Showing posts with label Big East Tournament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big East Tournament. Show all posts
Thursday, March 11, 2010
*BET Semis*
So here's the deal. I will be without internet from tomorrow morning to Sunday night. I did not predict that this would be an issue at all when the trip was planned. I will do my very best to figure out how to do some (limited) blogging via Blackberry. Go Irish, keep this going!
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Championship Week
As Mike Brey has wanted all season, the Irish are officially "in the conversation" for the NCAA Tournament. Riding high after a four-game winning streak, that conversation has shifted somewhat to talk about seeding and first round matchups when just two weeks ago it seemed unlikely that ND would even make it in. First things first, however.
The Big East Tournament begins today. Obviously, the game of note is that 10/15 matchup tonight which will decide our second round opponent. With a 15 point win over Providence in hand (from way back in December), it's pretty fair to say that a Friar win would be beneficial. However, this Irish team can expect to be favored against Seton Hall, as well.
As far as Big East bubble teams go, watch the Pirates and South Florida this week. Seton Hall doesn't have any really bad losses this year and could potentially steal our bid with a win against the Irish on Wednesday. The Bulls have a bit of a tougher road, with Georgetown and Syracuse potentially waiting in the wings. If they made it all the way to Thursday and played the Orange tough, however, this could also be a late entry into the Tournament.
What about Notre Dame's hopes? I think that it is safe to say that the Irish are in with at least one win in the BET this week. That would place the Irish at 11-9 in the conference and 4-1 in their last five. The committee loves to see teams that step their game up down the stretch, perform well without a star player, and beat other bubble teams when it counts. This ND team has done all of that, a huge improvement over previous seasons.
Notre Dame's Record over its Last Five Games (Regular Season and BET)-
2010- 4-1 (barring a Big East Championship)
2009- 2-3
2008- 3-2
2007- 4-1
2006- 2-3
2005- 1-4
While the Irish faltered big time under the microscope in other big bubble years such as '05, '06, and '09, this squad has been able to turn it on when it counts and has been successful against much better competition than the 2007 and 2008 Tournament teams faced in crunch time.
Other Bubble Teams-
Of course, the other part of this postseason equation relies on how other potential Tournament teams fare in their conference playoffs. With Saint Mary's, Siena, and Old Dominion all taking care of business, the bubble picture has cleared up just a little bit. By comparison, the Irish are 21-10, 10-8, 49th (Pomeroy), and 59th (RPI).
Washington- (21-9, 11-7, 33rd Pomeroy, 49th RPI) Joe Lunardi and The Bracket Project's first team out, the Huskies face Oregon State before a probable bubble play-off against the Sun Devils.
Arizona State- (22-9, 12-6, 37th Pomeroy, 52nd RPI) Split the season series with the Huskies and performed well in a very bad Pac-10, but most likely need to reach the conference finals to earn a bid. Friday could be a very big matchup.
Illinois- (18-13, 10-8, 56th Pomeroy, 74th RPI) Has just fallen apart down the stretch, losing five of their past six. Play a very good Wisconsin team in the Big Ten Tournament that just trounced them. Even a win in that game may not be enough. It will be a travesty if this conference gets more than four teams in.
San Diego State- (22-8, 11-5, 44th Pomeroy, 36th RPI) The exact opposite of Illinois, San Diego State is a pretty good small conference team that has performed well enough when it counts to merit some consideration. As long as they don't drop a first round matchup with Colorado State, they will have a shot at solidifying an entry into the NCAAs against top seed New Mexico.
Mississippi- (21-9, 9-7, 51st Pomeroy, 57th RPI) Have played well down the stretch and could potentially face Kentucky in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. Need a win there to be a lock, but could still make it as long as they are not upset by the Tennessee/LSU winner on Friday.
Seeding-
As always, The Bracket Project does a nice job of compiling a whole bunch of different projections for you. Currently the Irish are listed as a 10 seed and make the Tourney in 73 of the 76 brackets. I'd take that in a heartbeat over the 8/9 game.
The Big East Tournament begins today. Obviously, the game of note is that 10/15 matchup tonight which will decide our second round opponent. With a 15 point win over Providence in hand (from way back in December), it's pretty fair to say that a Friar win would be beneficial. However, this Irish team can expect to be favored against Seton Hall, as well.
As far as Big East bubble teams go, watch the Pirates and South Florida this week. Seton Hall doesn't have any really bad losses this year and could potentially steal our bid with a win against the Irish on Wednesday. The Bulls have a bit of a tougher road, with Georgetown and Syracuse potentially waiting in the wings. If they made it all the way to Thursday and played the Orange tough, however, this could also be a late entry into the Tournament.
What about Notre Dame's hopes? I think that it is safe to say that the Irish are in with at least one win in the BET this week. That would place the Irish at 11-9 in the conference and 4-1 in their last five. The committee loves to see teams that step their game up down the stretch, perform well without a star player, and beat other bubble teams when it counts. This ND team has done all of that, a huge improvement over previous seasons.
Notre Dame's Record over its Last Five Games (Regular Season and BET)-
2010- 4-1 (barring a Big East Championship)
2009- 2-3
2008- 3-2
2007- 4-1
2006- 2-3
2005- 1-4
While the Irish faltered big time under the microscope in other big bubble years such as '05, '06, and '09, this squad has been able to turn it on when it counts and has been successful against much better competition than the 2007 and 2008 Tournament teams faced in crunch time.
Other Bubble Teams-
Of course, the other part of this postseason equation relies on how other potential Tournament teams fare in their conference playoffs. With Saint Mary's, Siena, and Old Dominion all taking care of business, the bubble picture has cleared up just a little bit. By comparison, the Irish are 21-10, 10-8, 49th (Pomeroy), and 59th (RPI).
