JotCast | Notre Dame hoops chat - January

Notre Dame hoops chat - January

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Nick South Bend

10:11

What does this team have to do to become tourney bound come March? How many wins do we need in ACC to be relevant this year? A frist round bye or somhow a double bye possible this year in an out of the normal ACC season where anything has been going?

Thomas Noie

10:10

Nick: That's a pretty solid perimeter. I know Prentiss Hubb has a tendency to take some really bad looking shots, but then he goes and does something like he did last night getting 20 of his 25 in the second half. There's a lot there. Same with Goodwin. And every indication is that Cormac Ryan will be a three-year starter and major minute guy. The issue will be what kind of pieces can they put around them. That's where the development jump of Nate Laszewski is so critical. And more, more, more from Juwan Durham. It's a bit of a leap to expect Elijah Taylor and Matt Zona to play major roles next season. Now, they CAN offer something, but we saw how it worked out last year when freshmen have to step in right away. The growing pains are painful. That's why getting a grad transfer would help balance everything out. And getting Carmody healthy for a full season.

Nick South Bend

10:07

After this W and as of late been feeling good thinking about the next 2 years of Hubb, Goodwin and Ryan as our primary ballhanders. Thoguhts ? Hopfully Zona and or Taylor develop quick in terms of big men.

scott

10:07

when will brey bench rex and start dane

Thomas Noie

10:07

maybe never.Mike Brey's nothing if not loyal. Not saying he shouldn't. Think Goodwin offers so much more at this time. That was one issue I had with Pflueger coming back for a fifth year. Like, how would that lower the ceiling on Goodwin and Robby Carmody. Those guys need to PLAY....not fight for minutes. Rex is a solid team guy, but eventually he needs to offer more. And that layup last night......oooof! Brey likes the rhythm that Goodwin's in right now as the first guy off the bench. Don't know if he wants to mess with that. Yet.

Guest

10:05

when will brey bench rex and start goodwin

Thomas Noie

10:05

Mark: Great question, one that doesn't have an easy answer. If there's one aspect I really miss about the Big East was that there really was nothing like being in midtown Manhattan for the week of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. There was an energy, a pulse about being in the city and it being all about hoops. The ticket scalpers outside Penn Station. Hearing former President Bill Clinton hold court on hoops in the backstage area. Watching Patrick Ewing walk through. THAT was college basketball at its finest. That said, it's really refreshing making the ACC road trips when its 70 degrees and actually sunny in January and February. It's a true basketball league.

Mark Kruz from Mishawaka

10:02

Tom since you have covered Notre Dame in both the ACC and in the Big East which conference have you preferred and why? Btw your Dayton Flyers would be a nice fit for the Big East

Thomas Noie

10:02

Rjam: Nate Laszewski's a guy that's taken a lot longer than many (like me) anticipated he would to figure out how and where he fits at this level. He's shown flashes, especially with the way he's embraced having to get in there and rebound. But he needs a few more shots to go down consistently. Like two or three in a row over two and three games. If he ever gets flowing, then you can see the pieces coming into place.

RJam

10:00

I see Nate playing hard, mixing it up down low, but his offensive contributions are below expectations. Has this just been an extended slump or does he not fit with the flow of this offense?

Thomas Noie

10:00

Joey: Still trying to figure that one out. Even almost a week later, it made zero sense. I get that Brey wants to keep the game flowing and not give Louisville a chance to set its defense and get organized....but when you look that unorganized and you don't have the one guy on the floor who was capable of getting a clean look on the floor, that's a major issue. I don't agree with Brey when he says the game was lost before the final possession. Why not at least go down fighting. Instead, it was like, oh, well, good try, but not good enough. That's not good enough.

Joey from Highland Indiana

9:58

what was the last possession vs Louisville? Why no timeout? Why no Goodwin?

Thomas Noie

9:58

Seat's warmer than you think....and that heat often comes from within. Who most wants/knows Notre Dame has to get back to the NCAA tournament? See Brey, Mike.

Joey from Highland Indiana

9:57

When does Mike Brey enter the hot seat?

Thomas Noie

9:57

Dan: I don't want to look at next year. Not just yet. Not without John Mooney or T.J. Gibbs, who eat up a lot of those minutes. If you thought it was thin THIS year....we haven't seen anything yet. That's why it may be required to go the graduate transfer route next season. Get older, stay experienced. Trouble is, Mike Brey's really weary of adding grad transfers and how that translates to overall team chemistry. After the last two seasons, it's a risk you just have to take.

Dan

9:55

Tom, I look at next year's team as of now and I can't remember a time where the bench looked so dismal. Your thoughts?

Thomas Noie

9:55

Christian: Hopefully last night was the night and the game where Notre Dame finally climbed over that hump. Cleared the close game hurdle that's really been an issue for two years. Yeah, Georgia Tech's not Duke or Florida State or Indiana or Louisville, but being able to make the plays needed to be made down the stretch to win a close game might finally flip the confidence switch. Mike Brey said it earlier this week - nobody in the league is going to hand them an ACC win. They had to go do it. And they did it in a building where they hadn't won in five years. Coaching does play a part in it - Brey's long been a guy who has a veteran group that he believes will figure it out. Too young last year. Maybe they still need to be coached at times this year. Now if we can only figure out how they can get a home league win.... that's the NEXT step. Then the next one is to run off three, four in a row.

Christian from Chicago, IL

9:52

Tom, my intention was to ask a question about whether if ND spends time on late game situations in practice, specifically the last 4 minutes, but since I know we do not have enough players for 5 on 5 for the 3rd consecutive year I know this is not possible. Kidding aside this is a troubling issue with missed free throws, lapsed defensive assignments, and horrible turnovers consistently during crunch time. Indiana, NC State, & Louisville are all recent examples. How does Brey get this squad over the hump? At a certain point you have to wonder if coaching is the source of the problem?

Thomas Noie

9:50

Matt: Any coach that misses the NCAA tournament for a third-straight season would be the first to admit that their seat's a bit warm. Uncomfortable. It should be, and will be. Especially since this program really did very little to make sure they'd be better than 3-15. It's basically the same team that's back that went 3-15. There were a good chunk of fans who slammed my 10-10 league projection, saying that Notre Dame should be better than an average program. But given where they were (3-15), getting to 10 league wins would be a massive leap for this program. Sadly, 10-10 likely won't get them into the NCAA tournament. The resume's just too....empty. So say Notre Dame misses the NCAA tournament...what do you do? Max out the available scholarships. Go the grad transfer route for one guy. For two guys. Do everything you can do to try and max out next season - something Brey and his staff didn't do this season. We're seeing the results. They're still a player or two short.

Matt from Virginia

9:42

Tom, I always enjoy reading the chats. My question is taking a bit of a wider lens. If ND misses the tournament for a third straight year, is Mike Brey on the "hot seat" next season? This level of regression, at this stage of Brey's program, shouldn't be acceptable to Jack Swarbrick. And taking a peek at next season, do you think ND could really be better without Mooney, Gibbs and Rex? Hard to see it, even with Ryan stepping in. On paper we seem to be in a bench depth crisis again next year. Thoughts? Thanks!

Thomas Noie

9:39

Welcome to the latest installment of the Notre Dame men's basketball chat. It's a good day to talk hoops - the Irish are coming off Wednesday's victory at Georgia Tech and get a week off from game action. To ask a question or make a comment, be sure to include your name AND hometown. And with that, you know the drill.... let's light this chat candle!

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