JotCast | Notre Dame men's basketball chat - 12-12-24

Notre Dame men's basketball chat - 12-12-24

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Tom Noie

3:39

That will do it for today. Appreciate everyone hanging out for a few hours and talking hoops. We'll be back around these parts sometime in January when conference play will be in full swing, Markus Burton (hopefully) may be back and we'll know more about the Irish. If you have a question or comment that cannot wait, drop me a note at tnoie@sbtinfo.com. Thanks again everyone, and Happy Holidays!

3:31

Jeff: No, no, no, a thousand times over, no way should Notre Dame ever play in that event. Great day of basketball? Sure, if you're Indiana or Purdue or Butler. Notre Dame? You'd be better off playing a game in South Dakota given the lack of fan support in relation to the other teams. The Crossroads was a good idea for a couple years, but when it became a de factor home game for Indiana and Purdue when they played Notre Dame, you were like, what's the point? It ran its course, and it was time for it to go. It went.

Jeff from Schererville, IN

3:29

By closer to home I assume you do NOT mean the Crossroads Classic or whatever your favorite event in Indy was called?!?! :) Thanks again for doing these and for your great coverage all season long. Merry Christmas to you and your personal and work families! See you in Purcell soon!

Tom Noie

3:19

Jeff: Great stuff, but too early to pin down exactly where the schedule is going. You're right on the four already set. Micah Shrewsberry has said he'll play anyone anywhere, but next year, when an NCAA bid is there to chase, I'd like to see them stick closer to home and not be so ... ambitious with the schedule. Maybe if you can get a marquee non-conference home game, you go that route. But load up the wins, take your chances to Vegas and put yourself in position to chase down an NCAA bid in league play.

Jeff from Schererville, IN

3:17

I'm a schedule geek so I always wind up asking about non-conf schedules once a year in these chats. We know last year's non-conf schedule was too hard for that team. This year's non-conf schedule made better sense for this team even though Elon didn't work out and Vegas didn't go the way anyone expected because of Burton. What are you hearing about next year other than a return to Vegas for 3 games and (at long last) a home game in the ACC-SEC Challenge? That's 7 open slots which I'd guess would be mostly likely gimmes at home but perhaps the start of a home and home with Purdue or another notable team (your Dayton Flyers?) too? I know Georgetown is off the books after this year. Thanks!

Tom Noie

3:10

Matt: Off the charts in terms of player development. From all of them. Grady Eifert and Tre Witted are what Micah Shrewsberry likes to call his secret weapons when it comes to player development. His coaching staff all seem like solid, stand-up guys who know what they're doing. It's difficult from where we sit way up high at Purcell Pavilion to get a feel for how they interact/respond to in-game situations. But they're all active, a little intense. And they recruit, as evidence of this past class. It's a solid staff, one that I'm still getting to know. They know what they're doing.

Matt from Minneapolis

3:07

Now that we are a year plus into the new coaching regime, what are your thoughts on the non-Shrewsberry portions of the staff? Any insights about their effectiveness developing players or gameplans? Anyone in particular stand out to you?

Tom Noie

3:07

JET: Absolutely easy access. Tae Davis played 18 minutes in the second half against Dartmouth. He scored six points on 2-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the foul line. He had seven of his career high 10 rebounds with one assist, one steal, two fouls and one turnover. Micah Shrewsberry said afterward that Davis was gassed in the second half after playing so many minutes. Shrewsberry's response was basically, get used to it. He wants him on the floor more.

JET from EVANSVILLE

3:05

If you have easy access to this without going through the play by play, what was Davis’s second half stats?

Tom Noie

3:03

Stay tuned...

Guest

3:03

What are your thoughts about signing Nate Ament?

Tom Noie

3:03

Brady Stevens has a hand injury. He's a preferred walk-on, so he cannot redshirt.

Guest

3:02

We are just wondering if Brady Steven's is injured or being redshirted. He has really played and dressed in his warmup suit. We enjoy your articles and X Thanks, Tom! Happy Holidays!

Tom Noie

3:02

David: It's a conference in transition - just look at the coaches who called that conference home but have since gone - Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Rick Pitino, Tony Bennett, Jim Boeheim and let's throw our old friend Mike Brey in there. You had elite coaches who built elite programs. They won. A lot. It's hard to have that much turnover and not have any slippage.

