60 points? 3-10 in their past 13? Losing to St. John's? Ugly.

Big East Player of Year Race

With Hasheem Thabeet actually putting up a decent performance on offense last night, some have mentioned that the 7'3" hack might be pulling into first place for Big East Player of the Year.

Stats Against Big East Competition-

Harangody- 28.0 PPG (1st in the Big East), 14.5 RPG (1st in the Big East), 1.0 BPG
Thabeet- 12.1 PPG (Erm, not in the top 30 so I don't know exactly...), 9.8 RPG (4th in the Big East), 4.5 BPG (1st)

Not a contest. Thabeet is a very efficient scorer, but that is only because he has been the 3rd or 4th option on the team. We'll see how he does with Dyson out. Harangody has carried his program, such as it is. If the Irish make the Tournament, he will be hands-down the most valuable player in the nation. Even if they don't, his numbers are so superior to anyone else in the league (I think Blair might be the next best) that this vote should be unanimous.

Other Games to Watch

I can't stop posting today... Be sure to read the other two posts from earlier. They are below.

In addition to the games we have to win to get to 9-9, there will be competition among teams fighting for position in the Big East standings that could play a role. Teams we need to follow if we eventually turn this season around somewhat:

Syracuse- (6-4)- Already have the head-to-head win over the Irish but a tough road ahead could slide them into a final record around 9-9. Home games against Georgetown and Villanova could provide stumbling blocks along with three tough road trips.

• 2/14- Georgetown
• 2/22- Villanova

Providence- (6-4)- Schedule is beginning to get tougher. Four more projected losses plus their game with us could put them at 9-9.

• 2/10- @ South Florida- Pomeroy only gives them a 51% chance of winning
  
• 2/21- Notre Dame

Cincinnati- (5-5)- Three tough road games with less than a 20% chance of success, two home contests that are only slightly easier.

• 2/21- Louisville
• 2/26- West Virginia

West Virginia- (4-5)- Performed better against their rough stretch than the Irish did. Should finish strong.

• 2/12- Villanova
• 2/18- Notre Dame

Georgetown- (4-6)- Took care of their must-win midweek game, just a couple tough ones ahead.

• 2/14- @ Syracuse
• 2/23- Louisville

Pomeroy's Projected Big East Standings at the End of the Year-

1. Connecticut- 15-3
2. Louisville 15-3
3. Marquette- 14-4
4. Pittsburgh- 14-4
5. Villanova- 12-6
6. West Virginia- 11-7
   
7. Syracuse- 10-8
8. Providence- 9-9
9. Georgetown- 9-9
10. Cincinnati- 8-10
11. Notre Dame- 7-11
12. Seton Hall- 6-12
    
13. St. John's- 5-13
14. South Florida- 4-14
15. Rutgers- 3-15
16. DePaul- 1-17

Take it for what you will, we still need to win our games for a shot.

EDIT: Posting gobs of soon-to-be-irrelevant data is a pretty good therapy. The blood pressure seems to be dropping for the first time in 24 hours.

Strategic Differences

One team is great at offense, the other great at defense. They are below average, at best, on the other side of the ball.

Team A-

Offense- 94th
Defense- 1st

Team B-

Offense- 9th
Defense- 148th

(Pomeroy Adjusted Efficiency Rankings)

Guess which one is tied for second in the Big East at 8-1 and which one is seeing its postseason hopes slip away?

Whatever Hope We Have

Comes down to four games:

Louisville
@ West Virginia
@ Providence
Villanova

Need to win three of those four and carry the rest (except @ Connecticut). Rutgers, South Florida, and St. John's were gimmies at the beginning of the year, but certainly seem a bit tougher now.

If we only drop one of the four listed and the road trip to Storrs, we're 9-9 in the league and could sneak in with one win in the BET. Obviously spirits are down and we haven't done anything to inspire confidence over the past month, but there are still games to be played.

The nice thing about Saturday at UCLA is that the Irish have nothing to lose. It's really an exhibition game of sorts. A win would be nice, but our NCAA chances rely on conference games at this point.

Remember This?

Link

Ken Pomeroy might have been right. I certainly expected more that what the team has shown so far.

However. The nice thing about college basketball is that you always control your own destiny. I expect nothing right now, but certainly hope the team can get back on the right track. There is still plenty of basketball to be played and we must step up the quality from what has been seen the last three weeks.

