JotCast | Notre Dame basketball February 2025 chat

Notre Dame basketball February 2025 chat

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Greg from Galesburg, IL

12:48

Speaking of the women's team, do you think Coach Ivey's success is a source of pressure on Coach Shrewsberry? Is that one of the reasons he seems so emotionally fragile in his public appearances?

Tom Noie

12:48

Sources tell Sean....

Sean - Chicago

12:48

I believe it was announced a couple of weeks ago that Emma has another hip injury. From the sound of it -- "cartilage damage and scar tissue"-- she is probably going to need additional surgery (if she hasn't had it already).

Tom Noie

12:39

Tery: That would mean ... LOWER BODY INJURY, which you are probably well aware of how Notre Dame treats that news. Like it never happened...see no injury, hear no injury, speak no injury...

Terry

12:38

What is the status of Emma Risch? Don’t hear about her nor seen her on bench lately. Thanks!

Tom Noie

12:38

"Finally writing some story about the women's team." What took you so long? The SBTrib was the only media organization at last year's game at Tennessee and the only one at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro. We'll be back in Greensboro in a couple weeks. Next year's men's team? Let's get through this year's season first. One at a time around these parts.

Rich

12:37

I know ND Insider is focused on football and men’s basketball, but I want to congratulate you for finally writing some stories about the women’s team. They are now ranked #1 and deserve more recognition.
To the men - particularly after the last 2 home games, is there any reason for optimism? This is Shrewsberry’s program. Everyone except Burton and JR were recruited by him and his staff. Other than the improved play by Tae Davis, this year has been another bust. I know next year’s recruits are top 20 - but how will they thrive in this “system”? Why should anyone fell optimistic? TY.

Tom Noie

12:36

Amy: I've had the first weekend of April in Tampa on my radar since the Notre Dame football game in College Station over Labor Day weekend. It would be stunning if Notre Dame was not in the Final Four.

Amy from AZ

12:34

Tom, the topic here says "Notre Dame Basketball February 2025 chat." I find it quite fascinating that the "chat" is all about a floundering men's team while ND has the NUMBER ONE WOMENS TEAM IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY! I noticed, Tom, that from time to time you do cover the women. So...is this the year Niele takes the team to the Final Four???

Tom Noie

12:34

Based on ... what? How well he was committed to coaching the Detroit Pistons? Asking for a friend.

Guest

12:34

It’s really hard to watch ND flounder this way when Monty Williams is sitting Right. There. Any chance leadership even considers this possibility?

Tom Noie

12:33

Agree. On all of it. Well done my man!

Sean - Chicago

12:33

Micah is on a Matt Doherty at UNC path right now, and that's not good. The most alarming issue is the regression in results and lack of progress from seemingly anyone. This was always a "let's see where we are after year 3" situation given the way college athletics work in the age of the portal necessitating a complete roster rebuild coupled with the restraints imposed by ND on transfers and the non-marquee nature of the program. But the complete lack of progress across the board from year 1 to year 2 and the downward trajectory within year 2 is alarming for what it means going forward. Even if Haralson hits as a difference maker (and that's not a sure thing, see Starling, JJ) odds are he would be 1 and done, so then what is the plan for year 4? Hope to hit on another guy? That isn't a sustainable path for NDMBB, as Mike Brey found in his last season.

Tom Noie

12:33

Justin: Yes. If this were Notre Dame football, I wouldn't. Different sport. Different dynamic. Unless there's something that nobody sees happening behind the scenes, which I don't believe to be the case.

Justin J.

12:32

Tom, the silence from our new athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, is significant. He can see that his head coach is flailing and so far he has shown no sign of throwing him a life boat. Shrewsberry is a Swarbrick hire and so obviously Pete feels no responsibility for the hot mess that the program has become. Add in the fact that at ND image is everything and you get the feeling that the coach's seat might be a lot hotter than you think. The powers that be under the golden dome can not be happy with Micah's public temper tantrums. Would you be surprised if they gave Shrews a golden parachute to disappear quietly into the night?

Tom Noie

12:31

Easier said than done. Those experienced point guards and athletic bigs have bigger plans for their college careers than Notre Dame. They just do.

Robert from Mishawaka

12:31

I guess I'm in the majority when it comes to what the product looks like on the court. No leader, very few set plays, and lots of confusion. The assist to turner ratio is pathetic, and last night's efforts on the boards was terrible. Hit the portal for an experienced point guard, and an athletic big.

Tom Noie

12:31

Preach! Here's the thing about Shrewsberry that we all kind of expected or wanted to see - that he was such an offensive wizard that he would find a way to use Burke Chebuhar in a half or a game that just flipped everything on its head and you were left thinking, whoa, how in the heck did that guy think of that? Have we ever said anything like that other than, sigh, another iso for Markus Burton, in two years? Why we haven't said it or thought it or seen it is why Notre Dame is where it is.

Phil from South Bend

12:29

Interesting comment you made regarding Burke Chebuhar. I realize he is not a difference maker for ND as he is limited, but in that Rutgers game he had a role where he was stationed at the top of the key as a shooter and an outlet facilitator. He drew away their big while having a calming effect on the offense. Apparently when Burton came back Shrews decided that type of offensive set would not be worth trying. Burke also was a bench spark in ND's best win of the season versus Georgetown. Like I alluded to he's not an ACC caliber player, but he seems to understand what he can and can't do. Do something different to get more out of your better players. Nope, just defer to iso ball in every game.

