JotCast | November 22 hoops chat

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Illinois Fool

12:28

Glad to see Carmody play last night. When he went down under the basket, everybody on the bench seemed worried but the smile on Robby's face when he got up said it all. Best of luck to him. Your take?

Thomas Noie

12:28

TJ: Ven-Allen Lubin's coming. Remember, had he not taken two elbows to the face in a week, he would've been a starter. He was really good in preseason. Think he's just now getting his basketball sea legs back while learning to play with the mask. As well as Laszewski has played, 36.9 minutes a night might be a bit too much. He's going to need some help (rest) in there eventually.

ToledoJohnny from Georgia

12:26

Hello Tom. Thanks as always for the chats! In the little time I've been able to watch Lubin play, he has looked good to fairly good, but last night his block looked effortless - and so we were all able to see what you've been teasing us with regarding Lubin and it showed in that defensive effort. I want more....Will we see Lubin sub for Laz or will they play together? Laz is looking very good and so that could limit Lubins PT?

Thomas Noie

12:26

Jim: The interior defense is the proverbial work in progress. Once Ven-Allen Lubin gets up to speed, it should be fine. Never saw THIS coming from Nate Laszewski or Trey Wertz.

Jim Tal, Valley Center, CA.

12:25

Hi Tom, looking forward to seeing what the Irish can deliver this season. Based upon what you've seen so far, do you have real and legitimate concerns about ND's interior defense and the team's ability to stay viable when it comes to rebounding? Also, have you been at all surprised by the great starts that Nate L. and Trey Wertz have fashioned.

Thomas Noie

12:20

Joe: It's a case of those teams being WAAAAAAAAAAY different today than they used to be. Five years, 10 years, 15 years ago, Notre Dame wins those games easily by double digits. Now, look at the rosters of Radford and Youngstown State and Southern Indiana. Radofrd had six transfers. Youngstown State had seven. Southern Indiana had eight. Instead of playing freshmen and sophomores who are wide-eyed to playing big-boy basketball at an ACC school in their third or fourth career game, you have guys who have been there, and aren't afraid to step on the floor. The game has changed - thank the portal for that. Teams can get good and get old overnight. Mike Brey said it earlier this week - they schedule a team in a specific non-league slot, thinking it's an easy win and then that team adds this guy and that guy and gets old and before you know it, you're down three to Radford at home with 2:10 to play.

Joe, New Lenox

12:17

The answer is probably a little bit of both, but were the Youngstown St and Radford games more about nd being sloppy or were those a pair of solid, veteran laden teams that can win their league? Looking across the college basketball landscape, those types of experienced mid-major teams have taken down a ton of power league teams so far this season

Thomas Noie

12:16

Ben: Absolutely. It's a joke. Have a Notre Dame student clapping back on Twitter trying to explain this and that and the other on why lack of students. Makes no sense. It's not hard to find your way to Purcell for two hours. There's ALWAYS an excuse. It's because of this and because of that - was told that the weather was an issue. You know what they say about excuses...

Ben

12:14

Tom, if I write an op-ed concerning the lack of fans and more importantly students at these games, will you amplify? What a joke it’s been this season already.

Thomas Noie

12:07

Tom: Marcus Hammond could be back as early as next week. He becomes the sixth man in the rotation and a key guy. He'll need a game or two to get back into the flow - Nov. 30 and Michigan State is closing quickly.

Tom, from Gary

12:06

I like this group in the opening games. Big Nate and Wertz have come out on fire, while Starling and Lubin are getting comfortable with the college game. When is Markus Hammond expected to join the lineup, and how do you think it will affect Coach Brey's tight rotation and team flow?

Thomas Noie

12:06

Steve: They can be and should be and will be better defensively - or face the wrath of Slo if they aren't. They'll guard. They have to. They know that.

Steve Duff

12:06

This team is obviously going to score on probably just about everyone - all in the top 6 can get buckets. My question is, can they guard enough to win when the offense isn’t humming? Coach Solomon was brought back to help in this area and I’m wondering what they will change up to hopefully improve. Thanks for taking the question Tom and keep doing your thing!

