Irish Look to TKO Cardinals Tonight

Tonight’s matchup of Big East heavyweights is slated to go the distance, as long as, the Irish have the same energy it did in their last major road contest against Connecticut. Despite the loss to the Huskies earlier this month, Notre Dame was in it towards the end after missing shots they’ve normally made during the season. However, against Louisville the Irish will have to be on their “A” game to pull out the most important game of the season to date.

With a win tonight, the Irish will be in the thick of it for the regular season championship, as well as, having the coveted first round bye in the Big East Tournament. But there might be too many “ifs” for Notre Dame this evening.

1.) If Tory Jackson can play under control and know that he doesn’t necessarily have to take it all on himself.

2.) If Notre Dame can hit their Big East leading average (40.9%) from 3pt. range.

3.) If Jonathan Peoples and Luke Zeller can provide meaningful minutes and points.

4.) If Rob Kurz, Luke Harangody, Zach Hillesland, and Ryan Ayers can win the battle of the boards.

Something has to give as Notre Dame has the highest scoring offense in the league (80.8), while Louisville combats with the second-best scoring defense in the Big East (60.5). To make matters worse for the Irish is the 37.5 field goal percentage defense for the Cards, ranking fourth nationally. Louisville has held 16 teams under 40 percent shooting this season, including 10 of its last 12 opponents. The Cards held Syracuse to 29.1 percent shooting two games ago. 15 of Louisville’s opponents have scored 60 or fewer points this season. So the Irish will see an unrelenting defense and a deep bench tonight.

On the flip side, the Irish do have a few things in their favor tonight. If it comes down to the wire and to free throw shooting, Louisville is one of the worst in the Big East. The Cardinals are shooting 66.2% from the charity stripe. Louisville is also middle of the pack in 3pt. FG % too at 34.7.

After the Syracuse win, many alike were discouraged by the fact that the Irish were out rebounded by a huge margin to the Orange. As the best rebounding team in the Big East, Notre Dame should dominate the boards defensively, as the Cardinals are the second-to-worst offensive rebounding team in the Big East. Louisville does have some decent size, but can 6-11 David Padgett really bang around with Harangody? We shall see.

Speaking of Luke, he would be just the second Big East player in the last decade to average 22 ppg and 11 rpg in conference play for a season. (Georgetown's Mike Sweetney did it in '02-03.) Only five players have averaged 22 and 11 in league play for a BCS conference in the last decade. If he does not get the Big East POY, then there is no justice in college basketball.

Year Player PPG RPG
'07-08 Luke Harangody (Notre Dame) 22.4 11.9
'07-'08 Michael Beasley (K-State) 28.3 11.9
'07-'08 Tyler Hansbrough (UNC) 24.5 11.6
'06-'07 Kevin Durant (Texas) 28.9 12.5
'02-'03 Mike Sweetney (G'town) 25.1 11.4

Harangody will definitely get his points tonight; that is not the issue. Whether or not a few others can step up and have solid games is the question. A win would mean a whole lot tonight, but a loss would not be devastating either. With that said, I’m still sticking to my midseason prediction that the Irish will end the regular season 24-6 and lose this contest.

Prediction: Notre Dame 72 Louisville 80

Baseline Bits

~ Louisville leads the all-time series 13-8, including 8-1 in Freedom Hall.

~ This will be the third time the two schools have met as BIG EAST foes with each team winning on its home floor. The Cardinals earned an 89-86 overtime victory against the Irish on Feb. 4, 2006 and Notre Dame came back last season to post a 78-62 victory at the Joyce Center which snapped an eight-game losing streak.

~ The Irish have won 19 of their last 22 games and are off to a 21-5 start through
26 contests of the season which also matches the best start by an Irish team under head coach Mike Brey.

~ Notre Dame ranks in the top 15 of the NCAA statistics in two categories: assists (4th-18.6), rebounding margin (10th-7.5) and three-point field goal percentage (7th-40.9).

The Road Less Successful

Despite not having a "quality" road win, Notre Dame made another first this season, cracking the ESPN Power 16 poll. The Irish are 16th in the poll which is a composite of all the ballots from a panel of ESPN.com experts. It does not reflect any one individual's picks. Below is this week’s poll.

ESPN Power 16:

1. North Carolina (26-2), 3 (RPI)
2. Memphis (27-1), 2 (RPI)
3. Tennessee (24-3), 1 (RPI)
4. UCLA (23-3), 9 (RPI)
5. Texas (23-4), 4 (RPI)
6. Kansas (24-3), 8 (RPI)
7. Duke (24-3), 5 (RPI)
8. Xavier (24-4), 6 (RPI)
9. Stanford (22-4), 20 (RPI)
10. Georgetown (23-4), 10 (RPI)
11. Louisville (22-6), 12 (RPI)
12. Wisconsin (23-4), 13 (RPI)
13. Indiana (24-4), 18 (RPI)
14. Connecticut (22-6), 11 (RPI)
15. Vanderbilt (24-4), 7 (RPI)
16. Notre Dame (21-5), 21 (RPI)

Here’s what ESPN’s Andy Glockner had to say about the Irish:

“Thursday's game at Louisville is a huge quality check on ND's ultimate upside. The Irish are just 5-5 away from the impenetrable Joyce Center and haven't beaten a surefire NCAA Tournament team away from home all season. Can the Irish and their "live 3 or die" philosophy get it done? It actually could be up to the D, which has been very porous lately.”

Andy, Andy, Andy, you sure kick below the belt don’t ya? Well I decided to look further into this issue and see what the other Power 16 has done on the road. After compiling all of this, I’m not too impressed. Here are the road wins for each of the Power 16 against the RPI’s Top 50.

Tennessee (Xavier, Memphis)
Memphis (none; The Tigers have 2 neutral site wins over Oklahoma and UConn in NYC)
UNC (Ohio State, Clemson, Miami)
Texas (UCLA, Oklahoma, Baylor, Kansas St.)
Duke (UNC)
Xavier (UMass, Dayton)
Vanderbilt (none; Vandy’s best win on the road is at Georgia [139 RPI])
Kansas (USC)
UCLA (Stanford, Washington St.)
Georgetown (West Virginia)
UConn (Indiana, Syracuse)
Louisville (UNLV, Marquette, Pitt)
Wisconsin (Texas, Indiana, Ohio State)
Indiana (Southern Illinois, Ohio State)
Stanford (Washington State, Arizona)
Notre Dame (none; The Irish beat Kansas State in NYC)

So before you spout off again Andy, you better check your facts! It will always come back and bite ya in the ass.

GO IRISH!

Stayin' Alive

When it rains, it pours, and for junior Kyle McAlarney, it was a tsunami against the Orange en route to the Irish's 94-87 victory. McAlarney set a school record nine 3pt. field goals to keep the Irish on pace for the Big East regular season championship. At 21-5 overall and 11-3 in conference play, Notre Dame is in the drivers seat to be a major player next month in the Big East and NCAA Tournaments.

The Irish extended their Joyce Center winning streak to 36 games with the win. McAlarney's nine 3-pointers were one short of the BIG EAST record, as he finished with 30 points. Note Dame has reached the 90-point mark five times this season. ND currently sits in third place in the BIG EAST with an 11-3 record. Sophomore forward Luke Harangody registered his league-leading 15th double-double of the season with 14points and 14 rebounds.

As Thursday's showdown at Louisville looms large not only in the conference standings, a win will boost either teams possible seeding for the big dance. According to the Bracket Matrix (http://bracketproject.atspace.com/comparison.htm), both the Irish and Cardinals are #4 national seed. The other two #4 seeds have a state appeal with the Irish, as Kelvin Sampson-less Indiana and Purdue round out those respective slots. So if McAlarney can continue his torrid shooting, and Tory Jackson can continue his steady play, the Irish could be in great shape.

NCAA Tournament Seed Projections:

# 2 Seed: Georgetown (22-4, 12-3), 7 (RPI)
# 3 Seed: Connecticut (21-6, 10-4), 14 (RPI)
# 4 Seed: Notre Dame (21-5, 11-3), 20 (RPI)
Louisville (22-6, 12-3), 14 (RPI)
# 6 Seed: Marquette (20-6, 10-5), 17 (RPI)
# 7 Seed: Pittsburgh (19-8, 7-7), 26 (RPI)
# 10 Seed: West Virginia (19-8, 8-6), 35 (RPI)
# 12 Seed: Syracuse (17-11, 7-8), 48 (RPI)

Last Four Out: Villanova (17-9, 7-7), 50 (RPI)

These four remaining contests will test the mettle of the Irish, as Notre Dame cannot afford to take DePaul, St. John's, or South Florida lightly. A slight slip of going 2-2 or 1-3, in the remaining four contests will not only cost them a good seed, but a first round bye in the Big East Tournament. But with the heart and determination these Fighting Irish are displaying, Notre Dame is making believers out of the media with their goals of winning the Big East and making the Final Four!

Irish Look To Put The Squeeze On The Orange

Another old nemesis comes to town on Sunday, as the Syracuse Orange look to bolster there postseason hopes with win over the Irish. After coming off en emotional high against Pittsburgh, the Irish look to keep pace with Georgetown, Louisville, and Connecticut, for the Big East regular season championship. Just like the Pittsburgh series anything can happen when the Orange and Notre Dame square off.

Even though they beat Georgetown last weekend in the Carrier Dome, Syracuse is struggling big time! Currently the Orange is 5-5 in their last ten games, including losses at South Florida and home to Villanova. Against the RPI Top 50, Syracuse is 1-7. In case you are wondering, Notre Dame is 5-4. The road hasn't been too kind for the Orange either, as they are 2-5 in the league. And to make matters worse, Syracuse only has six scholarship players playing. Yes, six!

Notre Dame, on the other hand, is rolling at the right time. Brey's boys are leading the Big East in almost every single statistical category, including scoring (80.3 ppg), FT% (74.3), 3pt. FG% (40.1), rebounding (43.5 rpg), rebound margin (+8.5), assists (18.48), and defensive rebounds (29.12). And the Irish also have league leaders in scoring (Harangody, 23.1), rebounding (Harangody, 11.8), assists (Jackson, 6.2), 3pt FG's made (McAlarney, 81), 3pt. FG% (McAlarney, 44.3), and FT% (Kurz, 94.4). Overall, the Irish have a lot more weapons for the Orange to handle.

