JotCast | Notre Dame Hoops Chat II

Notre Dame Hoops Chat II

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Bill

12:21

How much does ND miss Martin Ingelsby in terms of recruiting and guard development? I feel like Humphreys has proven he can develop big guys (Geben and Mooney stand out), but it seems as though the jury is still out on Ayers

Eric Hansen

12:20

Bill: Great question - answered below (or above, lol) Notre Dame is not expected to be part of ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Bill

12:20

Since ND finished last in the ACC, are they in danger of being the passed up team for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge? Or does brand name mean more than the previous year's standings in terms of matchup selections?

Eric Hansen

12:20

Ian: Great call. Look at the non-conference schedule for 2014-15 to see what 2019-20 might look like. A lot of home games. Few road games. There are some certainties - Delaware (home), UCLA (home), Indiana (neutral) and an early-season tourney hosted by Notre Dame like last season. Notre Dame finished last in the ACC, which means it wouldn't be part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge unless a team with a coaching change (only Virginia Tech) chose NOT to participate. Otherwise, there's no ACC/Big Ten Challenge game. This Notre Dame team needs confidence (and frankly, at home) for 2019-20. Too many home losses also have to be fixed.

Ian

12:17

Any info on our non conference opponents? I assume it will be easier like the 14-15 ACC Champs season coming off of a bad season before.

Eric Hansen

12:17

Nick: Not at all. Been told as much that almost weekly from DeMatha contacts. Notre Dame knew that Harvey would be a challenge. It's not any concern from the DeMatha end moving forward.

Nick B - South Bend

12:16

Does losing Harvey affect the DeMatha pipeline ? Dickinson and Timberlake both on NDs 2020 wishlist

Eric Hansen

12:16

Nick: Complementary pieces. Djogo's had his chances the last two years, but hasn't delivered the way he needs to deliver. Doherty could go back on the five-year plan or he could be an end-of-bench guy. There are others ahead of them on the depth chart that will get earlier chances.

Nick B - South Bend

12:14

What are Breys plans for Djojo and Doherty this year ?

Eric Hansen

12:14

Michael: It's a jump-ball tie between Prentiss Hubb and Nate Laszewski. If they're better than they were as freshmen, Notre Dame will be better. As for 2020, you never know in recruiting, but it'll be a surprise if Notre Dame doesn't land Hunter Dickinson from DeMatha. Now if that doesn't happen, I'll say, see, told you it wouldn't....lol

Michael- Steubenville, OH

12:12

Who NEEDS to take the biggest jump this year? secondly, what 2020 recruits seem realistic, if any, at this point? Any big names?

Eric Hansen

12:12

Nathan: Absolutely, as long as the Pflueger from the Purdue game is the one we see. But you don't know. What's he going to be like coming back off reconstructive surgery? He's also dealing with some sensitive family issues with his mother's health. How does that weigh on him? Don't know, just as we don't know how Carmody fits, only that he has to.

Nathan - Las Vegas

12:10

A little slice of optimism for next year - I’m sure ND and coach Brey are spinning the idea of Rex being a welcomed grad (transfer) and Carmody as an incoming top 100 freshman. Two key guys to the 2019-2020 puzzle for sure.

Eric Hansen

12:10

Dylan: Not at all. They're confident in their 2020 list. Jaden Ivey's a talent, but Purdue was there with him longer. And what happens if Ivey goes the route of Harvey at Notre Dame? That it doesn't work? Sometimes when you've been around one place your entire life, you want to see what else is out there. That wasn't the case with Demetrius Jackson, who didn't want to leave Saint Joseph County. That was the case with Ivey. It was time he look beyond the Notre Dame bubble.

Dylan

12:08

Tom, are you beginning to sense any frustration from the staff in regards to recruiting. I know 2019 was never going to be a big class based on taking 5 the previous year, but it seems 2020 is already off to a rough start after losing Ivey. Add the lack of a grad transfer addition to the mix as well. Thanks

Eric Hansen

12:07

Joe: Impatient? Nothing wrong with being impatient. Beats the alternative of accepting the status quo. That's what concerns me most - you're riding with the same 10 guys you had when you went 3-15. Get at least one new face to shake things up a little. Can't hurt, can it? Never say never when there's over 700 kids in the transfer portal, but it wouldn't surprise me if Notre Dame doesn't get a transfer.

Joe

12:06

Appreciate the response on the transfer, and all your coverage. Seems like you are the only person in the country who covers ND basketball. But we can't go into the season with 3 open scholarships, that's bad roster management. I understand the ideal was a grad transfer and a one year transfer. We whiffed on the grad transfer so now we're going to whiff on the traditional transfer as well? We can't whiff on both or we will be in the same position when the current frosh are juniors. We will have 5 guys with 2 years in the program and a bunch of incoming frosh. need something in between. Maybe I'm just being impatient

Eric Hansen

12:06

Bruce: Anybody from Dayton automatically should go to the top of the list. Ryan Ayers and Ryan Humphrey are good enough to recruit guys, but can they close? Can Rod Balanis? Heck, can Mike Brey? All fair questions now after not getting at least one guy/grad transfer. Honestly, I don't know.

Bruce, from Dayton, Ohio

12:04

Hi Tom, thanks for doing the chats and giving us some great info. What is your overall opinion of the assistant coaches? I know ND will always have trouble recruiting against the elite, but are they good enough recruiters to keep ND in the top 20 each year? With the new practice facility that should not be an excuse anymore. Thanks

Eric Hansen

12:04

Ian: Absolutely. He knows it. He understands that's the way of the basketball world. Gotta first stay healthy. What would the 2017-18 have done if Colson hadn't gotten hurt? If Farrell? Harvey? At the least, it makes the tournament. Last year, do they 9-9 without all the injuries? Stay healthy, get older, get better and this program can get back on track.

