2021-2022 Notre Dame Men's Basketball

tko

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I hope we can play some sound possession basketball if we get a lead. They blew like 5 out of 6 possessions down the stretch @ FSU. Hubb bombing 3's with nobody around, quick forced shots, turnovers, etc. I know it's a fine line with Brey and letting the boys play free, but somebody needs to take control in certain situations and work some clock and get quality attempts.
 

RDU Irish

Catholics vs. Cousins
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I know its better for ND if Syracuse beats Duke, but man I hate them and the Boeheim family.
Cuse beats Duke and loses to Miami - this is most tolerable outcome from that bracket full of schools/people I hate. I do like if Dook wins another game to lock up a #2 spot - always fun to watch them end their season in the first weekend, higher the seed the better. Team Boeheim going home ASAP is very sound consolation to another day of slobbering over Coach K.
 

sportallyr

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So, what are the the keys to beating Va Tech (outside of obviously scoring more points than them)? I feel like a win tonight and the Irish would jump up to somewhere in the 7 range (with a potential of getting to a 6 seed with an additional win in the ACC tournament). Lose today...and I think they're looking at a 10-11 seed. Regardless, I just hope they avoid the 8-9 seed (and a second round matchup vs a 1 seed team)!
 

Some Irish Bloke

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Cuse beats Duke and loses to Miami - this is most tolerable outcome from that bracket full of schools/people I hate. I do like if Dook wins another game to lock up a #2 spot - always fun to watch them end their season in the first weekend, higher the seed the better. Team Boeheim going home ASAP is very sound consolation to another day of slobbering over Coach K.
I agree. After Buddy sucker punched that dude and his dad actually had the audacity to defend it. They really are shitty people, man.
 

Some Irish Bloke

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So, what are the the keys to beating Va Tech (outside of obviously scoring more points than them)? I feel like a win tonight and the Irish would jump up to somewhere in the 7 range (with a potential of getting to a 6 seed with an additional win in the ACC tournament). Lose today...and I think they're looking at a 10-11 seed. Regardless, I just hope they avoid the 8-9 seed (and a second round matchup vs a 1 seed team)!
Spark notes on VT is that they are coming in HOT. They started the season 10-10 (2-7) and finished 9-2. We had them on the ropes in Blacksburg back in January but blew the big lead and lost by 7 in the only meeting this year.

They struggled to put away Clemson last night winning in OT, but they're the small -1.5 favorite tn for some reason. I like our chances, just have to stay hot behind the arc and not force so many shots like RDU said.
 

irishrb

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So, what are the the keys to beating Va Tech (outside of obviously scoring more points than them)? I feel like a win tonight and the Irish would jump up to somewhere in the 7 range (with a potential of getting to a 6 seed with an additional win in the ACC tournament). Lose today...and I think they're looking at a 10-11 seed. Regardless, I just hope they avoid the 8-9 seed (and a second round matchup vs a 1 seed team)!
I think you're overestimating here...Their metrics just aren't that good. Lose today, and they very likely are in the play in game. Win today, and they most likely move to a 10 seed. This is a really important game for both teams.
 
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irishfan

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My best guess would be:

Lose tonight: in the play-in game
Beat VT: 10/11 seed
Beat VT+UNC: 9/10 seed
Beat Duke and win ACC tourney: 7/8 seed
 

stpeteirish

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Since VT got Aluma and Mutts we have lost every time we've played them. They are just better than us inside. Its really that simple. Atkinson and Laz have to get standoff vs them. If they do we win. Our wings are better if Wesley and Goodwin are anywheres close to their normal games.

I'm hoping for a big game from Dane. His matchup (Cattore) is favorable by my reckoning. Hubb should be able to outplay Murphy as well. But Hubb is flighty and Dane is in a bad slump so this is not exactly a sure thing.
 

Some Irish Bloke

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Since VT got Aluma and Mutts we have lost every time we've played them. They are just better than us inside. Its really that simple. Atkinson and Laz have to get standoff vs them. If they do we win. Our wings are better if Wesley and Goodwin are anywheres close to their normal games.

