[NCAAB] vBook: Louisville vs. Notre Dame

[NDOM]

Well, I said we would lose by 16 and we lost by 15. Pretty close. If Brey can figure out how to get his team to be more consistent and not go almost an unprecedented 13:00 minutes without a field goal then he would be a GREAT coach instead of an OK coach.

I like coach Brey and think he has done nothing but good things at Notre Dame but his teams are just too inconsistent and lack a killer instinct. There are ZERO players on Notre Dame that can take it hard to the basket. Cooley (as big as he is) should be getting the ball down low, and just destroying people in the paint, instead he turns and turns frantically and then finds someone else to pass it to. Grow some nuts and take that to the hole. GOD!

But like the football team, I expect nothing more than mediocrity at best. Until proven otherwise.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Well, I said we would lose by 16 and we lost by 15. Pretty close. If Brey can figure out how to get his team to be more consistent and not go almost an unprecedented 13:00 minutes without a field goal then he would be a GREAT coach instead of an OK coach.

He's either a great coach or an okay coach? Got it..

 

[tko]

He's either a great coach or an okay coach? Got it..

is that similar to Bill Russell saying, "he's either going inside or he's going to take an outside shot?"

 

[irishff1014]

Well, I said we would lose by 16 and we lost by 15. Pretty close. If Brey can figure out how to get his team to be more consistent and not go almost an unprecedented 13:00 minutes without a field goal then he would be a GREAT coach instead of an OK coach.

I like coach Brey and think he has done nothing but good things at Notre Dame but his teams are just too inconsistent and lack a killer instinct. There are ZERO players on Notre Dame that can take it hard to the basket. Cooley (as big as he is) should be getting the ball down low, and just destroying people in the paint, instead he turns and turns frantically and then finds someone else to pass it to. Grow some nuts and take that to the hole. GOD!

But like the football team, I expect nothing more than mediocrity at best. Until proven otherwise.

Cooley was lazy last night in the first half idk about the 2nd cause i quit watching. He wasn't getting back wasn't going hard to the basket missed 3 easy lay ups. Martin looks so good for 10 min then the next 5 you sit their and wonder wtf is happening. The only ones that you can count on really is Atkins and Grant. If i was Brey Connington wouldn't start either game in the tourny he has been terrible the last month.

 

[irishff1014]

And for the coaching it just like the Football team there is only so much the coach can do. Does Brey tell them to take stupid shots? NO Does Brey tell them to be lazy? NO HE can instruct them to do the best thing but thats doesn't mean the will follow.

 

[IrishLax]

This one played out exactly as expected. Fine when they weren't pressing, horrible when they started pressing. Since we started our winning streak that went to 9 games we've lost 3... every single one of those games it was because the other team came out and pressured our guards... and USF could've been a loss too. The blueprint is OBVIOUS for how to beat us. The problem is all mental and is that we are such a shallow team that when it gets into their heads it affects their shooting even after they break the press.

Atkins should not be the inbounder. It needs to be someone like Martin. And either Connaughton or Dragevich needs to be able to handle the ball. The bottom line is, if we get into the tournament and we get refs that let the teams "play" instead of calling it tight we're totally screwed. I don't expect us to go far unless we get some favorable matchups.

 

[CarrollVermin]

This team lacks play makers with play making ability. There is no one that can consistently take their defender off the dribble, can attack the hoop, and plays with a tenacity for the entire game. Simply, we continue to be a perimeter team and when those perimeter shots do not fall, you end up going 14 minutes without a basket.

This season was a "nice" season, and the team may have overachieved. However, hearing Brey say that this was the team he felt most confident to get to Saturday Night in the Tournament, makes me feel sick inside. If this is the best product that we can put on the court, we need to re-evaluate the definition of success at Notre Dame.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Why is everyone so bitter? This.team played great this season. I can't ask for more from Brey.

I follow ND basketball more than football, and I never ever expected Brey to pull out this kind of season. It was a superb season for a rebuilding year.

As for the playmaker that everyone is mentioning, no kidding we don't have one... yet. We just lost Hansbrough, Carlton Scott, and Abromitis. What'd you expect, honestly? You guys thought Brey would find someone to replace a 23 year old superstar in Hansbrough?.. you guys have false hopes if you do.

And if you guys don't think jerian is well on his way to being a "playmaker" you guys are blind.. he can take the ball to the hoop on any play. He's just a rookie, be patient.

Also, knowing some ND basketball fans, they only jump on the team when theyre winning like earlier in the season. Then they just get their hopes way too high. We were playing above our level earlier this year. And I knew ND would come crashing back to earth.

And just wait for Cameron and Zach next season. Breys recruiting game is clearly getting a little better and better each year.

