JotCast | Notre Dame men's basketball preseason chat - 10-30-25

Notre Dame men's basketball preseason chat - 10-30-25

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Tom Noie

1:38

That will do it for today. Thanks to all who participated. We'll swing back through on our monthly cycle (depending on our Notre Dame football coverage duties), maybe around the middle of November. If you have a question or comment that cannot wait, drop me a note at tnoie@sbtinfo.com. Have a great rest of October!

12:57

Going only on the two exhibition games, not so much. Notre Dame was good at Butler, not good at all against DePaul. We'll need to see something that resembles an identity starting Monday. Like, what is it with this team? Are they a defensive team? Offensive? Combination? Not sure anyone knows...

Jim from Virginia

12:55

Based on the results so far, it could be argued that Notre Dame has very few ACC level recruits, frontline or otherwise. Joking aside, I realize that the jury is still out on Shrewsberry's coaching and player development. Changing the subject, are you seeing improvement on Notre Dame's defense? Defense was going to be reemphasized in practice this Fall. Are you seeing any results?

Tom Noie

12:21

Jim: Is this a trick question?

Aren't they all "legit ACC recruits" since they play, wait for it, in the Atlantic Coast Conference? Think what we need to discern is what players are frontline ACC recruits (Jalen Haralson, Sir Mohammed, Markus Burton, Brady Koehler) and what players are more fit-in/complementary players (Garrett Sundra, Ryder Frost, Tommy Ahneman). Jonathan Sanderson may fall between classifications while Gan Solongo is more a long-term project than surefire ACC front-court guy.

Jim from Virginia

12:17

Other than Haralson and Mohammed, who on the roster and the incoming classes are legit ACC recruits? Shrewsberry has plenty of 4-star recruits, but does having a 4-star evaluation mean you have ACC potential?

Tom Noie

12:07

Justin: True, but when will we know if the ACC is for real? February? All the more reason to make a move this season. Don't let all those close games that Notre Dame let get away last season get away again. This year is Moving Day for Notre Dame. Time to make one.

Justin Ft. Wayne

12:06

ND has got a tough non con schedule this season compared to seasons past. I think Missouri, Kansas, Ohio St, and a potential big opponent as the third game in LV as the big ones along with TCU and Rutgers. Good chance to build a resume early but also feels like we’ll know by January and ACC play if this team is for real or not.

Tom Noie

11:56

That said, when Braeden Shrewsberry flipped from Penn State to Notre Dame, I talked with the Brian Scholly, the head coach of the State College Area High School team where Braeden played for two years and remember him telling me that he coached both Shrewsberry brothers and that Nick might wind up being the better college player. He's longer and more athletic. So there's that.

11:51

Jim: Is Nick Shrewsberry a "legit" Division I recruit? Yes. As a junior at South Bend Saint Joseph High School, Shrewsberry averaged 13.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.9 steals for a team that went 27-3 and won the Class 3-A state championship. Now, is Nick Shrewsberry a "legit" Atlantic Coast Conference recruit? Probably not. To be a legit ACC prospect, you have to have a special set of gifts, and do something so extraordinarily well at that level to be considered by a program in that conference - or any other power conference. Shrewsberry said he was not recruited - at least, not seriously - by any other schools. From any conference. He's not rated and won't be on any Top 100 list. Now, maybe part of that is that everyone knew he was going to stay home and play for his father. I've seen Nick Shrewsberry play a few times in person, but have never left the gym thinking, whoa, that was something/someone special.

Jim from Virginia

11:47

Thanks Tom for continuing the chats. Alway appreciate your insights into ND basketball. Does Nick Shrewsberry look like a legit Division I recruit? Not much info on him at the various recruiting sites.

Tom Noie

11:42

Jim: Amen on all of it. Not a fan. Do all that stuff at Rolfs during the week, then put your trust in your guys to do what they do at Purcell. Basketball is a game of freeflow where you're guided by instinct, not by someone shouting on the sideline. To a man, the players all say they love playing for him, so what the heck do I know?