Washington- (21-9, 11-7, 33rd Pomeroy, 49th RPI) Joe Lunardi and The Bracket Project's first team out, the Huskies face Oregon State before a probable bubble play-off against the Sun Devils.
Arizona State- (22-9, 12-6, 37th Pomeroy, 52nd RPI) Split the season series with the Huskies and performed well in a very bad Pac-10, but most likely need to reach the conference finals to earn a bid. Friday could be a very big matchup.
Illinois- (18-13, 10-8, 56th Pomeroy, 74th RPI) Has just fallen apart down the stretch, losing five of their past six. Play a very good Wisconsin team in the Big Ten Tournament that just trounced them. Even a win in that game may not be enough. It will be a travesty if this conference gets more than four teams in.
San Diego State- (22-8, 11-5, 44th Pomeroy, 36th RPI) The exact opposite of Illinois, San Diego State is a pretty good small conference team that has performed well enough when it counts to merit some consideration. As long as they don't drop a first round matchup with Colorado State, they will have a shot at solidifying an entry into the NCAAs against top seed New Mexico.
Mississippi- (21-9, 9-7, 51st Pomeroy, 57th RPI) Have played well down the stretch and could potentially face Kentucky in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. Need a win there to be a lock, but could still make it as long as they are not upset by the Tennessee/LSU winner on Friday.
Seeding-
As always, The Bracket Project does a nice job of compiling a whole bunch of different projections for you. Currently the Irish are listed as a 10 seed and make the Tourney in 73 of the 76 brackets. I'd take that in a heartbeat over the 8/9 game.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Great Syracuse/UCONN Game
I didn't think anything would top 'Nova/Marquette today, but this one is good. Punk Devendorf hit a great three that was not allowed by the slimmest of margins and just bowled Jeff Adrien over behind the ball like a four-year-old who had his toy taken away.
Just this once I'll cheer for Hasheem Thabeet and laptop-thief A.J. Price.
EDIT: 6 overtime game. Unbelievable.
Good luck to West Virginia in the finals...
Just this once I'll cheer for Hasheem Thabeet and laptop-thief A.J. Price.
EDIT: 6 overtime game. Unbelievable.
Good luck to West Virginia in the finals...
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Providence Scapes By
You hear people talk about Notre Dame having a high "Basketball IQ" sometimes. It's kind of a weird term. What really is a high "Basketball IQ?" Don't ask DePaul, the idiotic shot selection and decision making by the boys in blue really killed a good chance to knock off Providence today. Three pointers that barely graze the rim on a two-on-one? Allowing a 15-1 run in five minutes highlighted by giving up two turnovers and three offensive rebounds? Just fire Jerry Wainwright already.
EDIT: I didn't realize that the injured ref in the St. John's game yesterday was Mike Kitts. Kitts, my most respected referee since the home Louisville game, was unconscious briefly and suffered a chipped tooth and some facial bruising. However, he should be back on the court tomorrow. Nice to see some toughness from the wily twelve year vet. Go get 'em, Mike!
EDIT: I didn't realize that the injured ref in the St. John's game yesterday was Mike Kitts. Kitts, my most respected referee since the home Louisville game, was unconscious briefly and suffered a chipped tooth and some facial bruising. However, he should be back on the court tomorrow. Nice to see some toughness from the wily twelve year vet. Go get 'em, Mike!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Cincinnati is Dead
After losing to an 0-18 DePaul team that wouldn't (and shouldn't) have even made the BET last year, the Bearcats are headed to the NIT. It's up to Providence and ND now to give the Big East a shot at an eighth bid.
EDIT: Georgetown's done too. Nice to see St. John's get a win and it would be good for the Red Storm to go on a little run. At least we can say that the Hoyas' season was ruined by Norm Roberts' team even more than our season has been.
Thabeet and Blair split Big East Player of the Year honors. Monroe is the Big East Rookie of the Year. Villanova's Jay Wright is the best coach.
EDIT: Georgetown's done too. Nice to see St. John's get a win and it would be good for the Red Storm to go on a little run. At least we can say that the Hoyas' season was ruined by Norm Roberts' team even more than our season has been.
Thabeet and Blair split Big East Player of the Year honors. Monroe is the Big East Rookie of the Year. Villanova's Jay Wright is the best coach.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Rutgers BET Preview
Rutgers-
Pomeroy Ranking- 142nd
Record- 11-20 (2-16)
Quality Wins- South Florida!
Bad Losses- St. Bonaventure, Lehigh, Binghamton
Previous Result- ND 70-65
Key Players-
#3 Mike Rosario- 6'3", 180 lbs.- 16.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 30.2% 3PA
#00 Gregory Echenique- 6'9", 260 lbs.- 8.5 PPG, 8.4 RPG
#2 Anthony Farmer- 6'1", 190 lbs.- 9.2 PPG, 2.7 APG, 29.4% 3PA
Previous Matchup-
Rutgers jumped out to a quick lead and was ahead by eight at the half.
Harangody's 20 and 15 led the team, helped by 18 points for Jackson and 13 for McAlarney.
Mike Rosario paced the Scarlet Knights with 20 points.
Pomeroy Ranking- 142nd
Record- 11-20 (2-16)
Quality Wins- South Florida!
Bad Losses- St. Bonaventure, Lehigh, Binghamton
Previous Result- ND 70-65
Key Players-
#3 Mike Rosario- 6'3", 180 lbs.- 16.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 30.2% 3PA
#00 Gregory Echenique- 6'9", 260 lbs.- 8.5 PPG, 8.4 RPG
#2 Anthony Farmer- 6'1", 190 lbs.- 9.2 PPG, 2.7 APG, 29.4% 3PA
Previous Matchup-
Rutgers jumped out to a quick lead and was ahead by eight at the half.