Tom Noie

12:29

IF: Total, 150 percent Coach speak, though there is a talent gap. I'd rather have Braeden Shrewsberry on the floor right now than say, Cole Certa.

Illinois Fool

12:27

We keep hearing Coach say he plays people based on what happens in practice yet the starting lineup rarely changes. Is that just coachspeak or is there a bigger talent gap on this team that I'm missing?

Tom Noie

12:27

Dan: No, but I will reserve complete judgement until those freshmen are on campus competing against other Division I players. If I see that class and have the same reaction that I did for this current freshman class, there might be a problem.

Dan

12:26

I am not really that excited about ND's incoming recruiting class as others are. They have Haralson, but he will most likely only stay one year. After that, you have the typical 3.5 star ND recruit. Usually, just inside or outside the top 100. Am I being too pessimistic?

Tom Noie

12:26

Joe: This season and what's left of it never was about turning it around as it was showing progress that Notre Dame had the potential to take another step next season. Whatever progress and potential looked like. There were expectations within the program that the baseline goal this season would be top half of the ACC and a chance at an NCAA Tournament berth. Those were a bit too lofty. More realistically, it was win some more games you have no business winning and finish 11-9 in the league. maybe 12-8. Lay more foundation for Year Three. We're now looking at maybe 7-13 at best, which would be the same as last year. When Micah Shrewsberry arrived, the general feeling was this was going to take four years at a minimum, three if everything was accelerated. Now? No idea. None.

Joe from Katy, TX

12:23

Tom, I have a broader question. Can a team of players that has collectively learned how to lose consistently ever be taught how to win consistently, regardless of who is on the coaching staff? Or, once that point has been reached, can consistent winning only be achieved after there has been some roster turnover (which takes years, vs days or months...)? By roster turnover, I'm not referring to an upgrade in talent, although that's always welcome. I'm referring to the infusion of transfers or HS recruits who come from winning environments and haven't been subjected to the culture of losing that has engulfed ND's hoops program the past handful of years. I'd like to get a feel for how long it will take before it's reasonable to expect this program to truly get turned around. I fear it's several years, optimistically. And that thought saddens me. I'm the rare alumnus who chose to attend Notre Dame because I grew up a fan of its men's basketball team. That probably shows you how old I am...

Tom Noie

12:22

Has Notre Dame heard this?

Dan

12:21

It sure would be nice to have a front line of Davis, Haralson, and Ament for one year. It would change things, at least for a year. But its looking less likely to happen based on what I am hearing.

Tom Noie

12:21

This is college athletics 2025, where there's always a chance. At coaches being fired, at players transferring and of absolutely nothing of consequence happening.

Joe

12:20

First statement: With the exception of the Blake Wesley year, Notre Dame basketball fans have watched some truly awful basketball for most of the last seven years. Is there a non-zero chance Micah gets fired after this year?

Tom Noie

12:20

Jim: From an attendance, fan experience standpoint, a whole lot of it. From a can't-close-another-ACC-game standpoint, none of it.

Jim Tal, Valley Center, CA

12:19

Hi Tom, in your estimation, how much of the blame for this current and rather inexcusable three-year funk should be assigned to an often-apathetic athletic administration that has treated men's basketball like a second-class citizen?

Tom Noie

12:19

Dan: Grass isn't always greener. For players who leave...for people who want coaches to leave....Ooops, did I say something wrong?

Dan

12:18

Speaking of Booth, I know he is not of our concern anymore but geez, he really looks like he made a dumb move transferring. I don't understand guys who transfer to a worse situation for their basketball career. They must get some bad advice.

Tom Noie

12:18

Matt Allocco was touted as someone who had the potential to be the best one-year portal addition in program history (as told to the SBT in the summer). Have we ever seen anything close to that? Unless the wrist was an issue from shortly after the season, this season has been nothing close to what was expected. Every time you watched Allocco, you kept waiting/wanting for more. Still waiting/wanting.

Guest

12:17

I think Matt Allocco's injury has been more of a factor than most realize - not only is he experienced, he appears to be one of the few players on this team who can get in his teammates face and motivate. Your thoughts?

Tom Noie

12:16

Pete: An offensive idenity would also help. What does this team do well on that end of the floor? Have we seen it? Do we know? Bueller??

Pete from Berrien Springs

12:15

As I see it, without a true low post presence, there is no inside outside ball movement. This creates pass the ball around the outside with no penetration and makes it easy to chase shooters off the 3 point line. We have zero low point presence...at either end of he court.

Tom Noie

12:15

Vince: You're only pushing guys to the portal if you think you can upgrade the talen you're taking out of it. Not sure that's the case. Might be wrong, but until Notre Dame makes a WOW move in the portal, that will remain more of a secondary option to roster construction.

Vince from Granger

12:14

Obviously anyone transferring in this day and age is not surprising and wouldn't be after this season. If you were the coach would you be pushing guys to the portal for whatever reason? They are clearly playing more guys as of last night. Are they in a clear eval period for next season?

Tom in SB

12:12

At last night's game, the ushers were asking people sitting higher up to move down into the lower arena so that the arena didn't look so empty for the TV audience. The only students were the band and the football them that showed up. I still plan to be a season ticket holder next season, God willing. Not a question but just a comment.

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