Thomas Noie

12:05

Greg: If Nate Laszewski chose not to return, Notre Dame would've made sure to get a transfer big out of the portal. It will be a concern how to reincorporate Marcus Hammond back into the rotation. Don't we ask that North Carolina rebounding question every year?

Greg from Las Vegas

Can you imagine if Nate Laszewski didn’t return this year? Ouch. Would be sitting with 2 losses vs. Quadrant 4 opponents! Two questions for you- Is not having new Guard Hammond playing in these games and gel with his new teammates going to be a problem for the season? How in the world is this team going to rebound in the ACC? UNC game? Yikes!

11:59

Tom- Glad to have the chat back and college basketball starting up again. Hoping to hear your thoughts on 3 things.

Thomas Noie

11:58

...Worst snub? Have to be in 2018 when Notre Dame was No. 69. Syracuse was No. 68 but snagged the last spot - even though Notre Dame beat Syracuse that season. Can't get any worse/closer than that.

11:57

Jacked? Love the enthusiasm my guest, but pace yourself. It's a long season. Notre Dame scheduled up during the non-league home portion of its schedules - not bottom-feeders from mid-major/one-bid leagues but teams that are more middle of the road who have a chance to have success in their respective leagues. Notre Dame didn't want to get caught in a Wake Forest situation of last year, where the Demon Deacons won 13 league games but didn't get into the NCAA tournament because of a brutal non-league schedule. So these games against Radford and Youngstown State and Friday against Lipscomb, which has a win over Belmont, were scheduled with a purpose - challenge the Irish, but not overchallenge them, and then have a chance for them to be good resume games come March....

Guest

11:54

Hi Tom. I’m jacked for the season. Do you know how the season is scheduled outside of the ACC games? I’m asking because Brey mentioned it recently I think post Radford, that they deliberately scheduled certain teams to help with the at large selection criteria. Is that done annually? Has it been a greater factor more recently? And, sticking with the same topic, what are the 2-3 worst NCAA snubs in the Brey era? Thanks for the show

Thomas Noie

11:54

Alan: I wouldn't classfy the 3-0 start as solid. They've been shaky at times, but stable. That would be my first takeaway - when the going got tough against Radford and Youngstown State, Notre Dame responded like an old team. Just kept doing what they do. Same goes for Nate Laszewski, who I didn't expect to be this good (consistent). Trey Wertz has been a revelation with finding a whole new gear for his game. It's still so early to see how it all translates from last season. We need more time.

Alan from Whiteland, Indiana

11:52

Tom, Notre Dame is off to a solid 3-0 start. My biggest takeaway so far is the solid to spectacular play of Nate Laszewski. In your opinion, what are the one or two things you have seen with this team that are improvements over last season. Thank you for answering my question.

Thomas Noie

11:42

Alan: Nobody prying Trey Wertz out of the starting lineup. Before Hammond got hurt, he was a starter. Wertz has more than played his way into that role. Hammond has to embrace that sixth-man role and run with it for now. Let's see where it goes.

Alan from Whiteland, Indiana

11:41

Tom, when Marcus Hammond returns, do you expect him to be inserted in the starting lineup or come off the bench initially? Thank you for answering my question.

Thomas Noie

11:41

How many coaches actually redshirt? That's not all that common, especially for players who believe they're not five-year guys. You can never have too many bigs for insurance, =especially in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It's not about logging x amount of minutes, it's about maximizing whatever opportunities you get, something that didn't happen in the back end of the rotation against Southern Indiana.

Jake from small town WA

11:40

Seems like Brey doesn’t utilize redshirting as much as a coach with a short rotation should. What’s the point of playing Cambpell for 25 minutes all year? I’d rather save the year.