Harangody's 20 and 15 led the team, helped by 18 points for Jackson and 13 for McAlarney.
Mike Rosario paced the Scarlet Knights with 20 points.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Big East Tournament and Awards
Official bracket here. Georgetown did luck out with a relatively easy first three rounds. 9-9 would have put us in Cincinnati's position with DePaul/Providence/Louisville. Oh well, we played ourselves into the slot we are now.
Harangody's back on the Big East First Team. Shame K-Mac couldn't get a little recognition.
Harangody's back on the Big East First Team. Shame K-Mac couldn't get a little recognition.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Assuming Louisville Wins Tonight
I'll edit this after the game. If the game ended right now:
First Round- Rutgers
Second Round- West Virginia
Quarterfinals- Pittsburgh
First two rounds are already locked in. West Virginia beating Louisville tonight would put the Cards in the two slot and make them our potential quarterfinal opponent.
- Louisville
- Pittsburgh
- Connecticut
- Villanova
- Marquette
- Syracuse
- West Virginia
- Providence
- Cincinnati
- Notre Dame
- Seton Hall
- Georgetown
- St. John's
- South Florida
- Rutgers
- DePaul
First Round- Rutgers
Second Round- West Virginia
Quarterfinals- Pittsburgh
First two rounds are already locked in. West Virginia beating Louisville tonight would put the Cards in the two slot and make them our potential quarterfinal opponent.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Race to the Big East Tournament
As promised, a look at how the BET field shapes up with a week to go. I'll use Ken Pomeroy's projections for individual games, instead of the overall record projection.
Teams the Irish Can't Catch-
1. Pittsburgh- 15-3- Holds the three-way tie breaker over Louisville and Connecticut by virtue of a 2-1 record against them.
2. Louisville- 15-3- Expected to lose next Saturday to West Virginia, 1-1 against top three teams.
3. Connecticut- 15-3- Expected to lose to Pitt, falls to 1-2 in the top-three "mini-conference".
4. Marquette- 13-5- Should lose to Louisville and Pitt.
5. Villanova- 12-6- Lose to the Irish, beat Providence.
Teams Still Within Range of ND-
6. West Virginia- 11-7- The Irish need losses in two of their final three against South Florida, DePaul, and Louisville to gain a tie with the Mountaineers.
7. Providence- 10-8- 3-0 against Syracuse and Cincinnati, should beat Rutgers today.
8. Syracuse- 10-8- Tie breaker between 8 and 9 should be decided at two today.
9. Cincinnati- 10-8- Should not lose after today's game at the Carrier Dome.
10. Notre Dame- 9-9- Need to beat Villanova and St. John's.
Teams a 9-9 Irish Squad Don't Have to Worry About-
11. Georgetown- 8-10- Should beat St. John's and DePaul.
12. Seton Hall- 6-12- Big underdogs at Louisville and Cincinnati.
13. St. John's- 5-13- Play Georgetown and ND.
14. South Florida- 3-15
15. Rutgers- 2-16
16. DePaul- 0-18- Won't win a game.
Obviously all of this hinges on two more Irish victories. However, as the BET stands right now:
Round 1- Rutgers
Round 2- Providence
Quarters- Louisville
Semis- UCONN or West Virginia (most likely)
Finals
All things considered, that's a pretty favorable stretch. Must beat Rutgers and should be able to take out a Providence team we beat by 19 on their floor. Those two wins would most likely be enough to put us in, but a win over a Louisville team we match up well against would put all fears to rest.
Games to watch this week that could change seeding-
Providence @ Rutgers, today- Friars win, they will be seeded above us. A loss would put them at 9-9 most likely.
Cincinnati @ Syracuse, today- If Cincinnati loses, they still have a good shot at 10-8. A Cuse lose would most likely put them at 9-9.
West Virginia vs. Louisville, Saturday- If the Mountaineers stumble against South Florida or DePaul, this game could finish them at 9-9.
Teams the Irish Can't Catch-
1. Pittsburgh- 15-3- Holds the three-way tie breaker over Louisville and Connecticut by virtue of a 2-1 record against them.
2. Louisville- 15-3- Expected to lose next Saturday to West Virginia, 1-1 against top three teams.
3. Connecticut- 15-3- Expected to lose to Pitt, falls to 1-2 in the top-three "mini-conference".
4. Marquette- 13-5- Should lose to Louisville and Pitt.
5. Villanova- 12-6- Lose to the Irish, beat Providence.
Teams Still Within Range of ND-
6. West Virginia- 11-7- The Irish need losses in two of their final three against South Florida, DePaul, and Louisville to gain a tie with the Mountaineers.
7. Providence- 10-8- 3-0 against Syracuse and Cincinnati, should beat Rutgers today.
8. Syracuse- 10-8- Tie breaker between 8 and 9 should be decided at two today.
9. Cincinnati- 10-8- Should not lose after today's game at the Carrier Dome.
10. Notre Dame- 9-9- Need to beat Villanova and St. John's.
Teams a 9-9 Irish Squad Don't Have to Worry About-
11. Georgetown- 8-10- Should beat St. John's and DePaul.
12. Seton Hall- 6-12- Big underdogs at Louisville and Cincinnati.
13. St. John's- 5-13- Play Georgetown and ND.
14. South Florida- 3-15
15. Rutgers- 2-16
16. DePaul- 0-18- Won't win a game.
Obviously all of this hinges on two more Irish victories. However, as the BET stands right now:
Round 1- Rutgers
Round 2- Providence
Quarters- Louisville
Semis- UCONN or West Virginia (most likely)
Finals
All things considered, that's a pretty favorable stretch. Must beat Rutgers and should be able to take out a Providence team we beat by 19 on their floor. Those two wins would most likely be enough to put us in, but a win over a Louisville team we match up well against would put all fears to rest.
