JotCast | Notre Dame Hoops Chat

Notre Dame Hoops Chat - 2/20/20

Thomas Noie

1:17

That will do it for today....thanks again for the questions and comments. Solid effort. We'll be back around toward the end of the season, maybe the final week or pre-ACC tournament.

1:08

Wadelite: Wishful thinking....this program's never going to press and trap and make it difficult for the other team. It's more a token press to slow the other team down and get them out of rhythm. I'll take my chances with a mediocre defensive team IF you can routinely score 75 a night. Not a lot of teams can get to 75, 80 with ease. But when the offense is that sporadic, it magnifies the defensive holes even more.

Wadelite

1:06

It's a shame there was not more depth on this team this season because they have been effective in desperation times at full court pressing. Assuming they have at least 10 healthy eligible players next season could they do it more or is that wishful thinking that Brey will come up with a different excuse to rely on a mediocre defensive team and hope the other team misses shots.

Thomas Noie

1:02

Jim: Notre Dame and Georgetown are supposed to start a two-year series (home and home) next season. After that, Marquette rotates on for a two-year series (home and home). Maybe after that Villanova, but we'll have to see where both programs are then in terms of the head coach. Also possible to add another Big East non-league game when the Crossroads Classic dissolves (and not a year too soon).

Jim (Dayton)

1:00

Tom, any rumors of old Big East teams coming back on the schedule in the next few years?

Thomas Noie

12:53

Mark: Not yet....on the agenda for next week....keep in mind he's only a junior, so there's more for him to develop before he gets to campus

Mark Kruz from Mishawaka

12:52

Tom have you had the chance to see ND recruit JR Konieczny play in person this season and who would you compare his game to?

Thomas Noie

12:47

Erik: Not really. It's nice and new and has a lot of bells and whistles, but not hearing that guys are choosing Notre Dame solely for that reason. And you're right...I've asked Mike Brey about the disconnect between shooting in Rolfs and Purcell Pavilion....got the old "overanalyze" line. They've been better shooting it at home the last four games. But they did get into the arena for an extra day of practice prior to the Syracuse home loss. So it's something the staff has pondered as well.

Erik (Granger, IN)

12:46

Has Rolfs Hall had any measurable impact yet on recruiting (e.g. guys signing with ND and touting the quality of their facilities)? Also, it seems like ever since it opened the team hasn't shot the ball as well as we used to. Any logical connection there, such as sight lines in practice not translating to the arenas for some reason?

Thomas Noie

12:45

Murph: True....I said it that night we left Quicken Loans Arena, back when it was Quicken Loans Arena, that Notre Dame wins the national championship if it beats Kentucky. There was just a sense being around that team in Greensboro and then in the NCAA tournament that they were riding a wave to somewhere special. It was magic.

Murph, South Bend

12:44

If only ND hung on against Kentucky in 2015...they win that game and the championship is theirs, no one can ever convince me otherwise. Then maybe nd hoops finally has national respect, but probably not. mooney would still get screwed

Thomas Noie

12:39

Ed: John Mooney not being on the midseason Wooden Watch list has nothing to do with the ACC. It has a lot to do with Notre Dame and a lack of national identity.

12:39

Irish still get No respect . The ACC IS STILL run by duke and Nc . The Refs give Them no respect and the Worse of all is the omitting of Mooney off Wooden list . If he was on duke or Nc , he’d be first team all american

Thomas Noie

12:38

Murph: However it unfolds, sure it will be interesting.

Murph, South Bend

12:38

Agree with Tom - ND must win out first and should snag the 5 seed with UVA the 4. Will need to beat 12/13 seed and then UVA to even be in the real conversations...and then hope Louisville is the 1 seed and not Duke. All of those games are very winnable. Will they pull it off? Unlikely, but this team fights. Lets see what happens.

Thomas Noie

12:37

Bill: I'd go with 4-1....they have the ability to beat everyone remaining on the schedule, but also could lose to any of the five teams.

Bill

12:36

What does your gut say ND's record in the final 5 games will be?

Thomas Noie

12:36

Joe: Come on, Joe....it's all OUR fault. Don't you know that.....Seriously, I think it's the fact that Notre Dame is nowhere near the NCAA tournament that there's no buzz. But the fact that this program has a chance to go 11-9 or 12-8 is nothing short of staggering given the fact they went 3-15 last year. OK, so 12-8 may not get them into the field of 68, but to quadruple your league win total from the previous year? That fact can't be forgotten if Selection Sunday isn't an option.

joe from the south side

12:32

Tom: Wondering if you or others feel the same. In NOV, if you would have said 11-9 and a first round bye in the ACC tourney, you'd have taken that deal in a second. Especially after the last two years. But let's say that happens. I still feel kind of "Meh" it's nice but......I don't feel any buzz (no pun intended), or bounce out of this group. Is it the team? Brey? The fans? You ink stained wretches? lol

Thomas Noie

12:31

Dave: There's no indication that he WON'T return.