Look for Syracuse's famous 2-3 zone to be tested early and often with the outside shooting of McAlarney, Kurz, and Ryan Ayers. This could be a game where Luke Zeller and Jonathan Peoples could contribute from behind the arc as well. But to be truly effective, the Irish will use Zach Hillesland to break the Orange zone and help dish to the open man. This will also be a game where Jackson will penetrate to the hole or kick it back out for three.

The Orange does have one of the best shooters in the league though. Arinze Onuaku, 6-9 center, is shooting 65.6% from the floor. 6-5 swingman Paul Harris will try and have another big day against the Irish. Harris averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds in two contests with Notre Dame last season. Freshmen Donte Green and Johnny Flynn will be introduced to the Leprechaun Legion and Player of the Year frontrunner, Luke Harangody.

Syracuse is one of the worst teams in Division I scoring defense (72.7 ppg), 3pt. FG's (5.1 per game), 3pt. FG% (32.9), FT% (67.1), and Turnovers (15.7 a contest). So look for the Irish to force Syracuse to beat them from behind the 3pt. line. Overall, I see another similar contest like the Pittsburgh game, with the same result.

Prediction: Notre Dame 87 Syracuse 78

Baseline Bits

~ ND is 20th in the RPI ratings. Syracuse is 47th.

~ The Irish are projected a #4 seed according to ESPN Bracketology. Their first round opponent would be Virginia Commonwealth (20-6).

~ Out of the 42 brackets complied by the Bracket Matrix (http://bracketproject.atspace.com/comparison.htm), Notre Dame averages out to be an overall #5 seed.

Do You Believe Now?

The rock band ACDC’s song “TNT” is dynamite. ND’s version of TNT is Tory, No Turnover, which equals huge win for the Fighting Irish against Pittsburgh, 82-70. Jackson finished with 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds as Notre Dame overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half to keep pace with the frontrunners for the top spot in the Big East. What was even more impressive was the fact that he had no turnovers in 37 minutes of action. That’s right, zero, zip, zilch, nada!

On a night where Notre Dame was honoring one of their all-time greats in Austin Carr, Jackson put on quite a show. One play in particular in the second half changed the momentum the Irish’s way, and turned the crowd into a frenzy. Jackson was dribbling toward the basket when his foot hit a Pittsburgh player's foot near the free throw line and he appeared to lose control of the ball. Suddenly he pulled it in, squeezed between two defenders and went in for a layup that cut the lead to three points.

Jackson’s classmate Luke Harangody also had another spectacular outing with a game-high 23 points and 12 rebounds. Harangody also had two steals, with one resulting in a thunderous dunk during the Irish’s 21-10 run.

Notre Dame handed Pittsburgh their first, back-to-back loses this season. In fact this is only the sixth time in Jamie Dixon’s career that the Panthers have dropped two straight contests. The last time they lost two in a row was December of 2006. Good defense down the stretch and a re-energized JACC crowd impeded the Panthers path to victory. Pittsburgh went nearly 5 minutes without a field goal over the final 6:30, while the Irish were hitting big time 3pt. field goals and making their free throws.

The Irish made 18-of-20 free throws, while Pitt continued to show why they are one of the worst in the country by making only 61.1% (11-of-18). Notre Dame also won the battle of the boards 41-35.

Kyle McAlarney hit two key 3pt. baskets down the stretch as he had a rough night shooting. Despite making only 4-of-12 from the floor, McAlarney ended the night with 15 points. Senior captain Rob Kurz made it two straight key performances with 14 points and 5 rebounds. But this night belonged to Jackson.

"He's got just a will about him and heart," Brey said. "He's a winner. He really is a winner, and I think he gives his teammates confidence with the will he has." That could be deadly for Irish opponents, as he is peaking at the right time for a huge championship run. So here’s a warning to the rest of the Big East Conference: Tory Jackson got his groove back!

Irish Don't Expect a "Pitt"fall Tonight at the JACC

Tonight's matchup against the Pittsburgh Panthers will be the first of three important contests for the Irish's hope of winning the Big East regular season. The Irish have won 17 of their last 20 games and are off to a 19-5 start through 24 contests of the season which also matches the best start by an Irish team under head coach Mike Brey. So there is a lot on the line tonight, both individually and team-wise.

Besides extending the current school record and third longest home court winning streak, Mike Brey is nearing a milestone as well. A victory against the Panthers this evening would give him his fifth 20-win season in eight campaigns along the Irish sidelines as he would become only the second coach in school history to register five 20-win campaigns in his first eight seasons. Digger Phelps was the only other coach to post five 20-win campaigns in the first eight years of his 20-year tenure at Notre Dame.

Pittsburgh head Coach Jamie Dixon is also one win away from another 20-win season. A win vs. Notre Dame would give Pitt its school record seventh consecutive 20-win season. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they'll have to wait another game.

The friendly confines of the JACC will energize the Irish out of their shooting funk, as will the near sellout crowd. Look for Tory Jackson to pick up where he has left off the past couple of games against the Panthers. Currently Jackson owns a season-best, three-game double-figure scoring streak and has netted double figures in eight contests. Over the last seven games, he is averaging 12.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.1 steals. His numbers will be vital to help neutralize the three-headed guard lineup of Ronald Ramon (8.0 ppg), Keith Benjamin (9.1 ppg), and Gilbert Brown (6.1 ppg). If Jackson gets hot, the Irish will be able to get easy looks down low to their big men.

Pittsburgh's lack of height will be at a huge disadvantage, as their freshman center, DeJuan Blair (11.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg) is only 6-7. They are 1-5 on the season when they have been outrebounded. That does not bode well for the Panthers whatsoever, even though they have one of the best rebounding margins in the nation. Pitt has not faced a scrappy bunch like the Irish this season!

Watch for Luke Harangody to score at will, while senior Rob Kurz will have back-to-back strong performances. The X-factor for the Irish will be the all around game of Zach Hillesland and the outside shooting of Ryan Ayers. If either one or both score in double figures, the Irish could be positioning itself for a great seed next month in the NCAA Tournament.

Kyle McAlarney could have one of those nights again where anything he shoots goes through the hoop. If Pitt uses a 2-3 zone against the Irish, it could be lights out from behind the arc. But in this series, expect the unexpected. Notre Dame has not really faired well since joining the league against Pittsburgh. But the Panthers really haven't faced a lethal inside-outside combo that the Irish will throw at them.

Prediction: Notre Dame 81 Pitt 74

Baseline Bits

~ For the first time in his career, sophomore guard Tory Jackson was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after averaging 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 2-0 steals in Notre Dame’s two contests. In Notre Dame’s loss at Connecticut, he finished with 13 points and matched his career-high in addition to dishing off four assists and making two steals. In the win over Rutgers, he led all scorers with 17 points (a season-high) and dished off 10 assists for his second career double double. He also grabbed eight rebounds and made two steals.

~ The Irish are 2-3 versus ranked opponents this season.

~ Pitt enters the game without a national ranking for the first time in over two years and 43 consecutive polls. Prior to this week, Pitt was ranked in 109 of the last 118 national polls. The Panthers are currently listed in the “Also Receiving Votes” category in both polls.

~ Notre Dame’s 9-3 start in BIG EAST play matches the best start ever by an Irish team in league play. The 2000-01 Irish squad went 9-3 through the first 12 contests en route to winning the BIG EAST West Division title (with an 11-5 record) and were 11-3 (after 14 games) before suffering their fourth loss of the season in the 15th conference game.

In Remembrance

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Northern Illinois University community.

Beano Says Irish Will Be Cooking in 08!

At least someone from ESPN likes us! College Football guru Beano Cook had his first offseason chat today on ESPN.com. No he didn't go so boldly to predict three Heisman Trophies for Jimmy Clausen or Dayne Crist, rather he felt there are good things ahead for the Irish; maybe sooner than what others might think!

Here's what Beano had to say about Notre Dame during his chat:

Burr (NJ): Welcome back Beano! Are you excited to see what the Irish will do next year? Coaching changes, great recruiting classes from the past 2 years.... what do you think?

Beano Cook: (3:16 PM ET ) If Notre Dame beats Michigan, and that is possible, watch out. I feel the schedule is not that tough. The addition of Jon Tenuta as the defensive coach will help. Hey, they won't go 3-9 again. If I had to predict right now, I would say no worse than 9-3. Then again, last year I thought they would win nine games. In my opinion, it is incredible and hard to believe that Notre Dame would go 20 seasons without winning a national title. I don't want to hear about academics, it has nothing to do with Notre Dame's record at all.

Mike (Chicago): Beano, is Weis gone if he has another year like 2007?

Beano Cook: (3:18 PM ET ) It would be behoove him to have a better record. It is possible but I don't think so. He will not go 3-9 this season and he has learned that he cannot walk on water.

junior (madison west virginia): beno who do you think will be most improve team next year

Beano Cook: (3:31 PM ET ) Iowa. Miami-Florida. Notre Dame.

Beano has made some wild predictions in the past about Notre Dame, but somehow I feel he is due. You know the sun shines on a dog's ass someday. Maybe 2008 is his year to shine with accurate picks!

Irish Lacrosse Look to Surprise This Year

The season has started off with a bang for the Fighting Irish lacrosse team. First it was All-American Wil Yeatman indefinitely suspended from action after being arrested for DUI, and then beating nemesis # 17 Loyola (MD) 7-6 in Baltimore last Saturday. Notre Dame, one of the preseason Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) favorites, looks to make some noise on the national scene despite the loss of Yeatman.

Inside Lacrosse staff writers think Notre Dame will be among the nation's elite and possibly surprise come May in the NCAA Tournament. Here's an early look at what the writers are saying about the Irish:

Geoff Shannon

Except for Princeton, most of the southern and western teams are placed in the lower bracket while the Northern teams face off in upper bracket.

Of the four brackets, I think Notre Dame has the best chance, in this scenario, to break through to Championship Weekend. It all depends on Duke, and I'll trust them to be dominant once I see what they can do this spring.