David Stanton, Jackson MI

3:00

Any thoughts about why the ACC seems to be in a pretty bad 5 year stretch. It used to be often be one of the three best basketball conferences in the country but lately it seems to have slipped quite a bit has been passed by as a truly elite basketball conference.

Tom Noie

3:00

Jim: The sands in the NBA hour glass may be running out for Pat Connaughton, who carved himself a solid NBA career after many told him it was impossible. With Pat, anything is possible. He believed in his dream and achieved. It will be interesting to see if he decides to eventually give baseball a shot. Blake Wesley has a chance to be more than just a guy if he buys into being a defensive guy. To make it in that league, you need to be elite at one area. Maybe for BW, that's defense.

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

2:58

Tom, do you have any insight into why Pat Connaughton has been getting so many DNPs as of late. I know he wasn't shooting it all that good, but this guy has been a viable and serviceable piece for the Bucks the last few years. Also, based on his career to date, do you think Blake Wesley will ever evolve into more than just a guy in the NBA?

Tom Noie

2:58

And....we're back. Questions and answers coming....

12:24

OK, we're going to try something different today - NDI hoops chat in two parts. This will end the first part since I have to step away from a bit. I'll keep the queue open. Keep reading. Keep sending your questions and comments. We'll resume in a little bit early this afternoon. Have some Dad duties that need my attention. Keep the questions coming...let's go!

12:14

David: There is no way - none - that an NCAA Tournament bid should be considered a goal for Notre Dame this year. It's too soon, and there is one (big) missing piece that doesn't make an NCAA bid realistic. Now, if the Irish find some magic formula and run off five, six, seven straight wins in early January, we can revisit and maybe dream of March. But the NCAAs? For this program? Next season. That's not a knock on the Irish. It's just reality. Too soon.

David Stanton, Jackson MI

12:12

Meant to add this and then didn't. Do you think the weakness of the league (I agree with your overall assessment) helps or hurts ND's chances at a NCAA tournament bid?

Tom Noie

12:10

David: Too many weaknesses to see many strengths. To say this might be a down year in the ACC might be too kind. The league, as we sit here on December 12, stinks. Forget there not being any great teams...how many teams are really any good? Two? Three? It's setting up to be a tough watch in January and February.

David Stanton, Jackson MI

12:09

Any thoughts at this point about the overall strengths/weakness of the ACC this year so far?

Tom Noie

11:45

Jim: It's fragile, which is why it was so important to get Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference opener against a really bad Syracuse team. You don't get that one, with no J.J. Starling for the Orange, and man, it really gets dark and gets late early. It's going to be a chore to move forward without Burton, but there's a belief in that locker room that they can do it. I don't know if they can if Burton doesn't return or returns but is a shell of himself. You're never as bad as your last loss, but you're also never as good as your last win. It's going to be a game to game, night to night deal with this team.

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

11:43

Tom, as of right now, how realistic is the concern that the season could get away from ND before Burton even returns? Yes, the win over 'Cuse was nice but I still don't get the vibe from this team that things couldn't go south. In your opinion, is there enough talent and grit with this current group sans Burton to prevent that from happening?

Tom Noie

11:37

Ryan: J.R. Konieczny was really good against Syracuse, but not so much against Dartmouth. That has to become the next step in his development at this level - as good as he can be/is one game, he has to match or exceed that the next. That too often hasn't happened for myriad reasons for him. It's in there. We need to see more. Notre Dame needs more.

Ryan Frankfort Illinois

11:36

Tom what do you think about the play of JR Konieczny he looked good vs Syracuse On Saturday Happy Holidays GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏀🏀🏀

Tom Noie

11:31

Justin: Drives us in the upstairs press box nuts, to the point where you just want to ask Allocco why he doesn't shoot more. He'll tell you that it's not about him or about personal stats, it's about winning, but there's no way - zero, zilch, none - that you can have a fifth-year guard who goes 0-for-0 (seriously) against Buffalo and 0-for-3 against Syracuse. You can't miss a shot you don't take, but you can't make it either. It's OK to be a guy who's like, I'm going to get something for myself on this trip. Especially with Burton out. Any easy basket helps.