Ian

12:02

If ND fails to reach the tourney for the 3rd straight year. Will Brey be on the hot seat?

Eric Hansen

12:01

IW: Dane Goodwin wasn't completely healthy, but welcome to the unforgiving world of the ACC. You don't have time to get healthy because another gauntlet awaits. And he looked overmatched at times. OK, a lot of times. Lesson learned by a freshman. All the freshmen. Given what the injury situation was, Goodwin couldn't afford to sit. He had to play through the soreness and the struggles. There was no other option. It will be interesting to see what happens with Carmody. How does he fit? He can bring some toughness. Did last season before he got hurt, but he also has to S-L-O-W down. He played way too fast when he did play. That will come.

IrishWay

11:59

The freshmen all had their up and down moments last season which was to be expected. How healthy was Dane last year? He played like a man early in the ACC and looked completely overmatched the rest of the way. What does a healthy Robby bring to this team next season?

Eric Hansen

11:59

Bobby: Both are relatively on/ahead of schedule. Carmody is close to returning to full-out five-on-five while Pflueger is more like September. Both will be intriguing to see where they fit next season. If Pflueger's the player we saw at bankers Life Fieldhouse before his injury, optimism increases....

Bobby

11:58

Are you hearing anything about where Pflueger and Carmody are in their respective recoveries from injury?

Eric Hansen

11:57

Ryan: An NCAA tournament bid should NEVER be unrealistic for a program like Notre Dame. That should be a starting point, at the least. Going to the NCAA next year shouldn't be out of the question as long as everyone stays healthy. It's not an excuse or a crutch, but the fact this program has lost over 100 player games to injury the last two years to injury is a factor why they haven't been to the NCAA the last two years. Stay healthy this year, they can make a run.

Ryan

11:54

Hey Tom, is an NCAA tournament bid unrealistic next year for this team based on the massive struggles last season. Also can we expect a similar pfleuger as last year before injury or do you expect this injury to effect him a little in the coming season

Eric Hansen

11:54

Nick: Notre Dame plays at North Carolina tomorrow, the starting five likely would be Prentiss Hubb, T.J. Gibbs, Rex Pflueger, John Mooney and Nate Laszewski. How many recruits for 2020? Notre Dame will have seven scholarships available, but no way will it add seven. Five freshmen last year almost made Brey's head explode trying to figure out rotations and minutes. Gotta tap the grad transfer market again.

Nick B - South Bend

11:52

Way to early starting 5? Also how many recruits does Brey want to add for 2020? Top realistic targets?

Eric Hansen

11:51

Joe: Ethan Happ was an option last season, just as James Blackmon, Jr. was an option the previous year. Blackmon chose the NBA. Happ chose to remain at Wisconsin. Imagine how those two - both playing one year - would have helped.

Joe

11:50

Also I saw you mentioned in an article Ethan Happ as a target last year? How heavily were we involved there?

Eric Hansen

11:50

Joe: From the perspective of 2019-20, the last thing this program needs is a traditional transfer who's going to sit out and then be eligible for 2020-21. This program needs to win now. Needs to be better now. A sit-out transfer won't help this team be better in 2019-20. A graduate transfer would. Where was this program's downfall last season, other than the injuries? Too few old guys, specifically, seniors. This program needs to get older next year, not younger.

Joe

11:48

Not sure if this has been asked yet, but from a roster management perspective what transfers are we still after? A rising freshman to make up for the empty 2019 class makes a TON OF SENSE

Eric Hansen

11:48

Nathan: Notre Dame was so confident that it would get Pierce that they all but held a starting spot for him. Here it is, take it. He didn't. And given where this program was last season in going 3-15 with three scholarships available, the odds were better than average that Notre Dame would tap the graduate transfer market. Or bring in one of each. Didn't really materialize for one reason or another. Maybe they still add a traditional transfer, but.....

Nathan - Las Vegas

11:45

Tom - on Twitter a few weeks back you hinted at 2-3 new faces joining ND for this season. Obviously, things have changed. Was ND simply really confident in Pierce and another transfer coming at that time? Just curious how things shook out. Still the possibility of a normal transfer?

Eric Hansen

11:45

Dennis: Things have changed just a bit since Matt Ryan left Notre Dame for Vanderbilt. Bryce Drew offered him shots and playing time and a chance to start (though Ryan eventually went back to the bench). Now under Jerry Stackhouse, there's really no blueprint for that other than D.J. Harvey believes he'll one day play in the NBA. Why not play for someone who knows what it takes to get to the league. That's really Harvey's main reason for going to Vanderbilt to play for someone who's never been a college head coach. Harvey and his family believe Stackhouse can best prepare him to get to where he believes - where they believe - he can go....the NBA.

Dennis

11:43

What is it about guys wanting to go to such a bad program, Vanderbilt? I just do not understand the thought process

Eric Hansen

And again, pay no attention to the moderator's name....this is a hoosp chat with Tom Noie....no football questions necessary (though they won't be ignored)....lol

11:42

Hopefully in the practice facility...where everybody needs more offseason work with their shot. A summer in the gym surely will help last year's freshmen, while T.J. Gibbs just needs to be smarter about the kinds of shots he takes.

Dunny

11:41

Where can I find any hope that this group of players will finally be able to hit the same shots they bricked all last season?

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