JotCast | November 22 hoops chat

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Thomas Noie

10:09

Jake: Heck, yeah. Trey Wertz isn't coming out of the starting lineup anytime soon when Marcus Hammond returns from his knee injury. Mike Brey talked with Wertz when Hammond went down, basically saying to him, look, we've got a key guy down, there's no reason why you can't become a key guy for us. You're starting - so take the starting spot and don't give it up. Make it yours. Wertz has done that and then some. He's scored double figures the first three games (never done that here) and is averaging 17.7 ppg., 2.7 rpg., 3.3 apg....

Jake from small town WA

10:07

Wertz has to stay in the starting lineup at this point right?

Thomas Noie

10:07

...For as much concern that the defensive cause the first two games, it really has been pretty good. Last year, Notre Dame allowed 74.3 ppg., .443 percent from the field, .366 percent from 3 and were outrebounded by (-3.3). Three games in, Notre Dame is allowing 75.7 ppg. (still too high), while allowing teams to shoot .461 percent from the field (gotta be better) and .349 percent from 3 while posting a (+3.7) rebounding advantage. As long as the guards continue to gang rebound, that can offset going with a perimeter-heavy lineup. Defensively, Notre Dame was good last year - a continued work in progress three games in this year.

10:05

Mark: Good question. First couple of games, Notre Dame looked like a team that had spent way too much time this summer concentrating on playing what Mike Brey says is the "right way" of sharing the ball and taking care of it. Did they even do any defensive work in June and July? The Irish defensive numbers were brutal two games in. Notre Dame ranked last in the Atlantic Coast Conference for points per game (78.5) and field goal percentage (.485). They had the indifferent to defense look that so many previous Brey teams had - like, eh, we'll guard you, but we really want to outscore you. That almost bit them against Radford. Didn't cut quite as deep against Youngstown State before they were really good Wednesday against Southern Indiana....

Mark from Rochester, NY

10:02

Tom, what changed this year so far on defense vs last year that you are seeing?

Thomas Noie

9:59

...Notre Dame currently has four guards all averaging at least 32.6 minutes. COrmac Ryan is at 32.6, Trey Wertz is at 34.2, J.J. Starling 34.3 and Dane Goodwin 37.2. Figure shave about five minutes a game off each to get Hammond to 20. Another five from Nate Laszewski (36.9) and two from Ven-Allen Lubin to get him close to 27 minutes a game. A lot of that depends on how the knee responds. If Hammond is good from the get-go, it will be a nice problem for Brey to figure out. Once Hammond is healthy, he's going to play. A lot.

9:56

Transfer kid? Come on, Dave. That would be Niagara transfer guard Marcus Hammond, who's been out with a strained MCL in his right knee since the start of the season. He originally was expected to return for Friday's home game against Lipscomb, but that has been pushed back a bit. Maybe Tuesday against Bowling Green. How the minutes are distributed once Hammond returns will be an interesting balancing/juggling act for Mike Brey. Pump him full of truth serum and he probably figured Hammond would jump back into the starting lineup. Trey Wertz had something to say about that. Hammond will be the sixth man. He played 34.0 minutes a game last year at Niagara. He won't play 34 a game for the foreseeable future....

Dave Hodges

9:54

Who’s minutes do you see going down once the transfer kid is ready?

Thomas Noie

9:54

Dave: Robby Carmody played the final 1:24 of Wednesday's game against Southern Indiana. It may not seem like much, but for him, that was a big step. Injuries have taken everything he could've been as a college basketball player. His body just betrayed him. It happens. He's wanted/needed to remain a part of the program in whatever role he could play. Says a lot about him. He won't have the career he envisioned on the court, but off the floor, an All-American for all the right reasons.

Dave Hodges

9:52

Will we see Robbie Carmody on the Floor at all this year?

Thomas Noie

9:52

THIS is how we're tipping off today? OK, I'll play along...of course the ball is spinning. Ask my former Tribune colleague/photog wizard Michael Caterina. I found a ball in the back area of the arena, started spinning it on my finger and he started shooting. Easiest photo shoot ever...we were in and out of there in like 10 minutes. Also have other photos palming the ball as well. Guy could play a little bit in his day. Still can...

Go Irish

9:49

Tom, is the basketball in your profile picture spinning on your finger or just sitting there motionless. Thanks,

Thomas Noie

9:49

Who's been the biggest/best surprise three games in?

Nate Laszewski (10.8% | 9 votes)

Trey Wertz (79.5% | 66 votes)

J.J. Starling (1.2% | 1 vote)

Dane Goodwin (0% | 0 votes)

Cormac Ryan (0% | 0 votes)

Ven-Allen Lubin (4.8% | 4 votes)

Expected everything all along (3.6% | 3 votes)

Total Votes: 83

9:34

There's snow on the ground, Christmas music on the radio and winter weather advisors in and around Northern Indiana, which can only mean....it's college basketball season. There's already been a lot to digest when it comes to Notre Dame, which has played (and won) three games the first seven days of the season following Wednesday's win over Southern Indiana. There should be no shortage of topics to discuss over the next few hours. To join in today's discussion, be sure to include your name and hometown. You know the drill...let's light this chat candle...

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