I can easily say this team is on the right track, even if Scott and Tim aren't granted six years, this team will be very good next season.

The boys have grown up a lot in one season, just wait until their men.. I see a bright future.

...but I hope that isn't ruined by lofty expectations from fans.

 

[irishff1014]

I would say the played good not great.

 

[CarrollVermin]

Why is everyone so bitter? This.team played great this season. I can't ask for more from Brey.

I follow ND basketball more than football, and I never ever expected Brey to pull out this kind of season. It was a superb season for a rebuilding year.

As for the playmaker that everyone is mentioning, no kidding we don't have one... yet. We just lost Hansbrough, Carlton Scott, and Abromitis. What'd you expect, honestly? You guys thought Brey would find someone to replace a 23 year old superstar in Hansbrough?.. you guys have false hopes if you do.

And if you guys don't think jerian is well on his way to being a "playmaker" you guys are blind.. he can take the ball to the hoop on any play. He's just a rookie, be patient.

Also, knowing some ND basketball fans, they only jump on the team when theyre winning like earlier in the season. Then they just get their hopes way too high. We were playing above our level earlier this year. And I knew ND would come crashing back to earth.

And just wait for Cameron and Zach next season. Breys recruiting game is clearly getting a little better and better each year.

I can easily say this team is on the right track, even if Scott and Tim aren't granted six years, this team will be very good next season.

The boys have grown up a lot in one season, just wait until their men.. I see a bright future.

...but I hope that isn't ruined by lofty expectations from fans.

I am not knocking on Brey's coaching...and given the circumstances of this season, the team far exceeded expectations. Anyone that says now that they saw this type of season coming is probably stretching the truth just a little bit.

That being said, yes, there is young talent on the team, but young is not an excuse anymore. Kyrie Irving was young and was a major impact player at Duke. Austin Rivers could have arguably been ACC POY and is a freshman. I am not getting into a one-and-done discussion, because that is not what Brey (or Coach K) for that matter recruit towards, but those are rookies making a HUGE impact on their programs. That is what I mean by young, athletic, take you off the dribble, ice in their veins. When was the last time we had one of those players...honestly?

 

[MNIrish14]

I am not knocking on Brey's coaching...and given the circumstances of this season, the team far exceeded expectations. Anyone that says now that they saw this type of season coming is probably stretching the truth just a little bit.

That being said, yes, there is young talent on the team, but young is not an excuse anymore. Kyrie Irving was young and was a major impact player at Duke. Austin Rivers could have arguably been ACC POY and is a freshman. I am not getting into a one-and-done discussion, because that is not what Brey (or Coach K) for that matter recruit towards, but those are rookies making a HUGE impact on their programs. That is what I mean by young, athletic, take you off the dribble, ice in their veins. When was the last time we had one of those players...honestly?

Umm I don't how long you've been following nd basketball but we had the BE player of the year last year. And if you think we can recruit with the likes of Duke, UNC, and Kentucky you're kidding yourself.

I am ecstatic with the outcome of this season. These boys went above and beyond so many expectations. Hopefully we can win a couple games in the dance and come out even better next year!

 

[returnofthemack]

Why is everyone so bitter? This.team played great this season. I can't ask for more from Brey.

I follow ND basketball more than football, and I never ever expected Brey to pull out this kind of season. It was a superb season for a rebuilding year.

As for the playmaker that everyone is mentioning, no kidding we don't have one... yet. We just lost Hansbrough, Carlton Scott, and Abromitis. What'd you expect, honestly? You guys thought Brey would find someone to replace a 23 year old superstar in Hansbrough?.. you guys have false hopes if you do.

And if you guys don't think jerian is well on his way to being a "playmaker" you guys are blind.. he can take the ball to the hoop on any play. He's just a rookie, be patient.

Also, knowing some ND basketball fans, they only jump on the team when theyre winning like earlier in the season. Then they just get their hopes way too high. We were playing above our level earlier this year. And I knew ND would come crashing back to earth.

And just wait for Cameron and Zach next season. Breys recruiting game is clearly getting a little better and better each year.

I can easily say this team is on the right track, even if Scott and Tim aren't granted six years, this team will be very good next season.

The boys have grown up a lot in one season, just wait until their men.. I see a bright future.

...but I hope that isn't ruined by lofty expectations from fans.

I will never expect a Brey-coached ND team to win a national championship or get to a Final Four. You mentioned how good our team was last year. And yet they barely won their first Tourney game and got smoked in the second. Every year, they overachieve during the regular season then there is a HUGE dropoff in the postseason. That's what pisses me off. Any time we play a long, athletic team, if our 3s aren't dropping, we're screwed. I like Brey a lot, he's a great guy and loves ND. But he's not a great coach. I know you'll probably counter with "Then why has he won BE COY so many times", but ask yourself, when was the last time ND did anything notable in the postseason.