John Jiloty

I don't see Ohio State getting in. I think the Buckeyes are much-improved this year from last season, but there's too many good dark horse teams ahead of OSU. And the GWLL will come down to Notre Dame and Denver. If the GWLL gets two teams in, the Pioneers will snag the second spot.

The Irish are considered one of the best defensive teams in the nation. According to Inside Lacrosse Magazine, "Notre Dame Goalie Joey Kemp is one of the best, as are seniors Sean Dougherty and Ross Zimmerman. They are the 8th best in Division I, hands down!"

Notre Dame has also one of the best face off specialists and teams in the country as well.

"Taylor Clagett (57%) is extremely athletic, which has impressed Irish coach Kevin Corrigan.

He does things I've never seen other people do," Corrigan said. "He'll forward roll to get the ball out forward and come up running into the ball he pushed out. So he's very creative. That kind of thing makes you not only a tough match-up but an unpredictable one as well."

The DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD) graduate has become a student of the face-off. If he can stay healthy (he's had two shoulder surgeries while at Notre Dame) the Irish should be able to control 60% of their draws.

Their top wing players are midfielders Michael Podgajny, Davey Leach, Kelly McKenna and poles Sean Dougherty and Mike Creighton."

Notre Dame also has some top individuals that will help the Irish garner more national attention. Here are a few Irish players that are near the top at their respected positions.

Top Division I Defensemen:
9. Sean Dougherty, Notre Dame

Dougherty had a good showing down the stretch last season and the buzz is that he’ll ick up right where he left off in ’08.

20. Ross Zimmerman, Notre Dame

The junior has started since arriving on campus in South Bend and is poised for a breakout season in 2008.

Top 20 Freshmen:
16. Zach Brenneman, M, Notre Dame

The Irish are talented at the midfeild, but Brenneman is precisely the kind of player that becomes integral in providing depth down the stretch of the season.

Top 20 Middies:
6. Mike Podgajny, Notre Dame

Another viable offensive weapon, Podgajny shoots with velocity and brings a vital outside dodging element to the Irish attack.

Top 15 Goalies:
2. Joey Kemp, Notre Dame

What happens when a highly touted high school recruit sees a boatload of time as a starter and then becomes a senior? He is one of the best goalies in the country.

Top 20 Attackmen:
9. Will Yeatman, Notre Dame

Not quite the LeBron James of college lacrosse for the hype he had to live up to, Yeatman’s versatility impressed everyone as he kicked off his career in fine fashion.

11. Ryan Hoff, Notre Dame

Every source contacted loves his ability to score around the net and wondered why he didn’t get more press.

The #10th ranked Irish will try and make it two in a row when they host #23 Penn State at 1:00 on Sunday at the Loftus Indoor Field.


------------------------------------------
Nike/Inside Lacrosse Men's DI Media Poll
(Records through February 17, 2008)
TEAM PTS PVS
---- --- ---
1. JOHNS HOPKINS (11) (0-0) 258 1
2. DUKE (2) (1-0) 247 2
3. VIRGINIA (1-0) 232 3
4. GEORGETOWN (0-0) 218 4
5. PRINCETON (0-0) 196 5
6. CORNELL (0-0) 192 6
7. MARYLAND (0-0) 184 7
8. SYRACUSE (1-0) 167 9
9. NORTH CAROLINA (0-0) 162 8
10. (tie) NOTRE DAME (1-0) 132 10
10. (tie) NAVY (2-0) 132 11
12. ALBANY (0-0) 126 12
13. DELAWARE (2-0) 113 13
14. TOWSON (0-0) 81 13
15. HOFSTRA (0-0) 72 15
16. DENVER (1-0) 62 NR
17. LOYOLA MD (0-1) 41 17
18. DREXEL (0-1) 38 19
19. UMBC (0-1) 17 18
20. MASSACHUSETTS (0-0)

Tenuta Will Supply Impact with a Punch

New assistant head coach John Tenuta has been a mastermind of defenses for a long time. When Charlie Weis met up with Tenuta to discuss the possibilities of him roaming the Irish sidelines next season, it seemed too good to be true. But once the agreement was made, Notre Dame Football changed for the better defensively.

According to Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel, Tenuta is considered one of top assistant coaches in the nation that will have an immediate impact of his respective school. He was rated # 2 behind Texas' Wil Muschamp. Here's what Mandel had to say,

"One of the biggest surprises of the off-season was that Tenuta -- one of the nation's most respected defensive coordinators at Georgia Tech, who was, at one point, rumored to be following Les Miles to Michigan -- wound up taking a non-coordinator job.

However, while Corwin Brown remains Notre Dame's coordinator, it's clear Charlie Weis went out of his way find a spot for Tenuta (secondary coach Bill Lewis was moved to an administrative post), whose blitz-heavy defenses he's faced first-hand past two seasons. And Tenuta will almost certainly play a significant role. There's no question the Irish's long-struggling defense could use his type of spark."

Tenuta's help with the linebackers and the defense as a whole with Coordinator Corwin Brown, will give the Irish a mean streak that hasn't been around South Bend, since the late 80's, early 90's.

Our first glimpse of Notre Dame's new look defense will be displayed April 19th, during the Blue and Gold game. Tenuta and Brown will bring back the fight in the Fighting Irish!

Irish Go for the Triple Play

A win, is a win, no matter how you can take it. Yesterday's contest against Rutgers was no different. In what turned out to be a wild and wacky weekend of college basketball not only in the Big East, but overall throughout the Division I ranks, Notre Dame inched closer to that coveted first round bye in the conference tournament.

With Georgetown's loss at Syracuse and Connecticut needing a last second shot in overtime to beat South Florida, the Irish are one game out of first place in the Big East. Louisville is tied with the Hoyas at 10-3, while the Huskies are in third with Notre Dame at 9-3. A slew of teams with five losses (Marquette, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, and Cincinnati) are looking on the outside of the top four.
But with the next three games slated for each of these teams, anything can happen.

Notre Dame's next three opponents of Pittsburgh (6th), Syracuse (9th), and Louisville (T-1st) are a combined 24-14 in league action. Below is a look at the remaining top eight team’s next three contests:

Georgetown

@ Providence (T-13th)
Cincinnati (T-6th)
St. John's (T-13th)

15-23 combined league mark

Louisville

Syracuse (9th)
@ Pittsburgh (6th)
Notre Dame (T-3rd)

23-14 combined league mark

Connecticut

DePaul (T-10th)
@ Villanova (T-10th)
@ Rutgers (16th)

12-26 combined league mark

Marquette

@ St. John's (T-13th)
Rutgers (16th)
@ Villanova (T-10th)

13-26 combined league mark

Pittsburgh

@ Notre Dame (T-3rd)
Louisville (T-1st)
Cincinnati (T-6th)

26-11 combined league mark

West Virginia

@ Villanova (T-10th)
Providence (T-13th)
@ DePaul (T-10th)

14-23 combined league mark

Cincinnati

South Florida (15th)
@ Georgetown (T-1st)
@ Pittsburgh (T-6th)

21-17 combined league mark

So these next three games are vitally important for Mike Brey's boys. A 3-0 sweep would be gravy and would almost likely give the Irish one of the four bye slots. Even a 2-1 mark in these three games against RPI Top 50 teams will give them some breathing room. This season, Notre Dame is 4-4 vs. Top 50 teams, which is tied for third-best in the league with Georgetown. Connecticut (6-4) and Louisville (5-4) are the tops in the Big East.

This will definitely be an important week and a half for Notre Dame, not only in maintintaining their current home court winning streak, but keeping pace with the Hoyas, Cardinals, and Huskies for the league lead. Notre Dame will take a win any way they can get it, especially now!

Fugetaboutit! Irish To Bounce Back Against Rutgers

It could be real easy to sulk and mull over what could have been last Wednesday when the Irish had an opportunity to beat Connecticut. Thank goodness for Rutgers! Yes, Notre Dame has had it struggles in New Jersey, 3-7 all time at the RAC; but the Irish are facing the last place team in the league. The Scarlet Knights, losers of five straight, are dead last in the conference in scoring (62.9 pts per contest), FG % (40.0%), 3pt. FG% (31.0%), and have the most turnovers (15.3 a game). Did I mention that they have only two wins in league play?

Even though Rutgers has beaten Pittsburgh on the road, the Knights are 1-5 in the Big East at home. The Irish can improve their road record to .500 with the win, and still keep on pace for their second consecutive first round bye in the Big East Tournament. Notre Dame just needs to get out of the gates early and not let up, like the Seton Hall contest.

Luke Harangody will dominant in the post when he faces a fairly small Rutgers defense. Rob Kurz will bounce back after having an off game behind a strong family contingent in the crowd. Kyle McAlarney will have some family and friends in attendance, which means another solid performance for the Staten Island, NY, sharpshooter!

If it comes down to Free Throw shooting, the Irish will dominate. Notre Dame owns a decisive advantage from the charity stripe over its opponents. The Irish have outscored their opponents 392-198 from the line in 23 games and 2007-08 against BIG EAST foes. Rutgers is one of the worst in the conference, shooting only 64.9% from the line. OUCH!

The key for the Irish will be strong guard play from Tory Jackson, and bench production from Ryan Ayers, Luke Zeller, and Jonathan Peoples. If Notre Dame can get around 20 + points from their reserves, the Irish will win easily. Look for the Irish to deepen their bench on Sunday for their 19th win of the season.

Prediction: Notre Dame 89 Rutgers 70

Baseline Bits

~ Notre Dame leads the all-time series 13-11 with 19 of those contests taking place since both schools became members of the BIG EAST Conference in 1995-96. The Irish have won each of the last two meetings, including last season 73-66 win at the RAC on March 3, 2007, which marked the final regular contest of the 2006-07 campaign.

~ The Irish have won 16 of their last 19 games and are off to an 18-5 start through the first 23 contests of the season for the second consecutive year. The best start for an Irish team following 23 games under head coach Mike Brey was in 2002-03 when that squad raced to a 19-4 start in his third season at the helm.