Dave, DC

12:31

Is there any indication that Juwan Durham is planning to return for a 5th year? Given the roster's current construction, this would appear to be a crucial decision.

Thomas Noie

12:31

Justin: Do they have to make a name for themselves? Everyone knows their name...and their game. Can't say for certain they're going to do this and this and this in the ACC tournament until we see the bracket. This is what I believe about this team - it has to win each of its last five games. Then we'll reevaluate.

Justin from Fort Wayne IN

12:30

Do you truly honestly believe this team can make a name for themselves in the ACC tourney? Get a first round bye, then win game 1, and then win 1 or 2 more?

Thomas Noie

12:30

Richard: Been out in the cold too long? The sun? John Mooney best big man in the Mike Brey era? Troy Murphy, Luke Harangody, Bonzie Colson, Ryan Humphrey raise their hands....

Richard Hertz

12:28

Where would you rank Mooney in the Brey Era for Big Men? Top 5 for sure, maybe #1!!!

Thomas Noie

12:28

Judy: WINNER!!! Solid job.....my name is Roger Murdoch....I'm the co-pilot....lol....lol

Judy from Etters, PA

12:27

Interesting season and love the guys! Answer to your trivia question on quote about dragging Lanier on the court: Airplane!!!

Thomas Noie

12:22

Tom: John Mooney.....rec ball all-star arms? Not seeing it

Tom from Charloittesville

12:22

Sorry, a clarification follow-up: do you think Rex and Temple (and John) look like they have been in a Div 1 strength and conditioning program for three or four years already? They have rec-ball arms compared to most of our opponents in the ACC. And, again, I love these guys, I am just wondering about the strength program they are supported by...

Thomas Noie

12:21

Justin: Hard to say....North Carolina State is currently in fifth at one game up in the win column (and two overall with the tiebreaker). Just get to 12-8 and see where that gets them.

Justin from Fort Wayne IN

12:19

If ND finishes the year at 12-8, do you think they will be sitting at the 5th or 6th seed going into the ACC tourney

Thomas Noie

12:16

Erik: One and done is going away. Soon. That may make it even harder for Notre Dame to get guys. Now, instead of Duke targeting one-and-dones, it's going to look longer at prospects like Nate Laszewski, who chose Notre Dame over North Carolina.

Erik (Granger, IN)

12:15

Great chat, thanks! Is there any traction nationally about ditching the one-and-done rule and allowing high schoolers to once again join the NBA directly? Carey in the low post on Saturday just wasn't even fair. His drop step was a thing of beauty though. As much as I want to erase that game from memory for ND's sake, it's a fascinating study of teams on opposite ends of the spectrum right now from an athlete, talent, and coaching standpoint.

Thomas Noie

12:14

Murph: Preach! Notre Dame may have been one more piece/player away this year from beating Syracuse and Boston College and Louisville and Florida State and Virignia and Duke.....OK, not Duke...but imagine if there was one more option in those other games.....are the Irish at 7-8?

Murph, South Bend

12:13

I just don't see wojo going from marquette to ND....as for this year and beyond, Nate is still the x-factor. I'm excited to see how he finishes the year. His shots will start consistently falling at some point, I believe that. In the meantime, I like how he's attacking the hoop. This team is one key transfer away from potentially having something real fun next year.

Thomas Noie

12:13

Joe: We went from Marquette being a stepping-stone job to .... Josh Pastner????? I'm lost.

joe from the south side

12:12

Tom: If I respect myself as a young up and coming coach, I'd want to play against the best. That's why Hurley and Wojo went to Duke. Prove yourself at the highest level. Same thing as coaches. The ACC being down this year is a hiccup. Over time, there is no better basketball league. As crummy as BC or G TECH jobs might be, they can still attract a big time coach. Pastner was as hot as hell when he left Memphis for Atlanta.

Thomas Noie

12:11

Tom: Fair point. If T.J. Gibbs isn't scoring from deep, or mid-range, he can't score. Hubb has some holes in his point guard game. Player development isn't the same as it was a couple years ago.

Tom from Charloittesville

12:10

Adding on to that question/positive comment re: development of the bigs, who is working with the guards and should they not be accountable? Gibbs has regressed (although I obviously respect his efforts) since his freshman and sophomore years, and Rex certainly did not improve...even before his injury. I think we miss Ingelsby as much as any assortment of players (other than JG/Pat).

Thomas Noie

12:10

Ryan: They should push tempo. The Irish play with a 20-second shot clock in practice to play faster. They were able to get out and get some easy looks in transition.

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