Games to watch this week that could change seeding-
Providence @ Rutgers, today- Friars win, they will be seeded above us. A loss would put them at 9-9 most likely.
Cincinnati @ Syracuse, today- If Cincinnati loses, they still have a good shot at 10-8. A Cuse lose would most likely put them at 9-9.
West Virginia vs. Louisville, Saturday- If the Mountaineers stumble against South Florida or DePaul, this game could finish them at 9-9.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Season in Review
November, December, January, February, March... it's been a long five months.
I predicted a 22-8 record for the Irish through the regular season. They would finish 24-6, a two game improvement. Losses to Baylor and Georgia Tech at the Paradise Jam started the season off roughly, but the team rebounded with a neutral site win over Kansas State. The rest of the cake nonconference schedule rolled by without incident.
In the Big East, the Irish took on an 18 game schedule for the first time and were very successful. A 14-4 record landed the Irish in a tie for second in the conference. After lopsided losses at Marquette and Georgetown, Notre Dame closed out the season 11-2. Another unbeaten year at home kept the winning streak alive for another summer.
In the Big East Tournament, another disappointing finish sent the Irish home after a quarterfinal loss to rival Marquette. Notre Dame picked up a 5 seed in the NCAAs and used solid defense to send first round opponent George Mason home early. Unfortunately, the Irish came up short of their Sweet 16 goal by losing badly to Washington State.
Grades-
Coaching Staff- B
This could have been an A two weeks ago. Mike Brey picked up his second straight Big East Coach of the Year award in the leading the Irish from a predicted bottom half finish to a tie for second in the league. However, another early exit from New York and a blowout loss to Washington State ended the year on a sad note. Overall, a great performance in the regular season, but marred by another disappointing end of the year.
Rob Kurz- B-
Brought leadership to a team that desperately needed it after the graduation of Colin Falls and Russell Carter. However, he seemed to disappear in some close games. Rebounding dipped a bit due to the emergence of Luke Harangody, but also turned the ball over more than in the past. Shooting percentages were down considerably as well. Made most of his impact off the court and as a leader on the floor.
Kyle McAlarney- B+
Welcome back. He was expected to make an impact as a three-point shooter, but no one knew how he would play side-by-side with Jackson in the backcourt. It turned out very well. In 36 minutes a game, he scored 15 and dished out 3.5 assists. A shooting percentage of 44% from beyond the arc placed second in the conference with the most threes made. Became a scorer from the oustide that was definitely needed. Had a few cold shooting nights that really hurt the team but should improve even more with a second year playing the 2.
Zach Hillesland- B
Came off the bench to the starting lineup halfway through the year. Added life in a squad that looked flat out of the gate far too often. Not a big stat guy, 6.2 PPG/5.3 RPG/2.5 APG, but does a lot of little things. Was the only attacking wing, a problem that should be remedied with Nash and Scott next season. Shot 51% from the floor, a product of his ability to get to the basket for layups. Biggest problem is lack of an outside game. If he can develop a consistent mid-range jumper with some threes, he will have more opportunities to get to the basket.
Tory Jackson- B
Played well with McAlarney in the backcourt. Proved that he deserved the starting PG role. Scoring got a little bump from last year, but rebounds and assists shot to new heights. 3.2 turnovers a game is a little high. Still not a great shooter, but got smarter from outside as the year wore on. Though he was 30% from three, his shot selection became more surgical as we went 12 for 27 (44%) from the end of January until the first round of the tournament. Still needs to cut down on mistakes and continue to develop his finishing ability when driving, but made some strong steps forwad.
Luke Harangody- A-
What do you say about this guy? Went from unknown to Player of the Year over the course of the season. Averaged 20 and 10 and showed the ability to knock down outside shots. 22 rebounds in the final game demonstrates his ability to control a contest even while being terrible offensively. Needs to play within himself next year. He got a little frustrated at times and forced shots. Also needs to stay on the block and limit his touches 7-10 feet from the basket. Overall, he is still not ready for the NBA (good for us) due to his size and still unpolished style. The thought of him improving even more is scary.
Ryan Ayers- B-
Took his benching with dignity and was able to contribue off the bench. Can be a dead-eye shooter when he looks for a shot. Became more confident as the year went by. Still needs to be able to create scoring opportunities and become more of a part of the offense on the floor. Can grow into a Colin Falls-type scorer with very good defensive skills.
Luke Zeller- C+
Some flashes of improvement, but still not where we was expected to be at this point. Will never be a force down low, but could provide meaningful minutes on the outside. Shot 39% from three and had a very good rebounding games down the stretch. Must continue to develop with the departure of Kurz due to his extended minutes next year.
Jonathan Peoples- C
He and Zeller didn't get a lot of chances to show their stuff this year with 12 minutes a game. Partly due to Coach Brey's strategy, but their ability certainly plays a factor. Peoples showed a little range with 36% beyond the arc, but didn't get enough looks per game to really prove himself as a scorer. Has been a steady hand at the wheel when Jackson needs a break, but not much more than that. Needs to improve his scoring ability or defense or will continue to be used sparingly.
Freshmen- INC
Coach Brey decided to go with an eight-man rotation this year. Should Nash and Abromaitis have been used more? Probably. Should they have been reshirted? No. Although the freshmen were very small parts of the lineup, they picked up valuble experience off the bench. Scott has the upside to be a five-year guy, but the others do not look like candidates for a fifth year, so the redshirt was probably well played. In the end, the lack of depth was not the cause of their final defeat, so Coach Brey's strategy worked well enough.