~ Luke Harangody recorded a career-best sixth straight double-double against Connecticut on Wednesday night when he scored a career-high 32 points and matched his career-high with 16 rebounds. It also marked the first time in his career with six consecutive double-doubles. In the last six contests, he has averaged 26.2 points and 13.0 rebounds.

~ Harangody has 14 double-doubles on the season and 14 in the last 19 contests, including nine of 11 BIG EAST games. The last Irish player to register six consecutive double-doubles was Ryan Humphrey in 2001-02 when he ended his career a double-double in the final 11 games of his career.

Battle for the Big East Bye

Down the stretch they come! As the last couple of weeks remain during the regular season, six teams vie for one of the four 1st round byes in next month's Big East Tournament. Georgetown is sitting pretty at 10-2 in the league, while Louisville, Connecticut, and Notre Dame, is a step behind with three conference losses. Pittsburgh is creeping ever so slowly at 7-4 and Marquette is in the distant with a 6-5 ledger.

Here are the six candidates remaining schedules:

Georgetown (13-0) overall home, (6-3) road; (6-0) conference home, (4-2) road

@ Syracuse
@ Providence
Cincinnati
St. John's
@ Marquette
Louisville

Louisville (12-2) overall home, (6-2) road; (5-1) conference home, (4-2) road

@ Providence
Syracuse
@ Pittsburgh
Notre Dame
Villanova
@ Georgetown

Connecticut (13-1) overall home, (5-2) road; (5-1) conference home, (3-2) road

@ South Florida
DePaul
@ Villanova
@ Rutgers
West Virginia
@ Providence
Cincinnati

Notre Dame (14-0) overall home, (2-3) road; (6-0) conference home, (2-3) road

@ Rutgers
Pittsburgh
Syracuse
@ Louisville
@ DePaul
St. John's
@ South Florida

Pittsburgh (14-1) overall home, (4-4) road; (5-1) conference home, (2-3) road

@ Marquette
@ Notre Dame
Louisville
Cincinnati
@ Syracuse
@ West Virginia
DePaul

Marquette (12-1) overall home, (3-4) road; (5-1) conference home, (2-4) road

Pittsburgh
@ St. John's
Rutgers
@ Villanova
Georgetown
@ Syracuse

As you compare each team's schedule, both Georgetown and Connecticut are in the driver's seat to earn a first round bye at the Garden. The next two in line, Louisville and Notre Dame, both play each other, but the Cardinals end the regular season at Georgetown. For Irish fans alike, I'd concentrate on how well Pittsburgh plays. What's good for Notre Dame is the home matchup next week in the Joyce that will give the Irish a two game separation. Also, the Panthers have to face Louisville and at Marquette.

In the end, I see Georgetown, Connecticut, Louisville, and Notre Dame, all earning their 1st round exemption. But first things, first, as the Irish need to take care of business at an always tough Rutgers. Some good Notre Dame teams have come into the RAC, but have left in the loss column. Sunday cannot be the day to let the rowdy Scarlet Knight's fans to get into the players heads. These next four games are critical for Notre Dame's postseason success. It's now time to throw down the gauntlet and prove to the nation that Notre Dame Basketball is on the rise!

Thabeet Goes On For Notre Dame

Tonight's matchup will be one of epic proportions, as the two hottest teams in the Big East square off in Storrs. One of these two will see their conference winning streak end. Notre Dame has won five straight, while UConn has been on the winning ended seven consecutive times. A win for Notre Dame would match the best 23-game start overall and best 11-game start in conference play in eight seasons under Brey. Even though this will be the second time this season that the Irish and Huskies will play, both squads definitely come in as different teams.

Since ending their two-game losing skid (losses @ Georgetown and home to Providence), Connecticut has reeled off some impressive wins behind junior forward Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet. Adrien, the Big East Player of the Week, leads the Huskies in scoring at 14.7 points a night, while Thabeet is the defensive stopper in the paint with 93 blocks. The last time ND and UConn played, Thabeet created a lot of frustration for Luke Harangody. But tonight could be much different.

The Irish too, are coming in, winners of their last five, including two straight on the road in the Big East. Ever since inserting Zach Hillesland into the starting five, he has given Mike Brey's squad the boost it needs from the get go. Ryan Ayers has been spectacular off the bench, nearly averaging 10 points per night. The bench production has been solid with the renewed presence of Jonathan Peoples and Luke Zeller. They will definitely be counted on, as Connecticut looks to avenge their loss at the Joyce Center last month.

If the Irish are to be successful, Harangody has to keep chugging along and penetrate to the hole. Thabeet is tall, but Luke is a wide load! If the Irish can get Thabeet into foul trouble, Notre Dame will dominate down low. Also, senior captain Rob Kurz will have to keep his steady numbers intact. I swear he has the quietest 12.8 pts, 8.0 rebounds a game average in the country. He will definitely be the X-Factor tonight.

Kyle McAlarney could not possibly have another 30 point explosion in him, can he? Has Tory Jackson turned the corner this season, and regained his form that landed him on the Big East All-Rookie squad? All I know is that there are a lot of "ifs" in tonight's contest. With that said, I'm not sure if the Irish can beat the surging Huskies tonight.

Prediction: Connecticut 78 Notre Dame 76

Baseline Bits

~ The Huskies leads the series 12-6 and have won four of the last seven meetings. All 18 of the matchups between the two schools have been as BIG EAST opponents.

~ Playing for the ninth time in the state of Connecticut against the Huskies, this will be just the second-ever appearance for the Irish at Gampel Pavilion.

~ Since the starting lineup change, the Irish are 5-0 and averaging 88.2 points.

~ During the Irish's current home court winning streak, Notre Dame has shot .500 or better in 14 of 34 games. Notre Dame Opponents have shot .500 or better in 3 of 34 games.

~ The last time the Irish won three straight conference road games was during the 2000-01 campaign (Mike Brey’s first season) when that Irish squad rattled off a program-best five consecutive league road contests.

New IBB Forum

With the ever rising popularity of Irish Band of Brothers, I have taken it upon myself to keep up with the joneses and start a message board. You can now talk everything Notre Dame 24/7 in the Leahy Lounge, the Brey Basketball Banter, Recruiting Rumblings, or the ever popular, What Grinds My Gears forum.

To access any one of the forums, click on the appropriate board on the upper right hand side. Registration is free!

Feel free to post away, and as always GO IRISH!

Scheduling a Winner or a Joke?

First it was Bushgate, then Spygate, now it's Memogate. According to other internet sources, Kevin White's blueprint for success of the 7-4-1 model has gotten out and made public. ND starting in 2009 will have seven homes games, four away, and one neutral site game that will be used as an NBC home game. The Athletic Department and White have been working to make the Irish Barnstorm across the country for other Alums to see ND play and help with recruiting in other areas. Anyway, Dr. White was none too pleased to hear that the cat was outta the bag.

"It's probably not that serious. But Notre Dame is none too pleased that a memo regarding its future football schedules leaked out over the weekend, featuring some pretty intriguing possibilities for off-site games down the line.

The memo is a "working document," meaning that the crossing of many T's and the dotting of many I's remains to be done. Some of the games may never come to fruition at all; for example, Rutgers isn't even sure yet that it wants to play the Irish in the Meadowlands, period. Let alone set up a date and time for a game."

Here are the tentative Fighting Irish football schedules.

2008 (12 games, 6 home, 2 Big East, classes start Aug. 26)
A30 Open Date
S6 SAN DIEGO STATE
S13 MICHIGAN
S20 at Michigan State
S27 PURDUE
O4 STANFORD
O11 at North Carolina
O18 Open Date
O25 at Washington
N1 PITTSBURGH
N8 at Boston College
N15 at Navy (Baltimore)
N22 SYRACUSE
N29 at USC

2009
(12 games, 7 home, 1 off-site in San Antonio, 2 Big East, classes Aug. 25)
S5 NEVADA
S12 at Michigan
S19 MICHIGAN STATE
S26 at Purdue
O3 WASHINGTON
O10 Open Date
O17 USC
O24 BOSTON COLLEGE
031 vs Washington State (San Antonio)
N7 NAVY
N14 at Pittsburgh
N21 CONNECTICUT
N28 at Stanford

2010
(12 games, 7 home, 1 off-site in Chicago, 2 Big East)
S4 PURDUE
S11 MICHIGAN
S18 at Michigan State
S25 STANFORD
O2 at Boston College
O9 PITTSBURGH
O16 vs Army (Chicago)
O23 vs Navy (Baltimore)
O30 Open Date
N7 **BUY GAME**
N13 RUTGERS (tent.)
N20 **BUY GAME**
N27 at USC

2011 (12 games, 7 home, 1 off-site in Orlando, 3 Big East)
S3 at Purdue
S10 at Michigan
S17 MICHIGAN STATE
S24 at Pittsburgh
O1 SOUTH FLORIDA
O8 **BUY GAME**
O15 vs Army (Orlando)
O22 USC
O29 RUTGERS/NAVY (resolve conflict)
N5 CONNECTICUT
N12 **BUY GAME**
N19 Open Date
N26 at Stanford

2012 (12 games, 7 home, 1 off-site in New Orleans, 2 Big East)
S1 vs Navy (Dublin)
S8 PURDUE
S15 at Michigan State
S22 MICHIGAN
S29 Open Date
O6 vs Baylor (New Orleans)
O13 **BUY GAME**
O20 PITTSBURGH (or Nov. 3 or 10, TBD)
O27 at Oklahoma
N3 **BUY GAME**
N10 **BUY GAME**
N17 WAKE FOREST
N24 at USC

2013 (12 games, 7 home, 1 off-site in Dallas, 2 Big East)
A31 **BUY GAME** (possibly Washington State)
S7 at Michigan
S14 at Purdue
S21 MICHIGAN STATE
S28 OKLAHOMA
O5 vs. Arizona State (Dallas)
O12 Open Date
O19 USC
O26 vs Connecticut (Foxboro)
N2 NAVY
N9 CINCINNATI (tentative)
N16 at Rutgers
N23 **BUY GAME**(possibly Army Nov. 16, if Rutgers can move)