Best Coaches in the Big East

1. Jim Calhoun- Two national titles, six Big East championships, 21 NCAA appearances at two different schools
2. Jim Boeheim- 2003 National Champion, five Big East titles
   
3. Rick Pitino- 1996 National Champs, just joined Big East, but has perhaps the most well-rounded resume of anyone
4. Bob Huggins- One Final Four appearance, five trips to the second weekend. Has been successful at three different schools. Still a scumbag.
   
5. John Thompson III- A rising star, already has a Big East title in just four years in the league. Needs some more time but could be up with the top three by the end of his career.
6. Jamie Dixon- Has been the right guy to take Pitt to the next level after Ben Howland. Five straight NCAA appearances, one Big East title.
   
7. Mike Brey- This is a tough one between him and Jay Wright. Both won two conference titles in the America East and at least one Big East Coach of the Year award. Brey gets the nod for better performance in regular season and a longer track record.
8. Jay Wright- Has more Sweet Sixteen appearances than Brey, but only two years with less than ten losses. Has a national Coach of the Year trophy for a great season in '06, but hasn't been able to back to elite status. Also dresses very well.
9. Buzz Williams- Ranked low because he has not had enough experience to really judge him yet. Off to a great start at Marquette, however, and should rise quickly.
10. Keno Davis- New Providence coach seems to be the right guy for the job. Put Drake on the map last season and has started well in the Big East.
11. Mick Cronin- Huggins' replacement has improved over the past three years. Seems to have the program moving forward and was pretty good at Murray State.
    
12. Stan Heath- Took Kent State on a magical Elite Eight run in 2002, but that highlight seems a long time ago. Was average at Arkansas and not any better at lowly South Florida.
13. Jerry Wainwright- Has the best resume of the bottom four, but still not that great. One winning season in conference in three years. O-fer so far in his fourth season. Does have three NCAA trips at Wilmington and Richmond.
    
14. Bobby Gonzalez- Only two tournament appearances at Manhattan, no postseason in his third year at Seton Hall.
15. Norm Roberts- On his way out at St. John's. Made the Big East Tournament once since 2005.
16. Fred Hill- Rutgers has been awful in his two years. Still bad.
    

I'd take any of the top nine guys. Our depth of coaching really speaks to the quality in this league.

Also, check out this interesting article on Big East bubble teams.

Differences From Last Season

When one compares the current squad to last year's team, the immediate reaction is to say that Rob Kurz's departure hurt more than we thought it would. That is absolutely true. However, I would draw different conclusions from the loss of Kurz than many.

First of all, there is (as always) a desire to place some kind of subjective label to this season. Are we "better" than last year? Certainly not, as neither the record nor the statistics bear that out. Of course the immediate assumption, therefore, is that we most be worse. I don't necessarily agree with that sentiment. Stay with me for a second as I try to explain.

Last year's team would not have finished third in the current Big East structure. The league is vastly improved from top to bottom. Last season, we only faced five ranked teams a total of six times in conference play and just one was in the top ten (a 19 point loss to Georgetown). This year, we have already played four top ten opponents (at the time of the game), with three on the way. It's fair to guess that a lineup with Kurz would have had similar trouble.

With a additional year of development, Luke Harangody has added 4.6 points and 2.7 rebounds a game. He has forced more shots this season, but the jumper seems much more polished. No longer is he getting shut down to 15 or fewer points (as he was five times last year). While he snuck up on some teams last year, Harangody has developed into such a fine player that he can find ways to succeed even with a target on his back (as the reigning Big East Player of the Year).

If we're not worse (due to Harangody playing above the level of last season) and we're not better (due to Kurz's departure), what are we? Far more inconsistent. Without Kurz's steady 7 rebound a game production, our second chances are almost all gone, putting an emphasis on steady outside shooting. As seen the past two games, a hot night by Ryan Ayers would have made the difference between beating a top 10 team at home and snapping your winning streak.

Kurz brought a steady dose of double digit scoring as our third option on offense and a rock in the middle with a guaranteed few rebounds per game. While our upside is higher this season, it has become apparent that we are destined to wildly vary from a top ten offense capable of beating anyone to the kind of squad that struggles against St. John's on a nightly basis.

To win in basketball, you can have an All-American to lead your team (Harangody), a deadeye shooter to help out with the offensive balance (McAlarney), and a flashy point guard to run the show (Jackson), but the role players end up determining the fate of the season. Kurz was our rock last year and went unappreciated. Zeller and Ayers have shown the inability to provide a similar kind of security with consistent scoring and rebounding. To get the season back on track, we need to find that guy who can hold us in check, whether it is Luke Zeller becoming a decent post player in the waning moments of his career or the emergence of a guy like Ty Nash. Someone has to step up and be a consistent force.