It will be interesting to see who of the four scholarship freshmen breaks from the pack to merit serious playing time (even a starting spot?) next year. Nash gives the team a playmaker that we were lacking. Scott is even more talented towards that end, when healthy. Abromaitis and Proffitt were less heralded recruits who could enter the rotation as well.
That should put a cap on this year. Later today or tomorrow I will look forward to the next season.
I predicted a 22-8 record for the Irish through the regular season. They would finish 24-6, a two game improvement. Losses to Baylor and Georgia Tech at the Paradise Jam started the season off roughly, but the team rebounded with a neutral site win over Kansas State. The rest of the cake nonconference schedule rolled by without incident.
In the Big East, the Irish took on an 18 game schedule for the first time and were very successful. A 14-4 record landed the Irish in a tie for second in the conference. After lopsided losses at Marquette and Georgetown, Notre Dame closed out the season 11-2. Another unbeaten year at home kept the winning streak alive for another summer.
In the Big East Tournament, another disappointing finish sent the Irish home after a quarterfinal loss to rival Marquette. Notre Dame picked up a 5 seed in the NCAAs and used solid defense to send first round opponent George Mason home early. Unfortunately, the Irish came up short of their Sweet 16 goal by losing badly to Washington State.
Grades-
Coaching Staff- B
This could have been an A two weeks ago. Mike Brey picked up his second straight Big East Coach of the Year award in the leading the Irish from a predicted bottom half finish to a tie for second in the league. However, another early exit from New York and a blowout loss to Washington State ended the year on a sad note. Overall, a great performance in the regular season, but marred by another disappointing end of the year.
Rob Kurz- B-
Brought leadership to a team that desperately needed it after the graduation of Colin Falls and Russell Carter. However, he seemed to disappear in some close games. Rebounding dipped a bit due to the emergence of Luke Harangody, but also turned the ball over more than in the past. Shooting percentages were down considerably as well. Made most of his impact off the court and as a leader on the floor.
Kyle McAlarney- B+
Welcome back. He was expected to make an impact as a three-point shooter, but no one knew how he would play side-by-side with Jackson in the backcourt. It turned out very well. In 36 minutes a game, he scored 15 and dished out 3.5 assists. A shooting percentage of 44% from beyond the arc placed second in the conference with the most threes made. Became a scorer from the oustide that was definitely needed. Had a few cold shooting nights that really hurt the team but should improve even more with a second year playing the 2.
Zach Hillesland- B
Came off the bench to the starting lineup halfway through the year. Added life in a squad that looked flat out of the gate far too often. Not a big stat guy, 6.2 PPG/5.3 RPG/2.5 APG, but does a lot of little things. Was the only attacking wing, a problem that should be remedied with Nash and Scott next season. Shot 51% from the floor, a product of his ability to get to the basket for layups. Biggest problem is lack of an outside game. If he can develop a consistent mid-range jumper with some threes, he will have more opportunities to get to the basket.
Tory Jackson- B
Played well with McAlarney in the backcourt. Proved that he deserved the starting PG role. Scoring got a little bump from last year, but rebounds and assists shot to new heights. 3.2 turnovers a game is a little high. Still not a great shooter, but got smarter from outside as the year wore on. Though he was 30% from three, his shot selection became more surgical as we went 12 for 27 (44%) from the end of January until the first round of the tournament. Still needs to cut down on mistakes and continue to develop his finishing ability when driving, but made some strong steps forwad.
Luke Harangody- A-
What do you say about this guy? Went from unknown to Player of the Year over the course of the season. Averaged 20 and 10 and showed the ability to knock down outside shots. 22 rebounds in the final game demonstrates his ability to control a contest even while being terrible offensively. Needs to play within himself next year. He got a little frustrated at times and forced shots. Also needs to stay on the block and limit his touches 7-10 feet from the basket. Overall, he is still not ready for the NBA (good for us) due to his size and still unpolished style. The thought of him improving even more is scary.
Ryan Ayers- B-
Took his benching with dignity and was able to contribue off the bench. Can be a dead-eye shooter when he looks for a shot. Became more confident as the year went by. Still needs to be able to create scoring opportunities and become more of a part of the offense on the floor. Can grow into a Colin Falls-type scorer with very good defensive skills.
Luke Zeller- C+
Some flashes of improvement, but still not where we was expected to be at this point. Will never be a force down low, but could provide meaningful minutes on the outside. Shot 39% from three and had a very good rebounding games down the stretch. Must continue to develop with the departure of Kurz due to his extended minutes next year.
Jonathan Peoples- C
He and Zeller didn't get a lot of chances to show their stuff this year with 12 minutes a game. Partly due to Coach Brey's strategy, but their ability certainly plays a factor. Peoples showed a little range with 36% beyond the arc, but didn't get enough looks per game to really prove himself as a scorer. Has been a steady hand at the wheel when Jackson needs a break, but not much more than that. Needs to improve his scoring ability or defense or will continue to be used sparingly.
Freshmen- INC
Coach Brey decided to go with an eight-man rotation this year. Should Nash and Abromaitis have been used more? Probably. Should they have been reshirted? No. Although the freshmen were very small parts of the lineup, they picked up valuble experience off the bench. Scott has the upside to be a five-year guy, but the others do not look like candidates for a fifth year, so the redshirt was probably well played. In the end, the lack of depth was not the cause of their final defeat, so Coach Brey's strategy worked well enough.
It will be interesting to see who of the four scholarship freshmen breaks from the pack to merit serious playing time (even a starting spot?) next year. Nash gives the team a playmaker that we were lacking. Scott is even more talented towards that end, when healthy. Abromaitis and Proffitt were less heralded recruits who could enter the rotation as well.