2014 (12 games, 7 home, 1 off-site in Orlando, 3 Big East)
A30 **BUY GAME**
S6 vs Navy (site TBD)
S13 PURDUE
S20 MICHIGAN
S27 Open Date
O4 **BUY GAME**
O11 vs Army (Orlando)
O18 CONNECTICUT
O25 at Arizona State
N1 Open Date
N8 PITTSBURGH
N15 vs Rutgers (Giants Stadium)
N22 **BUY GAME**
N29 at USC

2015 (12 games, 7 home, 1 off-site TBD, 3 Big East)
S5 MISSOURI
S12 at Michigan
S19 at Purdue
S26 **BUY GAME**
O3 ARMY (tent.)
O10 NAVY
O17 USC
O24 vs Connecticut (Meadowlands)
O31 **BUY GAME** site TBD
N7 **BUY GAME**
N14 at Pittsburgh
N21 RUTGERS

2016 (12 games, 7 home, 1 off-site in Dallas, 3 Big East)
S3 **BUY GAME**
S10 MICHIGAN
S17 STANFORD
S24 at Michigan State
O1 **BUY GAME**
O8 **BUY GAME**
O15 vs Navy (site TBD)
O22 Open Date
O29 PITTSBURGH
N5 vs Rutgers (Giants Stadium)
N12 CONNECTICUT
N19 vs. Army (site TBD) 70th anniversary of ’46 ND-Army
N26 at USC

2017
S2
S9 at Michigan (to be scheduled)
S16 ARIZONA STATE
S23 MICHIGAN STATE
S30 vs Connecticut (Foxboro)
O7
O14
TBD USC
O21 NAVY
O28
N4
N11
N18
N25 at Stanford

2018
S1
S8 at Michigan State
S15 STANFORD
S22 PURDUE
S29 CONNECTICUT
O6
O13
O20 BOSTON COLLEGE
O27 vs Navy (site TBD)
N3
N10
N17
N24 at USC
Home date with ARMY to be scheduled

2019
A31 vs Navy (Dublin)
S7
S14 MICHIGAN STATE
S21 at Purdue
S28 vs Connecticut (Meadowlands)
O5
O12
O19 at Boston College
O26
N2
N9
N16
N23
N30 at Stanford

2020
S5
S12 STANFORD
S19 PURDUE
S26 MICHIGAN
O3 vs Connecticut (Foxboro)
O10
O17
O24 NAVY
O31
N7
N14
N21
N28

ESPN at it Again

ESPN won't let it go. They got the first word, and now, they definitely want to have the last in the Dana Jacobson saga. During last Friday's press conference, Coach Weis let his thoughts be known to the media about the Mike and Mike Roast in Atlantic City:

"Well, I'll just say three things, okay. I was both personally and professionally offended by her comments. And if the situations were reversed, and that were me saying them, two things would have happened. I would have been the lead story on SportsCenter, and I would have been fired. But other than that, the University has issued an official response, and I think it's best to leave it at that."

Fair enough, end of story, right? Well today, ESPN in their infinite wisdom released this diatribe from their Ombudsman, Le Anne Schreiber. The former New York Times sports editor and author will critique decision-making, coverage and presentation of news, issues and events on ESPN television and other media. Here are snippets of her explanation of Mr. Ed's and Jim Kerry's Love Child's remarks.

On Jan. 12, The Press of Atlantic City ran a story that included a description of Jacobson's drunken behavior the previous night, saying she had made "an absolute fool of herself" on stage, "mumbling along and cursing like a sailor as Mike & Mike rested their heads in their hands in embarrassment." In the wake of that report, ESPN issued a statement saying, "Her actions were totally inappropriate and we have dealt with it." Dana Jacobson issued a personal apology.

Then, on Jan. 18, Deadspin.com posted a report by an anonymous "tipster" alleging that what the Press of Atlantic City had only called mumblings included a string of crude expletives directed at Notre Dame, its famous "Touchdown Jesus" mural and Jesus. Other Internet sites picked up that report and repeated the tipster's account, but as far as I can determine, there has been no corroboration by anyone who attended the roast that she did more than crudely insult ESPN's Mike Golic, a former Notre Dame Football player, by crudely insulting Notre Dame's football program and its famous mural. On Jan. 24, Scott Cronick, who attended the roast and wrote the article for Press of Atlantic City, told Thebiglead.com, "I never heard Dana Jacobson say F--- Jesus. That's why I never printed it. I also talked to people who were there who also said that they did not hear her say it either." He reiterated that statement in a Press of Atlantic City story the next day.

Here comes the most interesting part of this situation:

"ESPN has a video of the roast, which I asked to see. My request was denied, but during an extended conversation with ESPN vice president of communications Mike Soltys, who has reviewed Jacobson's remarks on that tape many times, I was repeatedly assured that her obscenity-laced insults to Golic were directed entirely at Notre Dame's football program, not at Golic's religion and not at Jesus."

If she didn't say it, why won't they let their own Ombudsman see the video? Wouldn't you want everyone to know that your TV personality didn't say these things, than rather cover it up and say she didn't say those things? Something does not add up here. But anyway, Ms. Schreiber, gives her bogus answer about why her company won't release the video:

"After meeting with ESPN executives on Jan. 25, Christian Defense Coalition leaders continue to demand that ESPN release the roast video to satisfy doubt about Jacobson's exact words. ESPN believes releasing an obscenity-strewn video, audio or a transcript of Jacobson's remarks, which would doubtlessly find a permanent worldwide home on the Internet would only aggravate and compound the original offense. They deem unsatisfied doubts a lesser offense.

My own thoughts: I share the view that the offense was one of crass language and behavior from a woman under the influence of alcohol, not hate or religious bigotry. I think ESPN personalities would be wise not to speak at roasts, which often become occasions for offensive and crude insults delivered and received under the influence of excessive alcohol. I think we all need to be more cautious about information that comes from a single anonymous source, whether we get the information from ESPN, other outlets of the mainstream media or Internet blogs."

Schreiber then goes on to say,

"I wish I could offer first-hand confirmation of ESPN's characterization of Jacobson's remarks. However, I respect ESPN's right to withhold the video; of what was a private event not intended for wider broadcast, from me as well as others who have requested seeing it. Based on my past and current conversations with Soltys, I personally trust his assurances to me.

Finally, no one at ESPN asked me to issue this or any reply. Viewers and readers did."

I wish you could offer first-hand confirmation too! All we want is the truth. Unfortunately, ESPN can't handle the truth! Duh, Na, Na, Duh Na, Na!

It's a Numbers Game....Literally

Okay Irish faithful, what do the numbers 3, 7, 7, and 8 mean? No, it's not the projected NCAA Tournament seedings for the Irish; that will come later. Those numbers are what Notre Dame is ranked nationally in Assists, Rebound Margin, Personal Fouls, and Assist-to-Turnover Ratio. More importantly for the 18-4 (8-2 BE) Fighting Irish, the two numbers that really matter right now is 18 and 20.

Today Notre Dame jumped up in the current ESPN/USAToday and AP polls to 18th and 20th, respectively. The Irish are one of six Big East schools ranked in both polls. Notre Dame also jumped up in their RPI rankings too, when they checked in at 27th. All of these numbers can be contributed by individual numbers, as well as, team numbers.

Big East Player of the Year frontrunner Luke Harangody, and his sling shooting sidekick Kyle McAlarney are in the Top 30 nationally in two categories each. Senior captain Rob Kurz and sophomore Tory Jackson are also ranked nationally in an individual statistical category:

Luke Harangody 29th Points (20.4)
17th Rebounds (10.1)

Kyle McAlarney 22nd 3pt. FG Made (3.3)
14th 3 pt. FG% (45.8)

Rob Kurz 34th FT% (86.5)

Tory Jackson 19th Assists (6.1)

Overall as a team, the Fighting Irish have put up some of their best numbers in the Mike Brey era. Besides being ranked in the Top 10 in assists, rebound margin, personal fouls, and assists-to-turnover ratio, Notre Dame is ranked for their offensive output and their defensive stalwart.

Offense:

19. Scoring (80.5)
20. Scoring Margin (13.4)
12. 3pt. FG% (40.7)
38. FT% (73.8)

Defense:

33. FG% (40.0)

Here's another number I'll throw at you, 8. That's how many games remain in regular season. If the Irish can come up with 7-1 or 6-2 combination, Notre Dame will be in the driver's seat for a possible Sweet 16 run. But don't tell that to Coach Brey and the Irish. They'll be taking it, ONE game at a time!

Bench Puts the "Fight" Back in the Irish

When the Irish needed a whole team effort, it didn't know it would get this type of spark the bench provided Saturday against Marquette. The 27 points, including 8-of-9 FT's, 10 rebounds, and 2 turnover output, throughout the combined 49 minutes gave Coach Brey and Irish fans more confidence for meaningful minutes.

Luke Zellar led the bench players with 11 points. Zellar played with so much intensity against the Eagles, that he had forced his way to four rebounds and one thunderous dunk in the first half. Ryan Ayers and Jonathan Peoples had nine and seven points, respectively.

The 27 bench points were the fourth highest output on the season for the Irish. Notre Dame had 45 points against Northern Illinois, 30 against Brown, and 29 versus Long Island earlier this season. For the season, Brey's bench has been averaging 17.3 points a night. In conference play, the Irish are just below average at 16.2 points per night, however, during the current five game winning streak, Notre Dame is averaging 17.4. Coach Brey's decision to move Ayers from his starting position ha definitely paid off.

Below is the point production of the Irish bench so far this season:

Long Island - 29 points
Monmouth - 24 points
Baylor - 11 points
Georgia Tech - 12 points
Youngstown St. - 16 points
Colgate - 25 points
E. Michigan - 11 points
Kansas St. - 8 points
N. Illinois - 45 points
San Francisco - 11 points
Brown - 30 points
North Florida - 13 points
West Virginia - 5 points
Connecticut - 2 points
Marquette - 10 points
Cincinnati - 16 points
Georgetown - 25 points
Villanova - 12 points
Providence - 10 points
DePaul - 17 points
Seton Hall - 21 points
Marquette - 27 points

The bench will be needed more than ever in this next stretch of five games, which could possibly determine not only conference standings, but first round byes in the Big East Tournament. Also the Irish will be playing for the important seeding in next month's NCAA Tournament. I don't want to get too ahead of myself but Notre Dame is playing itself into a possible 3 seed. If things turn out like my new predictions, (24-6, 14-4) to finish the regular season, I believe they will not fall below a # 4 national seed!