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

11:40

Hi Tom, I'm sorry but Shrewsberry's puppet-master style of coaching is off-putting and to me is a reflection of a degree of insecurity. He expects his players to progress and improve and yet, he can't see the negatives of that type of sideline conduct. Acting that way is fine on occasion, but it isn't when it's a constant drumbeat. Have some confidence that what you've worked on in practice has been absorbed by your players and that they're capable of functioning on their own. I don't see how this domineering approach is much of an asset.

Tom Noie

11:40

IF: I'll go with more of the former and absolutely none of the latter. Notre Dame struggled in the first half to make shots against DePaul (32.1 percent field goal, 31.3 percent from 3), so Haralson decided in the second half to get something easy in the post to jumpstart himself. It did the Irish, but then it fizzled. There's just so much there with Haralson from that skills standpoint.

Illinois Fool

11:38

Haralson seemed to be hunting for shots, especially in the 2nd half against DePaul, Is that his game or is he just to show why he was such a highly rated prep player?

Tom Noie

11:37

Pete: Then doom it will be. And more of the same. Kind of. Micah Shrewsberry's point the other night after the loss to DePaul was not that he needed Markus Burton and Kebba Njie and Braeden Shrewsberry and Logan Imes and Sir Mohammed to go and take over the game when the freshmen struggled. He needed them to be old. Act old. Concern themselves more with how to pull the young guys - freshmen AND sophomores - through a game where it wasn't pretty and wasn't coming easily and it was, in a word, ugly. That's where you need your old guys, so that the freshmen and the sophomores are like, OK, I get it. Keep playing when it's not going well. Like the old guys did. Or in this case, didn't. This team, this season, needs to use November and December to win as many games as it can, not sort out who can be relied on. That should already be partially known

Pete from Berrien Springs

11:28

IMHO, we are doomed if we are relying on the old guys and expecting them to play differently/better than the last 2 years. It would just be more of the same. I hope we take the month of November to sort out who of the Sophs and Frosh can be reliable, on both offense and defense and settle on a rotation for conference play.

Tom Noie

11:25

Mike: Still gotta be smart when it comes to out of conference scheduling. Gotta find that balance in relation to the kind of team you have so that the conference schedule still means something and that you don't suffocate early. Notre Dame learned that long ago. This schedule is more manageable in that it affords Notre Dame a chance to get some confidence at home. They're not beating Kansas, but there's no reason they can't come out of Vegas 2-1. The one out of conference game? Easy. Ohio State. Quality opponent. Quality arena. And memories. Walking back in there next month will remind me of covering the David Graves buzzer beater in 1999. And anytime you can drive home and sleep in your bed after a road game, that's a win there.

San Diego Mike

11:22

I will say its a breath of fresh air to see more OOC games and different opponents at that (i.e. Kansas, TCU, etc.). Im all in favor of going back to the big east days of 15 OOC and 16 conference games but that might just be me. That being said, what is the 1 OOC game that you are looking fwd to the most and why?

Tom Noie

10:55

Matt: Absolutely intruiged by Brady Koehler, whose wing span is 7-foot-3 but seems more like 9-foot-3 because of his length. He was 188 pounds when he arrived in June and is up to 205. Wait until he gains 10 more pounds. He's got a body type that Notre Dame has never really had. Maybe ever. He was good at Butler, but struggled against DePaul. Kind of par for the freshman course. Touched on Ryder Frost a few questions earlier. Koehler may have more of a chance early than Frost.

Matt from North dakota

10:50

Hey Tom, curious as to what you’ve seen from Koehler and Frost? I’m excited for both. Is

Tom Noie

10:50

MIke: And if it's a no....