 

[returnofthemack]

Also, if Scott Martin is granted a 6th year, I will guarantee a first-round exit in the Tournament next year. He's the first player I've seen since Hillesland who is so good at ruining offensive possessions by dribbling off of his foot, missing shots under the basket, or committing stupid turnovers.
Another thing I forgot to add in my other post is that Brey does a horrible job with player rotation. I think Atkins and Grant have had a total of ten minutes of rest in the past five games. I don't think Hansbrough sat out at all last year before the Tournament. This could be a major reason for our pathetic Tournament displays. Well, that and having no effective offensive gameplan if our 3-pointers aren't falling.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Also, if Scott Martin is granted a 6th year, I will guarantee a first-round exit in the Tournament next year. He's the first player I've seen since Hillesland who is so good at ruining offensive possessions by dribbling off of his foot, missing shots under the basket, or committing stupid turnovers.
Another thing I forgot to add in my other post is that Brey does a horrible job with player rotation. I think Atkins and Grant have had a total of ten minutes of rest in the past five games. I don't think Hansbrough sat out at all last year before the Tournament. This could be a major reason for our pathetic Tournament displays. Well, that and having no effective offensive gameplan if our 3-pointers aren't falling.

Who is he going to put in to give Atkins and Grant a break? You really want Joey Brooks out there dribbling it around?

 

[returnofthemack]

Good point. But it seems like he never has depth. Obviously this year, there's nobody who can give Atkins and Grant a break, but our good players never got a break in previous years either. I think the seven-man rotation is a large factor in our postseason inefficacy.

 

[IrishLax]

The player rotation/depth was screwed the moment that Carlton Scott decided to leave and Abro went down with injury. The lack of those two guys forces us to have an incredible amount of guards on the court at seemingly all times. Basically, if you had Abro and Scott you could spell Grant with Connaughton and spell Atkins with Grant... resulting in each guy probably playing ~30 minutes..

Cooley also gets basically no rest because there is only Tom Knight. It's not like Brey is choosing to not sub in players... he just doesn't have many guys off the bench capable of giving good minutes.

 

[returnofthemack]

I'm not talking specifically about this year. Even when Brey has had depth, he doesn't use it.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I am not knocking on Brey's coaching...and given the circumstances of this season, the team far exceeded expectations. Anyone that says now that they saw this type of season coming is probably stretching the truth just a little bit.

That being said, yes, there is young talent on the team, but young is not an excuse anymore. Kyrie Irving was young and was a major impact player at Duke. Austin Rivers could have arguably been ACC POY and is a freshman. I am not getting into a one-and-done discussion, because that is not what Brey (or Coach K) for that matter recruit towards, but those are rookies making a HUGE impact on their programs. That is what I mean by young, athletic, take you off the dribble, ice in their veins. When was the last time we had one of those players...honestly?

I was going to point out where you were off basis, but I don't have time.

 

[BGIF]

BGIF, why so negative? We are still in the Big Dance and we'll win it all from an 8 seed!

Negative? I simply responded to Sean's question,

You mean like Syracuse?

 

[Buster Bluth]

The player rotation/depth was screwed the moment that Carlton Scott decided to leave and Abro went down with injury. The lack of those two guys forces us to have an incredible amount of guards on the court at seemingly all times. Basically, if you had Abro and Scott you could spell Grant with Connaughton and spell Atkins with Grant... resulting in each guy probably playing ~30 minutes..

Cooley also gets basically no rest because there is only Tom Knight. It's not like Brey is choosing to not sub in players... he just doesn't have many guys off the bench capable of giving good minutes.

Very very very good point. Scott deciding not to return, for whatever reason, created a serious lack of depth in the paint.

 

[CarrollVermin]

Umm I don't how long you've been following nd basketball but we had the BE player of the year last year. And if you think we can recruit with the likes of Duke, UNC, and Kentucky you're kidding yourself.

I am ecstatic with the outcome of this season. These boys went above and beyond so many expectations. Hopefully we can win a couple games in the dance and come out even better next year!

Yeah, I am familiar with the Big East POY from last year, but what happened to him when he faced an athletic FSU team in the 2nd round of the NCAA? This is the problem that I refer to with the program. It is not a Brey issue, its an institutional issue. So long as he runs a clean program, graduates his players, and is competitive, he will have job security.

However, in a day and age where Butler, VCU, and George Mason make a Final Four, it may be time to up the expectations and support (administrative) for the program.