We shall see in the coming weeks if that prediction holds true or not. But one thing is for sure, if the Irish bench keeps putting up big numbers; good things will happen!

Irish Look to Continue to Soar with Rematch Against Marquette

Determination and respect is what fuels this teams success, but revenge and defending their home court winning streak will be the driving force when the 21st ranked Irish (17-4, 7-2) face 16th ranked Marquette (16-5, 6-4) tomorrow in the Joyce Center. Ever since their 26 point loss in Milwaukee, the Irish have been on a roll winning five out of their last six games, including four in a row. Notre Dame has been playing exceptionally well on both ends of the court, and will look to do the same tomorrow.

Marquette, .500 in their last six games, is coming off their first home loss of the season, 71-57 to Louisville last Monday. So the Irish could be catching the Golden Eagles at the right time, while Marquette is getting Notre Dame at the worst possible time for them. The Eagles three guard lineup was deadly from the outside the last time when they connected on 12 treys. This time the Irish will be prepared by showing Marquette different looks.

Although Marquette was hot from beyond the arc, I still like the Irish's chances tomorrow by forcing the Eagles to shoot from the outside. It also didn't hurt when the Irish turned the ball over a season-high 29 times. On the season, Marquette is shooting 35.6% from three point land and are 9th in the Big East in 3 pt. FG's made (6.8 per game).

The Irish will also improve their chances by being aggressive on the boards. Before back-to-back performances of out rebounding their opposition, Marquette was on the losing end seven straight times. Look for an entire team effort led by Big East Player of the Year frontrunner, Luke Harangody and senior captain Rob Kurz to lead the way.

With changing the starting lineup, Coach Brey has seen his team score at will as the Irish are 4-0 and averaging 88.8 points. That's a good thing, because Marquette is the 5th best team in the league holding their opponents to 63.6 points a contest. They also one of the better scoring teams in the conference averaging 76.1 points a game. But with this tradition-rich rivalry, you can throw those stats out the window. Homecourt, the Leprechaun Legion, as well as an Irish team running on all cylinders give Notre Dame the edge.

Look for another total team effort on both ends of the court, with great inside and outside shooting, and minimal turnovers. The sold out Joyce Center will be rocking that's for sure!

Prediction: Notre Dame 85 Marquette 77


Baseline Bits

~ Notre Dame has played Marquette more than any other team and leads the all-time series 76-33. The Golden Eagles have had success in recent years and are 7-3 in the last 10 outings. The Irish were victorious the last time the two teams played at the Joyce Center with Notre Dame earning an 85-73 win last season at the Joyce Center on February 24, 2007.

~ Harangody owns a career-best 18-game double-figure scoring streak, has scored 20-plus points and grabbed 10-plus rebounds in 11 games and has registered a team-leading 11 double-doubles.

~ Notre Dame ranks in the top five of the NCAA statistics in two categories: assists (3rd-19.1) and rebounding margin (8th-8.2).

~ Marquette is currently ranked second in the BIG EAST and 12th in the nation in steals per game (9.52 spg.).

Rankings, Schmankings! Irish Rate High in Recruiting

As I digest all the sites, rumblings, rumors, and heresays of National Signing Day, I can come away feeling good as an Alumnus of Notre Dame. Coach Weis addressed the needed "problem" areas and added raw talent to what is billed his best class to date. All 23 signees gave the Irish some very good ratings by the recruiting services, with most of them ranking Notre Dame #2 behind Alabama. That pretty much was everyone's sentiments, except for our favorite subsidiary of the Disney Company.

ESPN must be in their glory, because today is the start of the Chinese New Year. The Worldwide Leader of ___________ (you fill in the blank) is embracing the Year of the RAT! Those pesky varmints from Mark May and all the way down the line to Colin Cowturd will do anything to bash Notre Dame. I guess they need to make a buck someway, right? Well the biggest rat of them all, recruiting-wise, Todd Luginbill had the honor of slipping the Irish all the way down to the 9th best class! Yes, 9th!

Here’s what old Loogie had to say about the Irish’s class,

“After an abysmal 2007 season, Charlie Weis bounced back with a top-10 recruiting class. While some programs might boast more elite prospects, top to bottom this class holds some of the best overall quality and finally some defensive help is on the way. Elite receivers Michael Floyd (Saint Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham) and Deion Walker (Christchurch, Va.) should have Irish fans smiling after watching an anemic offensive performance last fall while tight end Kyle Rudolph (Cincinnati/Elder) also has excellent receiving skills. No. 2 quarterback prospect Dayne Christ (Canoga Park, Calif./Notre Dame) has the arm strength to challenge Jimmy Clausen early in his career for reps. Center and defensive end were key areas of need and filled with good quality.”

Before I discuss ESPN's rankings, I just want to point out that Rivals.com, Scout.com, and CSTV.com, had the same # 1 and #2, Alabama and Notre Dame. They also gave much love to the class as well:

“The Irish needed an influx of young talent. Charlie Weis and his staff brought in players from all over and look to have upgraded team speed.”~ Bobby Burton (Rivals)

“Charlie Weis and Notre Dame showed that he has a lot of power by checking in with the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, even though he had a 3-9 team this past season. He corralled the players he wanted and was able to keep all but one, with DL Omar Hunter (No. 41) who went to Florida.

Currently 11 Top 100 players in class, this is the group that adds to the Irish's pieces already in place and brings them back to their winning ways. Well-balanced group with Michael Floyd the most immediate potential superstar.

Its best class in 18 years. Helped themselves at every position, with 15 All-Americans coming in.” ~ Tom Lemming (CSTV)

“This was the class the Irish dramatically needed right now if Charlie Weis is to re-establish the Irish as a power. It's a superbly balanced effort featuring elite athletes such as TE Kyle Rudolph, WR Michael Floyd, DE Ethan Johnson and LB Steven Filer. Weis lost DT Omar Hunter to Florida but he was otherwise very successful in restocking the offensive and defensive trenches.” ~ Allen Wallace (Scout)

Alabama, by far, had the most signees with 33 players. Hopefully good old Nick Saban will be around long enough for half of these kids to earn their degrees! I guess teams down South just sign as many kids as they want and hope for the best, because you know damn well that most of won't qualify by Prop 48 standards. I say good luck with that.

Well here is the rundown of recruiting rankings:

Scout.com
1. Alabama 6 (Top 100), 3 (5*), 17 (4*), 10 (3*), 3.61 (avg.)
2. Notre Dame 7 (Top 100), 4 (5*), 14 (4*), 5 (5*), 3.96 (avg.)
3. Miami 7 (Top 100), 4 (5*), 7 (4*), 18 (3*), 3.33 (avg.)
4. Georgia 4 (Top 100), 3 (5*), 10 (4*), 10 (3*), 3.70 (avg.)
5. Florida St. 3 (Top 100), 3 (5*), 10 (4*), 11 (3*), 3.29 (avg.)
6. LSU 2 (Top 100), 1 (5*), 11 (4*), 14 (3*), 3.50 (avg.)
7. Ohio St. 8 (Top 100), 5 (5*), 7 (4*), 6 (3*), 3.84 (avg.)
8. Michigan 4 (Top 100), 1 (5*), 13 (4*), 8 (3*)), 3.54 (avg.)
9. USC 8 (Top 100), 4 (5*), 9 (4*), 5 (3*), 3.84 (avg.)
10. UCLA 4 (Top 100), 2 (5*), 11 (4*), 10 (3*), 3.65 (avg.)

Rivals.com
1. Alabama 3 (5*), 19 (4*), 8 (3*), 3.72 (avg.)
2. Notre Dame 3 (5*), 16 (4*), 4 (3*), 3.96 (avg.)
3. Florida 4 (5*), 12 (4*), 4 (3*), 3.82 (avg.)
4. Miami 2 (5*), 15 (4*), 8 (3*), 3.33 (avg.)
5. Oklahoma 3 (5*), 12 (4*), 5 (3*), 3.81 (avg.)
6. Georgia 2 (5*), 13 (4*), 8 (3*), 3.67 (avg.)
7. USC 2 (5*), 13 (4*), 4 (3*), 3.89 (avg.)
8. Florida St. 2 (5*), 13 (4*), 8 (3*), 3.33 (avg.)
9. Ohio St. 3 (5*), 9 (4*), 7 (3*), 3.79 (avg.)
10. Michigan 0 (5*), 17 (4*), 5 (3*), 3.63 (avg.)

CSTV
1. Alabama 6 (Top 100)
2. Notre Dame 11 (Top 100)
3. Florida 6 (Top 100)
4. Ohio St. 8 (Top 100)
5. Oklahoma 7 (Top 100)
6. Georgia 4(Top 100)
7. Texas 3 (Top 100)
8. USC 7 (Top 100)
9. Miami 5 (Top 100)
10. Clemson 3 (Top 100)

ESPN
1. Miami 12 (Top 150)
2. Clemson 10 (Top 150)
3. Alabama 6 (Top 150)
4. Florida 11 (Top 150)
5. Georgia 7 (Top 150)
6. USC 8 (Top 150)
7. Ohio St. 7 (Top 150)
8. Oklahoma 8 (Top 150)
9. Notre Dame 10 (Top 150)
10. Texas 9 (Top 150)

So what the heck is Luginbill talking about when he said that other schools might have more elite players? According to his Top 150, Notre Dame is tied for the third most. Doesn't make much sense to me either.

When you average it out all together, Notre Dame actually has the better star power overall with 3.96 (star average) and 9.3 (Top 150/100 player average). And when you average in all four of those recruiting rankings, the Irish are a solid # 2! Below is the overall combined average of all the recruiting services:

1. Alabama 1.5 avg.
2. Notre Dame 3.75 avg.
3. Miami 4.25 avg.
4. Georgia 5.25 avg.
5. Ohio St. 6.75 avg.
6. USC 7.5 avg.
7. Oklahoma 7.75 avg.
8. Clemson 8.75 avg.
9. Florida St. 9.0 avg.
10. LSU 10.25 avg.
11. Michigan 10.75 avg.
12. UCLA 13.5 avg.