Justin, Ft Wayne

11:28

Maybe the other thing that has bugged me so far this season is Allocco passing up so many open shots. Felt like last night there were 3-4 times when he had a wide open shot but passed. Your not a 50/40/90 guy by mistake. Wonder what your take is on that?

Tom Noie

11:28

IF: When you don't have your all-league point guard to push the pace, you don't push the pace, When they lost Burton, it was clear that the up-tempo style they had cultivated all offseason would be shelved for a slower tempo. They just can't play as fast as they did earlier in the year with Burton. It has to be slow. It has be deliberate. Just does.

Illinois Fool

11:26

The school obviously doesn't do much to get the students to the games or there would have been more than the 18 students in the student section at tip off last night. But I'll move on. Why does there seem to be so little effort to get out on the fast break to steal a few points each game?

Tom Noie

11:21

Jim: Everybody else, because nobody outside of those three, and I don't know if I'd include Allocco in this, has shown that they can do it on a game by game by game basis. It's one good game, then a game where you wonder where/why they disappeared. We've mentioned J.R. Konieczny in that spot, but it's also everybody. Njie runs hot and cold. Imes and Roper are so limited. Sundra has shown flashes, but flashes are about all you can expect at this point. Even Allocco has been good with, yeah, I don't have to shoot it much (or at all) tonight. I don't think that's good for this team. Allocco was brought here to be a leader and he has led, but he also has to be a guy who should go get something like last night (16 points, five assists) every night. He's been around the game too long to be fine with being a fit-in piece. Be a key piece. There's nothing wrong with that.

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

11:18

Tom, always appreciate your insight and perspectives. Until Burton returns, I think it's pretty obvious that Shrews, Davis and Allocco are going to have to carry the team. But beyond those three, what other player or two do you believe must step up and make somewhat of an impact in order for the Irish to at least stay afloat and be competitive. Thanks.

Tom Noie

11:17

Mike: Ha! Good one. That Mike Brey had to hit the dorms and stand on tables in dining halls kind of answers your question.

laughing

1

Mike from Rochester, NY

11:16

Does ND do anything to promote the basketball team or encourage students to attend? I don't think the burden should be on the coach to visit the dining halls and dorms like Brey did.

Tom Noie

11:16

As opposed to the overall lack of athleticism needed to succeed in the Atlantic Coast Conference? How many Irish right now would be starters in other ACC programs? Burton included. But yes, your expectations were waaaaaaaay too high for Njie because he was never thought of as anyone more than a 9-9 or 7-10 guy. I never wondered about Njie coming in with Micah Shrewsberry or saw him on the court and thought, wow, there's a 15-10 guy every night. Or any night.

Justin, Ft Wayne

11:14

Eh, I personally would disagree with your take on Njie but we can agree to disagree. Maybe my expectations were to high for him then. I know Notre Dame can be good when fully healthy but if there was ever a glearing weak spot on the roster, it’s the center position.

Tom Noie

11:14

Mike: Development doesn't mean playing more minutes. It's getting nutrition. It's training. It's getting in they gym and shooting hundreds of shots in your sweet spots. It's watching the game. It's understanding it. It's picking up the nuances of older guys and seeing how they react to different situations, good and bad. It's about everything other than being on the court for X amount of minutes against this team or that team. It's a process to play at this level, which both Sundra and Certa are learning. So they may not be ready this year. Go grow your games and learn what it takes to succeed at this level. I don't get the ah, no Markus Burton, let's go with guys who aren't ready...

Mike from Rochester, NY

11:11

If ND is going to be a developmental program with the HS recruits (and needs to be because 2 of the 3 transfers are, as expected, extremely limited), then wouldn't it make sense to give Sundra and Certa more minutes with Burton out?

Tom Noie

11:11

IF: Too early to tell. Say he's back for North Carolina on January 4 ... but he's not really back. How long does it take him to get back into game shape. Then, what's his psyche? Does he play with more caution because of the injury? So many variables. Before Burton's injury, I picked Notre Dame to go 12-8/13-7 in the ACC. Now? Can it get to 10, 11 wins? That would be a win given the loss of Burton last month.

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