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Notre Dame Hoops Chat - 2/20/20

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Erik (Granger, In)

11:15

I‘ve enjoyed watching Durham grow this year, especially his back-to-the-basket post game. Hats off to coach Humphrey and JD himself for putting in the work. Q: does he have what it takes to be the lone guy in the 4 around 1 next year? Love those alley oops, too! Haven’t seen that much (ever?) from a Brey team.

Thomas Noie

11:14

Jordan: Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.....can you name the movie where this quote originated? If so, major props....lol

Jordan -South Bend

11:13

Hey Roger, have you tried checking and blocking out Enoch, Carey, Brooks -it will wear you out bro

Thomas Noie

11:13

Erik: John Mooney should get an NBA look. That doesn't mean he should reserve the end of June to attend the draft or make plans to be in the green room. But somebody's got to take a chance on him for summer league or preseason camp. He's not above the rim type of pro, but his second jump is something to consider. That and the fact that he's always around at the right time at the right spot.

Erik (Granger, In)

11:11

Thanks for being here! Does Mooney’s game translate to the NBA? I respect and admire everything he does for us, but I don’t see him playing above the rim enough to ball out at the next level, and he doesnt seem to be an accurate enough shooter this year.

Thomas Noie

11:11

Murph: Whew, that's a a Notre Dame football-type chat question/comment. A lot to unpack. Hard to really dig deep into what's stressed/coached/taught in practice. Everything happens behind closed doors from us nosy media know-it-alls.

Murph, South Bend

11:10

Any insight into time spent in practice on defense and its fundamentals? What does that coaching look like from the assistants specifically? Certainly the offense has improved this year and resembles more of a Brey-like team, but the defense continues to be difficult to watch. I understand the overall athleticism isn't there. I understand the "need" to play some zone even though it's arguably the most ineffective zone in the country that's relies on the opposition missing wide open shots. But it's the little things - rare boxing out (besides mooney), hands down on defense, not identifying shooters, over-helping, etc. Not trying to be negative, just genuinely curious about attention to D in practice.

Thomas Noie

11:09

Ray: Good call. Something that's gone unnoticed with so much attention paid to the injuries and the losing the last few years. Geben was really good. Mooney's been even better the last two years and given where Durham was when he first arrived, it's remarkable.

Ray From Mishawaka

11:08

Hi Tom, Can you comment on Ryan Humphrey's influence on the "bigs" on the Notre Dame team? I think his hard work is really paying off with the improvement of all the bigs. The players are developing at different rates but all are developing positively.

Thomas Noie

11:08

Bill: It would be a great story, but he'd have to do something that nobody's really ever done - earn that much trust and confidence and playing time from Mike Brey in one offseason after four years of struggles. Great kid, great attitude, but don't know if it'll happen.

Bill

11:07

Players like Geben have had the light go on and excelled in their final year of eligibility. I think we are seeing Durham progress to that point, but is there any chance Djogo can surprise next year? He just seems like a fish out of water every time he is in a game

Thomas Noie

11:07

Jordan: John Mooney averaged 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds as a sophomore.

Jordan -South Bend

11:06

Tom, Mooney ignited on the scene as a sophomre NOT this year

Thomas Noie

11:04

Mike: Rex Pflueger's season stats - 32.3 percent from the field, 31.71 percent from 3 are career lows. He's never shot better than 39 percent from 3 in his career. He had one year when he was at 44 percent from the field, but that was when he had some semblance of explosion to his game where he could get to the basket. Outside of the occasional post-up/Kobe-like fadeaway, The knee injury has robbed him of his ability to do anything around the basket.

Mike from Rochester NY

11:01

Tom, how do Rex Pflueger’s shooting stats this year compare to previous years? Rex was never a Jerian Grant but he was always passable-to-solid on the offensive end. Is he still being affected by the knee injury, or is something else going on?

Thomas Noie

11:00

Bill: Think there was a time when Notre Dame considered asking for one with Ryan, but declined to push it. What's the record? Hard to say because man, that would be one crowded perimeter. You'd have Hubb and Gibbs and Pflueger, then Goodwin AND Ryan? Don't know if there's enough minutes to go around.

Bill

10:59

With the NCAA handing out transfer waivers to nearly everybody, was there any chance of Cormac Ryan receiving one? If he is playing this year, what does the record look like?

Thomas Noie

10:59

Dwight: Let's put it in a context that everyone can understand - Carolina going through what it's going through this year is kind of like Notre Dame football going 4-8....unacceptable and open to total overreaction from the fan base.

Dwight from central Arkansas

10:58

I know Mike Brey gets a lot of knocks from Irish fans for a rough season. After ND's win over UNC the other night and considering the year the Tarheels are having I can't imagine what Roy Williams must be hearing. Basketball is probably much bigger on Tobacco Row even than South Bend.

Thomas Noie

10:58

BIll: Think Chris Quinn. Maybe a little Ben Hansbrough. What little we've seen of Ryan, there's a lot to like. Just wait.

Bill

10:57

What would be the best player comparison for Cormac Ryan?