When it is all said and done, the Irish got what they wanted, and it shows. A great class, with great athletes, and lots of great memories and moments to be had in the next four or five years from these Fighting Irish! It's definitely good to be an Irish fan, that's for sure.

Sorry, but we're not taking any reservations for the Notre Dame bandwagon just yet.

Trap Game Awaits Irish in New Jersey

Even though Seton Hall is 15-7 overall and 5-4 in league play, the Pirates pose a great challenge for the Irish tonight. Mike Brey has stressed to his team after the DePaul game not to overlook Seton Hall before Saturday's rematch with Marquette. The Pirates had won five straight prior to their loss last Saturday at Georgetown.

This will be the fifth time that the Pirates have faced a ranked opponent. So far Seton Hall is 1-3 in those games. They defeated #23 Virginia, 74-60, on Nov. 24 and lost to #15 Marquette, 61-56, on Jan. 8 and #20 Pittsburgh, 84-70, on Jan. 12. Then lost their contest with the Hoyas. Virginia, by the way, is currently the last place team in the ACC with an overall record of 11-9, while Pittsburgh has lost three of their last five games; which includes losses at Cincinnati and home to Rutgers!

Tonight's game features a matchup of the top two scorers in the BIG EAST Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody and Seton Hall’s Brian Laing. Cool hand Luke is averaging 28.3 points and 12.7 rebounds in last three games. Laing is leading the Pirates with 19.3 points per contest. Shutting the senior captain down might not be as big as a concern as shutting down the rest of the Pirates. Seton Hall is one of the top scoring teams in the country with an 80.9 average. They're also good with the ball and making good decisions, with a 10.2 turnover average, which is fifth in the nation.

Seton Hall can be a streaky team from the floor, but the Irish will try and force the Pirates to shoot from the outside, as they are one of the worst 3 point shooting teams at 33.6%. Look for Coach Brey to confuse Seton Hall with different defensive looks.

The key to tonight's contest, like all the Irish away games, is to get off to a good start. Just like their win over Villanova, the Irish have to establish the inside with Harangody and Rob Kurz. Kurz will be very instrumental on the offensive boards for second chance opportunities, as he has grabbed 10-plus rebounds in nine games this season. Kyle McAlarney and Tory Jackson have to keep their composure getting the ball in the right hands, as the Pirates are very pesky on defense. Look for Zach Hillesland to get plenty of tries taking the ball up the court.

Ryan Ayers has played with a lot more confidence as of late since Brey has made him the first off the bench. The fourth-leading scorer has netted double figures in seven contests, including two straight against Villanova and Providence. If Ayers can get it going from the outside, the Irish should be in good shape.

Notre Dame will come out swinging and not look back in this one. The Irish have won four straight, including last season’s 88-76 win at the Joyce Center.

Prediction: Notre Dame 79 Seton Hall 66

Baseline Bits

~ Notre Dame’s current three-game BIG EAST regular-season win streak is its longest of the season.

~ The Irish are off to their best start in BIG EAST play since 2002-03 when that squad was 7-2 through its first nine games.

~ Notre Dame leads the all-time series 13-7.

Knox, Knox, Knoxing, on Milton's Door

Just like the pollsters anxiously waiting for their results on Super Tuesday, Notre Dame is patiently waiting for California kid, Milton Knox to declare his decision. It's down to UCLA and Notre Dame on a FSN West telecast, 7 pm South Bend time. Whatever the case may be, Knox has had a tough decision since his visit this past weekend at Notre Dame.

"I didn't think it was going to be like that," Knox said Monday night of his trip to Notre Dame. "Just the people, they were so nice. I got a tour of the campus, they took me in the locker room and all the greats that played there, and they have the jerseys. I got to touch the `Play like champions' sign and went out on the field. It was a really good experience."
"It gave me a lot to think about."

Currently, Knox is on a school field trip, and then off to the FOX studios for his announcement. Supposedly he made up his mind this morning, according to several published reports from California outlets. Trying to get a hint of which it might be, Knox's High School Coach, Ed Croson, didn't know either, except that this will be one of the hardest decisions of this young man's life.

"He's so impressed by both schools that it's hard to pick them apart right now, in this time frame," Croson said.

"I think the big thing, right now, is `Do I want to stay home, because I love my family? Or do I want to go off on my own? Get away from home for college?' He's really struggling with it.”

The clock is a-ticking, and Irish fans alike are waiting. Is it UCLA or Notre Dame? Whatever the case may be, Irish eyes are a smilin!

Editor's Note: Milton, if you are reading this, we welcome you to Notre Dame with open arms! The Notre Dame family will always be there for you no matter what! Go Irish! ~WeisGipper

The Final Countdown.....or is it?

There is some Irish glee, as we sign 23! Faxes flooded the GUG complex this morning as National Signing Day finally has arrived. From the first two letters hand delivered (Sean Cwynar and Trevor Robinson are already on campus), to the last one sent in by Steve Filer, Notre Dame is looking to secure the best recruiting class in the nation. But the Irish's ranking could definitely go over the top with another possible commitment later today.

California running back Milton Knox will be making his attentions be known in front of a national audience around 4 pm PST. Knox will choose from UCLA, Florida, and the Irish.

Here is the order of when the Letters of Intent were faxed in:

Sean Cwynar
Trevor Robinson
Mike Golic Jr.
Jamoris Slaughter
Robert Blanton
Michael Floyd
David Posluszny
Dan McCarthy
Kyle Rudolph
John Goodman
Deion Walker
Lane Clelland
Brandon Newman
Braxston Cave
Darius Fleming
Kapron Lewis-Moore
Jonas Gray
Hafis Williams
Ethan Johnson
Anthony McDonald
Joseph Fauria
Dayne Crist
Steve Filer

Irish fans alike were waiting patiently to get word when each signed, while some fretted that some might not commit to Notre Dame. Rumors of Deion Walker having second thoughts were squelched real early as he confirmed his allegiance with the Irish. Kapron Lewis-Moore was the surprise recruit Jason Sapp posted about this past weekend, while Milton Knox is the possible West Coast decommit pickup.

Adding Knox will be the icing on the cake for the Irish staff, as this group will now and forever be linked to bringing back Notre Dame's national dominance!

CHEER, CHEER, for OLD NOTRE DAME!

The Night Before NSD

THE NIGHT BEFORE NSD

'Twas the night before National Signing Day, when all through the Dome
Not a Poacher was stirring, not even Urban the Gnome;

The letters of intent were delivered by fax with care,
In hopes that a Top recruiting class will soon be there;

The Irish fans were restless all in their beds,
While visions of Michael Floyd touchdowns danced in their heads;

And Kyle Rudolph on top of his perch, and Braxston Cave with his cap,
Had just reawaken a slumbering giant from its long nap,

When out at the GUG there arose such a clatter,
Irish faithful sprang from their offices to see what was the chatter.

Away to the TV and computer us fans flew like a flash,
Tore open the remote and keyboard like a computer hack.

The glare on the Dome of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of a Top recruiting class below,

When, what to our wondering eyes should appear,
But a slew of LOI faxes, with 24 names that appear,

With a genius old coach, so lively and concise,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Weis.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Blanton! now, Cave! now, Clelland, Crist, Cwynar, Fauria, Filer, and Fleming!

On, Floyd! on Golic! on, Goodman, Gray, Johnson, Knox, Lewis-Moore, McCarthy, McDonald, Newman, Posluszny, and Robinson!

On Rudolph! on Slaughter, Walker, and Williams!

To the top of the Golden Dome! to the top of the Notre Dame Stadium walls!
Now Play Like a Champion Today! Play Like a Champion Today! Play Like a Champion all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the GUG the coursers they flew,
With copies of LOIs, and St. Weis too.

And then, in a twinkling, we heard each name,
The dominance and dedication will be known from this recruiting classes fame.

As we watched on tv, and knew he could turn this ship around,
Down the GUG steps St. Weis came with a bound.

He was dressed all in Blue and Gold, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all Adidas with a new jacket to boot;

A bundle of recruits he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a genius just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, screw you Urban, you ferry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
As his recruiting coup will be best in show;

The accolades of each recruit he held tight in his teeth,
And the trials and tribulations it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had playmakers and defensive stalwarts that will dominate,
Make opponents cringe, when they will dole out their fate.

He was brash and nasty, our kind of coach,

And we could see that, in spite of Mark may, that huge Oaf!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave us to know we had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the Irish fans’ wishes; then laughed at the haters, those jerks;

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up to the office he rose;

He sprang to his car, to his team gave a reason,
And away they prepare for one hell of a season! .

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy NSD to all, and to all a good-night."

Accolades Start To Flow For Irish Hoops

A 33 game home court winning streak, sole possession of 2nd place in one of the best conferences in the country, a current three game winning streak, as well as, one of the best inside-outside duos in the country, Notre Dame's men's basketball team is finally getting their props! Yesterday, the Irish were ranked 21st and 22nd, respectively, in both the ESPN/USAToday and AP polls. The team is not the only one getting attention though.

Big man Luke Harangody was awarded his second Big East Player of the Week honors. After registering his 11th double-double of the season, Harangody is now averaging double figures in both points and rebounds. In fact, he is currently 29th in the country in scoring (20.4 ppg), and 18th in rebounds (10.0 rpg). If Luke can keep this up, not only should he be the Big East Player of the Year, but he will most likely make some All-America lists.