That should put a cap on this year. Later today or tomorrow I will look forward to the next season.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Big East Semifinals
Georgetown 72, West Virginia 55-
The Hoyas look to be rolling towards their second straight Big East Tournament title after picking up their second easy win in as many days. 25 points, 13 rebounds for Roy Hibbert, his first double-double since January 26th against the Mountaineers. Taking the lead for good four minutes into the game, the Hoyas allowed West Virginia to close within four before holding the Mountaineers scoreless for nearly eight minutes down the stretch. I can't see the Hoyas being upset by either Marquette or Pitt playing their fourth game in four days.
Marquette vs. Pittsburgh-
Much has already been said about Marquette defeating the Irish. The Golden Eagles survived a pretty good effort by Seton Hall the night before. It will be interesting to see which Marquette team shows up, the poor shooting but strong rebounding outfit that beat the Pirates or the lights out shooters who beat Notre Dame. Pitt held off Cincinnati by six on Wednesday and won in overtime against 2 seed Louisville.
Regarding Notre Dame's seeding, the Irish got some help from St. Joseph's, Illinois, and Arkansas today. Hopping over Xavier in the bracket is probably a little farfetched, but both Purdue and Vanderbilt could have taken a 4 seed away from ND with wins in their tournaments.
The Hoyas look to be rolling towards their second straight Big East Tournament title after picking up their second easy win in as many days. 25 points, 13 rebounds for Roy Hibbert, his first double-double since January 26th against the Mountaineers. Taking the lead for good four minutes into the game, the Hoyas allowed West Virginia to close within four before holding the Mountaineers scoreless for nearly eight minutes down the stretch. I can't see the Hoyas being upset by either Marquette or Pitt playing their fourth game in four days.
Marquette vs. Pittsburgh-
Much has already been said about Marquette defeating the Irish. The Golden Eagles survived a pretty good effort by Seton Hall the night before. It will be interesting to see which Marquette team shows up, the poor shooting but strong rebounding outfit that beat the Pirates or the lights out shooters who beat Notre Dame. Pitt held off Cincinnati by six on Wednesday and won in overtime against 2 seed Louisville.
Regarding Notre Dame's seeding, the Irish got some help from St. Joseph's, Illinois, and Arkansas today. Hopping over Xavier in the bracket is probably a little farfetched, but both Purdue and Vanderbilt could have taken a 4 seed away from ND with wins in their tournaments.
Solidering On at the Big East Tournament
When you read stories like this, it puts basketball in a different light.
Depending on when I get a chance, I'll either break down the four teams remaining for you or recap the two semifinal games. Have a great basketball-free weekend if you'd like, because we all want the next couple weekends to be meaningful.
Depending on when I get a chance, I'll either break down the four teams remaining for you or recap the two semifinal games. Have a great basketball-free weekend if you'd like, because we all want the next couple weekends to be meaningful.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Marquette 89, Notre Dame 79
Marquette shot lights out in the second half, a day after looking terrible from the field and got the Irish out of their rhythm in the second half. Great games by Jerel McNeal and Maurice Aker off the bench mean yet another early exit from the BET for the Irish.
No complaints about the first half. Going into the break with a six point advantage while your best player spends half the time on the bench is very respectable. The second period looked like a direct copy of our first contest.
When a team shoots just 34% the night before, you don't expect them to off for 89 points on you. Marquette shot 52% from the field and Jerel McNeal looked like an All-American scoring 28 against a slow Irish D. McNeal's a 27% three point shooter! Give me a break. Obviously zone defense leaves open looks on the outside, but that was ridiculous. A guard oriented team with little post play, Marquette played the contest to their pace in the second half and outscored Notre Dame 55-35 over the last 18+ minutes. A very deserving win for Tom Crean's bunch and yet another disappointing finish at Madison Square Garden for us.
Earlier, Georgetown was the only favorite to win. Connecticut and Louisville can join our pity party after letting down their fans. Perhaps the saddest part of the night is how the Irish gave up a great chance to make the Big East finals. An opportunity like the one we had tonight rarely comes along again.
Kyle McAlarney scored 20 on 8-18 shooting. The Irish caught a hot streak in the final minute to pull the game within 6 with the ball, but could not finish. Mac was harassed all night, but still managed to find a few open looks. His shooting ability is simply amazing with the smallest amount of room possible.
Tory Jackson showed some flashes of last year's Georgetown game. Finished with 10 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. His driving ability is fantastic and he set up scoring opportunities for himself and others all night. Made a few bad mistakes while pushing the ball up the floor to allow Marquette to keep the pace high in the second half. With such a great defensive opponent, you have to play smarter than that.
Zach Hillesland was the player of the game. 14 points, 8 rebounds. Drove to the hoop a few times and cleaned up on the offensive boards. Made 5 second chance opportunities with his effort. Great hustle and provided some lift from the perimeter.
Rob Kurz finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Still 1 off 1,000 points in the career for the senior. 2-5 from beyond the arc, but failed to mix it up down low. Has the tendency to stay out on the arc all game and should have been more physical with Harangody in foul trouble.
Luke Harangody became the 47th player in school history to score 1,000 points in a career. He now has 1,003. Certainly a bitter-sweet night for him, however, as the big man was dogged by fouls and Ousmane Barro all game long. Would have liked to see a better performance from him after his awards and playing in front of the family. Finished with 13 and 5 and fouled out.
Off the bench, 4 points for Luke Zeller. He had a chance to cut the lead to three in the closing seconds, but let off a terrible air ball that sealed ND's fate. Ryan Ayers had a clutch three pointer but not much else. Jonathan Peoples must have played, because his name is listed in the box score but it was quite brief.