Thomas Noie

10:57

Eric: Yeah, not seeing the "b" word even with the binoculars. Just look at the resume. When your best league win is against a Syracuse team that has a losing league record, it's pretty thin. I wrote before the Carolina game that at the very least, Notre Dame needs to win out its final six (now five) regular-season games, then re-evaluate for Greensboro. It gives everyone to talk about on a slow Notre Dame football news day, but it's wasted energy. For now.

Eric (South Bend)

10:55

What am I missing with SportsBeat and other local media talking about Notre Dame and the bubble? Notre Dame is so far from the bubble they need binoculars to see it. Don't you agree? They have beat no one. Even if they win out in the regular season, I think they would need a crazy ACC tournament run, which I don't see happening.

Thomas Noie

10:54

Bill: Anytime a coach or a player or even a member of the media looks to "hang on" it's probably time to go find something else to do. At some point, when that fire goes out, it's hard to get it back.

Bill

10:51

Brey does seem burnt out, but isn't there a certain sentiment that since he's gone through the growing pains with the sophomore class, he might as well hang on to reap the hopeful rewards?

Thomas Noie

10:51

Phil: Yes....I'd rather he be on the floor at the end of the game to make the type of play he made the other night grabbing the offensive rebound and kicking out to Laszewski than handling and shooting at the start. I'd like to see Laszewski get going early. Or Goodwin. But knowing how Mike Brey feels about having Pflueger on the floor, that's probably not going to happen.

Phil (Chicago)

10:49

By all accounts, Rex is a great teammate and works his tail off, but at some point don't you have to look at other options? Yes, he usually plays good defense, but he is such an offensive liability for a team that struggles to score at times. Are you ok with his current role or, like me, do you think he should serve in more of a 6th/7th man role?

Thomas Noie

10:48

Roger: Normally I'd agree with you on the fatigue thing, but last week was the exception. The travel was taxing for them....three games on the road, getting back late from Virginia, then going back out to play at Duke, then turning around and playing at home against North Carolina. Four games in nine days took a toll. Now you get this week to rest and recover. Sometimes, when something's a fact - four games in nine days - people take that as an excuse. It's not....it's just....the way it is. Last year was draining....the season's draining. It's almost March, and everyone is tired. NCAA? Play two games in three days fueled by adrenaline. Two tournament games in March compared to two regular-season games in January or February? No comparison.

Roger, Indianapolis

10:44

Every post game we hear about fatigue. Tom, I understand Mike can only play 7 guys, that gives us the best chance to win. But enough of the fatigue thing. We play two games in three days and its like the guys ran two Chicago Marathons. What is the point of going to the NCAA Tournament when you HAVE to play 2 games in 3 days? The constant excuses are frustrating.

Thomas Noie

10:43

Joe: Yeah, figured when saw his profile. Notre Dame needs more guys that can help next year.

joe from the south side

10:43

Tom: Jeffress is a slam dunk for Capel and Pitt. He was first on this kid a long time ago. He's more of a wing. D1 body, needs work on offense. Might be a 5 year guy.

Thomas Noie

10:41

Carmody remains a blank slate because of the last two seasons of injuries. In some weird way, the NIT might help that core understand what postseason's all about.

10:40

Joe: No on the sophomore class. Hubb and Goodwin and Laszewski all will be main guys next year. Carmody

Joe from Scottsdale, AZ

10:40

Tom - I think barring a miracle, the Irish will be headed for the NIT. It may be too early to ask, but are you worried about any one transferring due to the lack of success? Especially out of the sophomore class.

Thomas Noie

10:40

Greg: Wishful/hopeful thinking, but not even close. Going 3-2 in that scenario means Notre Dame likely loses to Florida State, right? Notre Dame really needs that game, and losing another along the way means it loses to yet another league team with a losing record. That's a crusher right now. Nothing less than running the table in the regular season and winning two will get them into NCAA tournament discussion. Notre Dame's best league win on Feb. 20 is against Syracuse, which has a losing league record. The Irish haven't cashed in on any of their chances...that really backs them into the corner.

Greg from Pittsburgh

10:34

Hi Tom, do you think us going 20-13 - assumes we go 3-2 to finish league and then go 1-1 in the ACC - gets us on the bubble for the NCAA tournament?

Thomas Noie

10:33

Brian: The ACC released the tournament schedule and school seating chart this week. Georgia Tech is listed on the seating chart and there are three games scheduled for Tuesday - 2, 4:30 and 7. Think Georgia Tech is ineligible for postseason. When that issue involved Louisville and Syracuse a couple years back, both those teams voluntarily withdrew from the ACC tournament.

Brian from Bloomington, IL

10:32

Looking forward to the ACC tournament, will Georgia Tech be allowed to participate, or will there be only 14 teams? If GT is out, will there only be two games on Tuesday?

Thomas Noie

10:32

Brian: It's a rebound if it's a shot. It's a steal if it's a lob at the rim for someone else. Don't know if the Irish will land two more high school recruits....that's going a little too young for Mike Brey's liking. I'd rather see them roll the dice with a grad transfer, or even two. It's the way of the college basketball world...why not live in it?

Brian from Bloomington, IL

10:31

Hi Tom! My s and I were debating a rule with Mooney grabbing all these rebounds. When a player shoots an air ball and the defender catches it, does he get a steal or a rebound on the stat sheet? Also, what are the chances of the Irish picking up another high school recruit or two this spring?

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