After their hard fought victories last week, ND has also moved up the RPI ratings at 40. Even though the Irish are currently second place in the conference standings, six conference foes are ahead of them in the RPI rankings. Below is a breakdown of the conference standings, win-loss record, conf. win-loss record, and current RPI and SOS rankings:

1. Georgetown 18-2, 8-1, 6 RPI 51 SOS
2. Notre Dame 16-4, 6-2, 40 RPI 93 SOS
3. Connecticut 16-5, 6-3, 16 RPI 7 SOS
Marquette 15-4, 6-3, 17 RPI 47 SOS
Louisville 16-6, 6-3, 37 RPI 32 SOS
6. Syracuse 16-7, 6-4, 34 RPI 6 SOS
7. Pittsburgh 16-5, 5-4, 19 RPI 37 SOS
W. Virginia 15-6, 5-4, 41 RPI 46 SOS
Seton Hall 15-7, 5-4, 45 RPI 50 SOS
10. Cincinnati 10-12, 5-5, 84 RPI 3 SOS
11. DePaul 9-12, 4-5, 126 RPI 21 SOS
12. Providence 12-9, 3-6, 65 RPI 24 SOS
Villanova 13-7, 3-6, 74 RPI 83 SOS
14. St. John's 8-12, 2-7, 137 RPI 17 SOS
15. Rutgers 10-13, 2-8, 169 RPI 87 SOS
16. S. Florida 10-12, 1-8, 150 RPI 72 SOS

Key Irish opponents, Kansas State and Baylor, are 28th and 32nd, according to the RPI.

With 10 games remaining on the regular season slate and a little over six weeks before Selection Sunday, Notre Dame is in good shape. In all the 31 projected NCAA brackets, the Irish are a lock as a 6th seed. ND was as high as a number 4 seed (Schmolik 64 and CBS Sportsline), and as low as 13th (Joey Bracket Buster). Possible opponents could be UMass, Miami, or UNLV. Big East member, Syracuse, is the other current 11th seed.

ESPN's Bracketologist, Joe Lunardi did have some decent things to say during his weekly chat, but would like to see more from the Irish.

Travis (DC): Enough ACC questions!! Notre Dame is 16-4 overall and 6-2 in conference with the two losses on the road at G-Town and Marquette. If Luke Harangody continues his 20 and 10 pace for the rest of the season and the Irish keep on winning, how high of a seed do you think they can get?

Joe Lunardi: (2:43 PM ET ) What I'll be watching most closely is how well N.D. plays on the road. The Irish have one true road win, at fading Villanova and will need to show better against the other top teams in the conference (away from home) to be seeded accordingly.

Well the Irish will get their chance to shine on the road against two traditional powers, Connecticut (Feb. 13) and Louisville (Feb. 28). Their home slate isn't a pushover either with Saturday's contest against Marquette, and then back-to-back games with Pittsburgh (Feb. 21) and Syracuse (Feb. 24). A 2-2 split or 3-1 record versus those teams will propel the Irish even farther up the ratings chain.

Here is the breakdown of the current NCAA Tournament seedings for the eight Big East teams. Seton Hall is listed as one of the last teams left out in all of the brackets. Lunardi placed the Irish 6th in the Midwest against former Cinderella, George Mason, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

2. Georgetown
5. Marquette
5. Pittsburgh
5. Connecticut
6. Notre Dame
8. Louisville
9. West Virginia
11. Syracuse

With the Irish making their debut in both the AP and ESPN/USAToday polls, that makes five Big East teams ranked, which is the most in the nation. The Big 12 and Big 10 are next with four teams ranked. Kansas State checks out at 20th (AP) and 24th (ESPN/USAToday).

Georgetown 6 (AP), 6 (ESPN), 5-2 (v.1-50 RPI), 0-0 (vs. 51-100), 9-1 (last 10 games)
UConn 19 , 19 , 5-4 , 1-1 , 7-3
Marquette 16 , 16 , 3-5 , 2-0 , 6-4
Pittsburgh 21 , 25 , 3-2 , 2-2 , 6-4
Notre Dame 22 , 21 , 3-3 , 3-1 , 8-2
Syracuse NR , NR , 1-5 , 3-2 , 6-4
Louisville NR , NR , 4-5 , 1-1 , 8-2

As you can see, the Irish compare quite well against their Big East counterparts. It's now down to the final stretch during these last ten games. I predicted before the season started that the Irish would be in store for 22 wins. With remaining games against Rutgers, St. John's, and South Florida, I'm going to up their regular season total to 24. So when the conference tournament comes around, the Irish will have another first round bye with a 14-4 league mark and an overall record of 24-6. For the record, I see the Irish losing on the road to both Connecticut and Louisville, and also see ND going undefeated at the JACC (37 straight). Hey, I'm an alum and I'm bias, so don't shit in my cheerios!

Tomorrow will be another big road contest against Seton Hall. Even though the Pirates are 5-5 in their last ten games, 1-6 against Top 50 teams, and have most of their wins against the lower tier of the conference; this is a trap game for the Irish. But with a solid group that is playing some of its best basketball, Notre Dame will prevail and set their sights on Marquette.

Irish In the Groove After Winning Their Third Straight in Conference Play

Good teams find a way to win the close ones. Notre Dame dug down deep last week to gut out two conference wins to solidify second place in the Big East standings. Against Providence it was a gutsy last minute heroics by all-everything Luke Harangody and Tory Jackson in regulation to salvage their home court winning streak. On Saturday it was a total team effort from the Irish to brush off the pesky Blue Demons.

Even though there are skeptics out there that say the Irish are soft, can't put anyone away, and can't hold a lead; has really not been watching Notre Dame. Out of the eight games that Notre Dame has played that have been decided by 10 points or less, the Irish have been on the winning end six times (Kansas State, San Francisco, Connecticut, Villanova, Providence, and DePaul). Statistics don't lie, and defensively, the Irish are having a breakout season. Out of 328 Division I schools, Notre Dame is 45th in FG% Defense (40.3%), 8th in rebound margin (8.2), and 22nd in scoring margin.

Offensively, the Irish are even more lethal: 3rd in Assists (14.8 apg), 8th in Assist-to-Turnover ratio (1.41), 14th in 3 pt. FG% (40.4%), 25th in scoring (79.8 ppg), 38th in FT% (74%), and 8th in the nation in personal fouls per contest (14.8). Only three Irish players have fouled out in their 20 contests this season. That's not only good discipline, but a seasoned team that is cool under pressure. Notre Dame could have easily folded in the second half after seeing their 13 point lead against DePaul diminish to two points. Instead, the Irish nailed a 3 pt. bucket by Kyle McAlarney. After a Blue Demon basket, ND applied the pressure by trapping which resulted in this turn of events: Ryan Ayers jumper from the baseline, a tip-in bucket from Luke Harangody, a steal by Tory Jackson, which resulted in a poster picture dunk from Ayers.

Good teams adjust and find ways to get it done. After having a week off in between games, Mike Brey installed a 1-2-2 defense that he has shelved for two seasons. Not only has that worked real well, but it was key in their current three game winning streak. Both Villanova and Providence shot well below their averages, while the Irish forced DePaul to beat them from the outside. Even though the Blue Demons shot uncharacteristically from three, ND still nearly led the game for the full 40 minutes.

Basically, Brey's boys are getting it done with an electrifying offense, led by one of the best big men in the country, and a ever evolving defense that makes key stops at all the right times. Teams are taking notice, as the bullseye is on the Irish's back. Good thing for us, Notre Dame is gelling at the right time.

Recruiting Buzz Gets Down to Crunch Time

Boy what a difference a year can make recruiting-wise. Last year at this time, Charlie Weis and company set it on cruise control before National Signing Day only to be stiffed at the altar from a few recruits. This time around, Weis is pulling out all the guns to land what will be his best class so far, and quite possibly one of the best in the nation.

First it was getting a reversal of fortune by previous Texas A&M verbal commit Kapron Lewis-Moore to decommit from the Aggies and pledge his intentions to the Irish. Now it looks promising on another defensive gem, Keith Wells.

South Bend and Notre Dame’s campus made lasting impressions on Wells. He was on campus this past weekend and took in the sights and sounds of Notre Dame, including the 89-80 Irish basketball victory over DePaul. Wells will announce at 11:30 a.m. today if he will play college football at Notre Dame, Ohio State or Tennessee.

It does look good for the Irish after luring him to even visit the campus so late in the game. Adding new Assistant Head Coach for Defense, John Tenuta, didn’t hurt the Irish chances either.

“Notre Dame made a lot of leeway this weekend,” Wells said. “Right now, they’re all even.”

Last week, the Irish looked to be a longshot to sign Wells. Now, Weis and company appear to have a legitimate chance.

“The visit to Notre Dame was nice,” Wells said. “I had heard about the campus, but I wasn’t expecting it to be that beautiful. You could just feel the tradition.”

The Irish quite possibly could end up with 25 recruits if speedster Milton Knox signs with Notre Dame. Knox was also in town this past weekend and also came away pleased with his visit.

“I definitely can see myself in South Bend for the next four years. It would be awesome to run out of that tunnel with Dayne wearing the Blue and Gold.”

Even though this over a week old, but I have a problem with these recruiting services, particularly everyone’s favorite, ESPN. So-called “HS recruiting guru”, Tom Luginbill, receives the Jackass quote of the week by saying this on recruiting page:

“Notre Dame noticeably drops No. 3 to No. 7; it has compiled a very good class with multiple needs being addressed but doesn't have as many elite or impact guys as the classes ranked ahead of them.”

Okay, let me stop Tommy in his tracks. The Irish have 10 top 150 players according to your poll. Only one other school (Florida) has more, while Miami has the same amount as Notre Dame. Below is ESPN current class rankings with how many current verbals and how many ESPN 150 recruits they have:

1. Florida 23 verbal commits, 11 ESPN 150 recruits
2. Miami 26 verbal commits, 10 ESPN 150 recruits
3. Georgia 20 verbal commits, 7 ESPN 150 recruits
4. Clemson 20 verbal commits, 7 ESPN 150 recruits
5. Ohio State 18 verbal commits, 8 ESPN 150 recruits
6. Oklahoma 19 verbal commits, 8 ESPN 150 recruits
7. Notre Dame 23 verbal commits, 10 ESPN 150 recruits
8. USC 16 verbal commits, 8 ESPN 150 recruits
9. Alabama 26 verbal commits, 4 ESPN 150 recruits
10. Texas 20 verbal commits, 9 ESPN 150 recruits

What is Luginbill’s logic in this? Is he going by who has the most recruits, or is he going by who has the most Top 150 players? Either way you slice it, Notre Dame is a legitimate Top 3 recruiting class. If the Irish do in fact, land both Wells and Knox; watch out, the ranking could be higher according to other recruiting services.

Whatever the case may be, Notre Dame is going to have one heckeva a class!