So let's talk seeding. Losing to a ranked opponent in your first conference tourney game is not the end of the world. Certainly we had the toughest first round opponent of any top 15 team in the country (save maybe Louisville) and should not be punished too severely for this. However, should not and will not are two very different realities.
The Irish deserve a 4 seed. Tied for second in the deepest conference in the league. Only conference losses came against the top six teams. RPI of 19 going into tonight and the toughest schedule in the conference. Only two losses against currently unranked opponents were by 5 or less in November. Unbeaten at home and above .500 on the road.
However, I can certainly see this team slip to a 5 after today. Not the end of the world, play a similar caliber opponent and wear the blacks in the second round. If the Irish fell all the way to a 6 seed, I would be extremely upset with the selection process. But that is for discussion on Sunday.
For now, this was a tough loss. Allowing 57 in the second half is unacceptable but could re-energize the team for a deep tournament run. I would much rather see the Irish make a solid attempt at Sweet 16 status than win a conference tournament game. However, if we draw a team the caliber of Marquette in the NCAAs with quick guards and strong outside shooting, the attempt must be made to slow the game down and look to Harangody inside. We failed in that aspect tonight.
Certainly a loss does not ruin the success of the last couple months in conference play, but there will be a sour taste in the mouths of the players if they go one-and-done again. Hopefully we will right the ship and go back to playing quality basketball next Thursday or Friday.
No complaints about the first half. Going into the break with a six point advantage while your best player spends half the time on the bench is very respectable. The second period looked like a direct copy of our first contest.
When a team shoots just 34% the night before, you don't expect them to off for 89 points on you. Marquette shot 52% from the field and Jerel McNeal looked like an All-American scoring 28 against a slow Irish D. McNeal's a 27% three point shooter! Give me a break. Obviously zone defense leaves open looks on the outside, but that was ridiculous. A guard oriented team with little post play, Marquette played the contest to their pace in the second half and outscored Notre Dame 55-35 over the last 18+ minutes. A very deserving win for Tom Crean's bunch and yet another disappointing finish at Madison Square Garden for us.
Earlier, Georgetown was the only favorite to win. Connecticut and Louisville can join our pity party after letting down their fans. Perhaps the saddest part of the night is how the Irish gave up a great chance to make the Big East finals. An opportunity like the one we had tonight rarely comes along again.
Kyle McAlarney scored 20 on 8-18 shooting. The Irish caught a hot streak in the final minute to pull the game within 6 with the ball, but could not finish. Mac was harassed all night, but still managed to find a few open looks. His shooting ability is simply amazing with the smallest amount of room possible.
Tory Jackson showed some flashes of last year's Georgetown game. Finished with 10 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. His driving ability is fantastic and he set up scoring opportunities for himself and others all night. Made a few bad mistakes while pushing the ball up the floor to allow Marquette to keep the pace high in the second half. With such a great defensive opponent, you have to play smarter than that.
Zach Hillesland was the player of the game. 14 points, 8 rebounds. Drove to the hoop a few times and cleaned up on the offensive boards. Made 5 second chance opportunities with his effort. Great hustle and provided some lift from the perimeter.
Rob Kurz finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Still 1 off 1,000 points in the career for the senior. 2-5 from beyond the arc, but failed to mix it up down low. Has the tendency to stay out on the arc all game and should have been more physical with Harangody in foul trouble.
Luke Harangody became the 47th player in school history to score 1,000 points in a career. He now has 1,003. Certainly a bitter-sweet night for him, however, as the big man was dogged by fouls and Ousmane Barro all game long. Would have liked to see a better performance from him after his awards and playing in front of the family. Finished with 13 and 5 and fouled out.
Off the bench, 4 points for Luke Zeller. He had a chance to cut the lead to three in the closing seconds, but let off a terrible air ball that sealed ND's fate. Ryan Ayers had a clutch three pointer but not much else. Jonathan Peoples must have played, because his name is listed in the box score but it was quite brief.
So let's talk seeding. Losing to a ranked opponent in your first conference tourney game is not the end of the world. Certainly we had the toughest first round opponent of any top 15 team in the country (save maybe Louisville) and should not be punished too severely for this. However, should not and will not are two very different realities.
The Irish deserve a 4 seed. Tied for second in the deepest conference in the league. Only conference losses came against the top six teams. RPI of 19 going into tonight and the toughest schedule in the conference. Only two losses against currently unranked opponents were by 5 or less in November. Unbeaten at home and above .500 on the road.
However, I can certainly see this team slip to a 5 after today. Not the end of the world, play a similar caliber opponent and wear the blacks in the second round. If the Irish fell all the way to a 6 seed, I would be extremely upset with the selection process. But that is for discussion on Sunday.
For now, this was a tough loss. Allowing 57 in the second half is unacceptable but could re-energize the team for a deep tournament run. I would much rather see the Irish make a solid attempt at Sweet 16 status than win a conference tournament game. However, if we draw a team the caliber of Marquette in the NCAAs with quick guards and strong outside shooting, the attempt must be made to slow the game down and look to Harangody inside. We failed in that aspect tonight.
Certainly a loss does not ruin the success of the last couple months in conference play, but there will be a sour taste in the mouths of the players if they go one-and-done again. Hopefully we will right the ship and go back to playing quality basketball next Thursday or Friday.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Seton Hall/Marquette
...will determine who we play tomorrow.
Regardless, we want a long up-tempo contest to kill their shooting legs. Not staying up for this one, but hopefully the Pirates can pull off the upset. If it's Marquette, we know what has to be done having played them twice already...
Regardless, we want a long up-tempo contest to kill their shooting legs. Not staying up for this one, but hopefully the Pirates can pull off the upset. If it's Marquette, we know what has to be done having played them twice already...