San Diego Mike

10:49

have you noticed any baseline improvements from Kebba interior offensive game.. i.e. being able to catch the ball. If yes, thats a great start

Tom Noie

10:49

In fairness, Carson Towt hurt his right side (rib, oblique) early against Butler when he played on 12:57. He may have been able to return if it were January, but Micah Shrewsberry shut it down. More concerning was DePaul, when he fouled out in 11 minutes. That's hard to do. He's learning how to coexist with officials at this level. As for this season, Towt and Kebba Njie will basically job share the low-post duites. Maybe no 20 minutes a night for each, but something close to that. At 6-foot-8, probably closer to 6-7, Towt's not going to be posting up and calling for the ball much, but he can be an energy guy. Go get a missed shot, then get it again, and give the Irish extra possessions. Defensive rebound. Be a presence. He didn't show much of any of that in the exhibitions, but is still an intriguing one to watch as the regular season arrives.

Guest

10:45

It was weird seeing Towt get low minutes in both exhibitions.. but sounds like he was in foul trouble early and often against Depaul. What should we expect from the big fella this year in terms on minutes and contributions? Does he have much of an ACC low post game or is he more of a garbage man?

Tom Noie

10:35

Sean: Based on the exhibitions, fringe rotation guy. Ryder Frost was the last man in against Butler and DePaul. At 6-foot-7, 215 pounds, he seems stuck between postiions. Is he a wing guard? If he is, he's behind Jalen Haralson and Sir Mohammed, who are both going to play a lot. Is he a shooting guard? If he is, he's behind Cole Certa and Braeden Shrewsberry. He's a couple inches short of being a stretch four guy, where he would be behind Garrett Sundra and Brady Koehler. The role for Frost? Be ready so he doesn't have to get ready.

Sean M

10:32

What kind of contribution do you expect from Ryder Frost this year?

Tom Noie

10:32

Wes: We saw a few glimpses of new wrinkles here and there in October. Like doing a better job with more concerted effrort to double the ball in the post to decrease the oppotunities for guys at the rim. Like Jalen Haralson handling a little more and defending the other team's point guard to alleviate some of the pressure off Markus Burton. There likely will be more in Monday's opener against LIU Brooklyn. Shrewsberry has mentioned that there's stuff he wants to do with Haralson specifically that they haven't gotten to yet. The exhibitions were new and needed, but it wasn't a case in either game where Shrewsberry was going to throw everything out there. Offensively, he's pressed them to play faster, but they had a combined eight fastbreak points in the two games. Baby steps.

Wes

10:28

Has Shrews changed anything stylistically for this season? Any offensive or defensive philosophy changes?

Tom Noie

10:23

Ryan: Optimism abounds, right? This must be the year for Notre Dame to make a move, whatever a move looks like. Be better at home. Have an edge on the road. WIn games that no one expects you to win. Do that and we'll see the progress from this program that we expected to see but didn't see last season. And at least 10 wins in the ACC? Why not?

Ryan Frankfort Illinois

10:21

Tom what do you think about the Team this upcoming season i think they will have a good season in the acc and maybe advance past the first round of the acc tournament GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏀🏀🏀

Tom Noie

10:21

...As for Carson Towt, too early to tell. Seriously. That's not an answer you want, but it's the only one that fits. He barely played in either exhibition - 13 minutes at Butler and 11 (with five fouls) against DePaul. His next basket (hopefully Monday) will be his first at Notre Dame. It was good to see him make all four of his free throws. He's a career 44.4 percent foul shooter, so there's that. Micah Shrewsberry has said Towt may be the perfect transfer at the perfect time for this team. Let's see it.

10:20

P. Rose: It's easy to explain away what happened against Butler and DePaul as ... it's just an exhibition ... but those turnovers. Woof. I wasn't as hung up on Burton's 1-for-13 from the floor against DePaul as I was the five turnovers. That was after seven at Butler. Way too many, but it goes back to the previous question - Burton has always been a scoring guard, not a point guard. He's out of position as a point guard, but he's not big enough to be a shooting/wing guard. So the turnovers are going to happen. That's where Shrewsberry has to figure out how to best unlock Jalen Haralson and Sir Mohammed as facilitators....