Thomas Noie

11:39

Mike: Maybe they've been hanging around Marcus Freeman and the Irish football team too long post-Navy. I kid, I kid. Notre Dame was good to open the second half against Southern Indiana, then kind of put it on cruise control. That happens - third game in seven days, a fourth in 48 hours, a game that they had control from the jump, human nature is to easy off the accelerator and say, we've got this. Southern Indiana kept coming - especially big man Jacob Polakovich (love to snag him out of the portal) and it became kind of/sort of a game, but really, not really. Notre Dame led for 39:43, and most of that by double figures.

Mike, nyona lake.

Again, watching the So.IN. game. What is it that makes people think this year would be any different then the last four. Still slow, nothing in the lane, no defense,

11:36

Watching the So. Ind game right now. Any idea why N.D. comes out flat in all three games this year in second half. Was 21 point lead and now with six min. gone in half only 8 point lead.

Thomas Noie

11:36

Jake: You learn never to say never in this business of covering college basketball, because once you insist something won't happen, it happens. So, yeah, there's a chance that Cormac Ryan returns for a sixth year, but if he has the kind of year that he's expected to have - and the kind of year that HE expects Notre Dame to have, Ryan would probably feel he's done enough at this level and it's time to chase the next basketball challenge.

Jake from small town WA

11:35

Brey likes to stay old. Nexts years team doesnt seem to fit the bill. Any chance Ryan comes back since he sat out AND has Covid year?

Thomas Noie

11:35

Jake: Can't see it happening. Not saying it won't, but his game (I think) is similar to J.R. Konieczy, who is redshirting and Brady Dunlap, who's coming in next season. Don't know if there's a push to have a third guy on that same track.

Jake from small town WA

11:33

Any chance Sanders also ends up redshirting?

Thomas Noie

11:33

Taylor: You watching closely, or were you thrown off by the ACC Network (knuckleheads) pre-empting the first half of the Southern Indiana game to show....volleyball? Trey Wertz has turned the corner and gotten to the rim. J.J. Starling had one drive last night where the defender was even with him, but he shifted into another gear and was by him for a layup. Marcus Hammond (I see you Anthony!) may be the best of the bunch at doing that.

Taylor

11:31

Tom, I feel as though an important element to this team is having a player who can consistently turn the corner on a pick-n-roll or one-on-one and finish at the rim. So far, I don’t see a player who can do that. Admittedly, I haven’t seen Marcus Hammond play - can he bring this “drive and finish at the rim” mentality? That and rebounding are my biggest concerns. Thanks!

Thomas Noie

11:31

I had Notre Dame third in my preseason poll behind only North Carolina and Virginia (sorry, Duke, you fourth). Still way too early to move that slot just yet. Three games in, we still don't know what we don't know about the Atlantic Coast Conference, and about Notre Dame.

Guest

11:30

Where do you see ND finishing in the ACC?

Thomas Noie

11:30

Vic's back! Hope you've steered clear of the bypass today - a wise, sage told me to stay off the bypass at any cost. But I digress. J.J. Starling is a unique talent. He's done stuff the last two games where you sit up from your seat way up high on press row and go, whoa. Haven't seen that...I'd say he's a hybrid of really good guards that have come through the program - a little Jerian Grant, a little Ben Hansbrough, some Blake Wesley. Best part of it is, Starling has IT, whatever IT might be. We've seen snapshots the last two games. Still a guy figuring it out as to how to best fit his game within a team of old guys (like yourself).

Victor K.

11:27

Tom, reports of my demise are premature. That said…in these first three games, what previous ND point guard has J.J. reminded you of most. I realize the comparison game is always a bit unfair, but just from the traits, composure, etc., who does he remind you of? Also, talk to Brey about a game in Salem on Peacock!

Thomas Noie

11:27

Robert: True Irish United will help facilitate various NIL deals with Notre Dame men's basketball players, deals that align with the vision of the university. Just another avenue offered to players to maximize their time as college athletes.

Robert from Mishawaka

11:26

Recently I read where Irish United was launched in an effort to support Notre Dame athletes NIL opportunities, in particular the universities basketball players. They're a third party that's in no way affiliated with the university. Is that because they don't or can't be affiliated with NIL deals?

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