Thursday, March 06, 2008
One Week From the BET
Two things to watch in terms of seeding for the conference tournament:
Notre Dame is currently in line for no worse than a 4 seed in New York. The Irish could bump up to #3 with a Connecticut loss at Providence tonight (tied with 11 to go) or at home against Cincinnati on Saturday.
Playing as the 4 seed in New York would mean a likely contest against Marquette on Thursday. The 3 seed will probably play the winner of West Virginia/Seton Hall. No brainer as to who we'd like to play there.
Looking forward to the NCAAs, starting two weeks from today. The Irish stand as a solid 4 seed with the win last night and should solidify that seeding by defeating South Florida on Saturday.
Teams to Watch-
Atlantic 10-
Xavier- 2 seed, Bracket Project
Plays St. Joe's tonight and heavily favored against Richmond Saturday. An early exit from the conference tournament combined with a good ND finish to the year could put the Irish over Xavier on the seeding line.
Big Ten-
Indiana- 4 seed
Purdue- 4 seed
Wisconsin- 3 seed
Irish currently slightly above Indiana and Purdue. Watch the tournament to see how this conference shakes out. All three should win their last regular season games.
Big XII-
Kansas- 2 seed
Texas- 2 seed
Texas finish the year at home, but Kansas could face a tricky contest at A&M on Saturday. One of the two should win the conference, but teams like Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma, and the Aggies could all make a run. If either team fails to make the final, the Irish could leap them.
Big East-
Connecticut- 4 seed
Georgetown- 3 seed
Louisville- 3 seed
Obviously, the Irish will have the chance to separate themselves from the Big East teams by winning the conference tournament.
Pac 10-
Stanford- 3 seed
Stanford could lock up that 3 seed with a win over UCLA tonight, but losing 2 of the next 3 (@ UCLA, @ USC, Pac-10 first round) could give ND a chance to leapfrog them.
Notre Dame is currently in line for no worse than a 4 seed in New York. The Irish could bump up to #3 with a Connecticut loss at Providence tonight (tied with 11 to go) or at home against Cincinnati on Saturday.
Playing as the 4 seed in New York would mean a likely contest against Marquette on Thursday. The 3 seed will probably play the winner of West Virginia/Seton Hall. No brainer as to who we'd like to play there.
Looking forward to the NCAAs, starting two weeks from today. The Irish stand as a solid 4 seed with the win last night and should solidify that seeding by defeating South Florida on Saturday.
Teams to Watch-
Atlantic 10-
Xavier- 2 seed, Bracket Project
Plays St. Joe's tonight and heavily favored against Richmond Saturday. An early exit from the conference tournament combined with a good ND finish to the year could put the Irish over Xavier on the seeding line.
Big Ten-
Indiana- 4 seed
Purdue- 4 seed
Wisconsin- 3 seed
Irish currently slightly above Indiana and Purdue. Watch the tournament to see how this conference shakes out. All three should win their last regular season games.
Big XII-
Kansas- 2 seed
Texas- 2 seed
Texas finish the year at home, but Kansas could face a tricky contest at A&M on Saturday. One of the two should win the conference, but teams like Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma, and the Aggies could all make a run. If either team fails to make the final, the Irish could leap them.
Big East-
Connecticut- 4 seed
Georgetown- 3 seed
Louisville- 3 seed
Obviously, the Irish will have the chance to separate themselves from the Big East teams by winning the conference tournament.
Pac 10-
Stanford- 3 seed
Stanford could lock up that 3 seed with a win over UCLA tonight, but losing 2 of the next 3 (@ UCLA, @ USC, Pac-10 first round) could give ND a chance to leapfrog them.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Pre-Game Post
Two topics to get to before the Irish tip-off in their second exhibition game tonight.
The Big East Tournament will expand to 16 teams next season, allowing all its schools to participate. There will be an additional round to include everyone, but the best teams will still only play three or four games. This should add a little more predictability to the tournament, giving the better schools a greater opportunity to advance.
"The new format will have the teams seeded 9 through 16 meet on the first day of competition. The matchups will be No. 9 vs. No. 16, No. 10 vs. No. 15, No. 11 vs. No. 14 and No. 12 vs. No. 13. The winners of those four games will meet seeds 5 through 8 on the second day of play. The 9/16 winner will advance to play the No. 8 seed. The 10/15 winner will play the No. 7 seed. The 11/14 winner will meet the No. 6 seed. The 12/13 winner will play the No. 5 seed."
The Irish have received a commitment from high school junior Joey Brooks. He is a three-star guard on both Scout and Rivals from Houston Texas. Glad to see he liked his visit and plans to sign for Notre Dame over Marquette and a few other schools. Signing day is a ways off however...
The Big East Tournament will expand to 16 teams next season, allowing all its schools to participate. There will be an additional round to include everyone, but the best teams will still only play three or four games. This should add a little more predictability to the tournament, giving the better schools a greater opportunity to advance.
"The new format will have the teams seeded 9 through 16 meet on the first day of competition. The matchups will be No. 9 vs. No. 16, No. 10 vs. No. 15, No. 11 vs. No. 14 and No. 12 vs. No. 13. The winners of those four games will meet seeds 5 through 8 on the second day of play. The 9/16 winner will advance to play the No. 8 seed. The 10/15 winner will play the No. 7 seed. The 11/14 winner will meet the No. 6 seed. The 12/13 winner will play the No. 5 seed."
The Irish have received a commitment from high school junior Joey Brooks. He is a three-star guard on both Scout and Rivals from Houston Texas. Glad to see he liked his visit and plans to sign for Notre Dame over Marquette and a few other schools. Signing day is a ways off however...
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