P.Rose

10:17

Hello from St. Paul! A couple of questions: what's with all the Burton turnovers? And, from what you've seen do you think Carson Towt will be successful at the ACC level?

Tom Noie

10:17

Wes: Too early to tell with the first parts of your question - this team looks more like an Atlantic Coast Conference team than the previous two seasons, so the vibes will be good. They haven't done any tough stuff yet - even in the loss to DePaul, Micah Shrewsberry was far more upbeat/philosophical than expected for someone whose team lost at home to a bottom-feeder Big East program. Has there been a lack of player development? Absolutely, but even that can be explained. Let's take Markus Burton, who arrived an undersized scoring guard. GIven where the program was when Shrewsberry was hired, there was simply no time to mold Burton into more of a traditional point guard, someone whose main job is to set others up and get others involved. No time for that because Burton had to go get 20 just for Notre Dame to have a chance. Last season was more of the same. Now, there's talent around the roster where development here and there and some guys could really pop. Like Haralson. Like Koehler. Maybe Certa.

Wes Troyer

10:12

Does there appear to be a visible difference in the approach of the team? Do the vibes feel different than past season’s? Lot of new faces in house but there has been a lack of player development within the program for quite some time

Tom Noie

10:04

Mark: You might be disappointed. Yes, we should reach the point with Notre Dame basketball where the NCAA Tournament is the baseline expectation, but we're not there yet. How can we be? That the program failed to show any sort of progress last season for myriad reasons basically puts it a year behind schedule. You want this to be an NCAA Tournament team, but this is a team that hasn't won together, hasn't won a big game on the road or at home, hasn't put together long win streaks after tough losses. It hasn't done any of it - how can we expect them to do all of that this season? Getting to March but coming up just short would be a step. Not having a chance in March as February unfolds would be a step back.

Mark from Rochester, NY

10:00

now that it is Year 3 for Shrews, if the Irish miss the tournament, will we see a change? I understand the task of rebuilding the program but now that he’s been able to recruit and results haven’t been there I believe it would be disappointing to see another march from home

Tom Noie

10:00

Chris: Great question because it forces me to think...no, like, really think this one through. There are so many ways we can go with this questions. I'll go this way - expect to take the biggest leap? Let's go with Cole Certa. What he did and the way he played toward the end of last season should be a massive springboard into 2025-26. Confidence is never a problem with Certa. Neither is shot-making. Give him a big bite early and see if he can run with it. The young guy Notre Dame needs to make a leap is freshman Jalen Haralson. There's a lot there. Like, A LOT. He's so talented, but maybe a bit too defferential to the older guys early. Trust your stuff, and your skills. Go be good. He's going to make mistakes and have nights when it's a struggle, but there's too much there to not try and max out. However that looks like.

Chris K

9:56

Hey Tom. Who is the young guy we can expect to take the biggest leap…. And who’s the young guy we NEED to make a leap? For the team to push for a postseason

Tom Noie

9:56

Mark: They have to, right? Enough of the screen and roll with Burton making the decisions. Get Haralson on the ball more. Get Mohammed on the ball more and diversify. Notre Dame didn't show all that much in either exhibition, but that was by design. No reason to show your complete offensive hand in October. Whether they run actual offense this season is secondary to whether or not the ball moves. It did against Butler and Notre Dame had 14 assists. It didn't against DePaul and Notre Dame had nine assists - seven of those from Markus Burton. If Notre Dame can't be elite in the ACC this season (say top four, where North Carolina was No. 4 last year at 14.7 apg.), it's going to be another struggle/slog to score. We need to see them move it more and not just for a game here or a game there. Every night. It's a game of movement and motion. Do both better.

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