I'm hoping for a big game from Dane. His matchup (Cattore) is favorable by my reckoning. Hubb should be able to outplay Murphy as well. But Hubb is flighty and Dane is in a bad slump so this is not exactly a sure thing.
It almost makes you wish Brey would do offense/defense with Zona, let him hack the shit out of them if he has to but at least it keeps Atkinson fresh and out of foul trouble.
 

anarin

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Coming out sluggish... Hopefully they knock some of this rust off.
 

BeauBenken

Shut up, Richard
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VT seems absolutely on fire since I turned it on. Hitting everything.
 

laughingirish90

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how do you play this bad on the big stage that is the ACC tournament. i'll be shocked if they come back if they don't start playing better defense and stop turning the ball over so much
 

clashmore_mike

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Got home to watch the list few minutes of the half. What the hell was that last possession?
 

clashmore_mike

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8 point game. If they can just figure out how to put up a fight on defense they'll be right back in it.
 

clashmore_mike

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Ugh, get a stop, foul on the rebound because they can't control the ball initially then get burnt back door by a 5'3" guy named Storm. So much for my putting up a fight on defense hopes.
 

knight2017

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Any chance this pushes us to a play in game? Or safe at a 10/11 seed in the main tourney?
 

notredomer23

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The amount of easy missed layups in the first half is infuriating. I counted at least 3. Lazy turnovers. Just horrific play.

I’m hoping for 11 but expecting a play in game
 

stpeteirish

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Not sure seeding as as important as match ups. Anyone who is well coached and has good big men will be tough to handle. Our big men just aren’t very good.

Dane Goodwin’s play really fell off the proverbial cliff in the last few weeks
 

notredomer23

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Not sure seeding as as important as match ups. Anyone who is well coached and has good big men will be tough to handle. Our big men just aren’t very good.

Dane Goodwin’s play really fell off the proverbial cliff in the last few weeks

Our bigs are fine offensively, but defensively Nate is too slow and too weak to perform. About 5 times in the second half he tried to help defend and his guy gets the easy bucket.

Gonna need to portal a center in unless Brey actually plays Zona 🙄
 

ab2cmiller

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I don't think Hubb has developed at all since his Freshman year. He's basically the same player.
 

irishff1014

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Sounds like it was good that I had a meeting at work. I think Brey’s teams drop more games than Kelly’s teams.
 

BabyIrish

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Offense was way too stagnant in the first half. Hubb seemed to be the only one who played with any fire or intensity for 3/4 of the first half.

Second half was much better offensively. Particularly when Hubb would bring up the ball in the right wing. Pass to Laz at the top of the key in which case he would swing to the left wing. Laz would come set a screen which resulted in some great pick and roll action. Everyone on the right also had great off ball movement while the ball was on the left. There ended up being so many open looks.

Problem was we couldn’t guard tonight. And it wasn’t just the bigs. It was the whole team. Not sure what happened because we’ve been relatively effective in 2022. We looked much better in a zone but we couldn’t string enough stops to get the job done.

I have no idea what to expect from this team in the NCAA. I’m wondering if the moment might be too big for them with so much emphasis put on making the dance.
 
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Rogue219

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Worst possible matchup. This is why I'd hoped Clemson would win. Then VT barely misses a shot for the first 15 minutes of the first half. Barf.

Rest up and get ready for the Big Dance. I hope they can get out of the first round. Then you see what happens.
 

Some Irish Bloke

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Any chance this pushes us to a play in game? Or safe at a 10/11 seed in the main tourney?

The amount of easy missed layups in the first half is infuriating. I counted at least 3. Lazy turnovers. Just horrific play.

I’m hoping for 11 but expecting a play in game

FWIW, I haven't seen or read anything that really implies they're "on the bubble." Down or not, this squad finished 2nd in the ACC in the regular season. I have a hard time believing they would go from firmly in to "last four in."

I'm hopeful we'll lock in an 11 seed, no play-in game.
 

Some Irish Bloke

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Last night's game was infuriating; we just don't match up well against VT. They have strong, athletic bigs and we don't have an answer.

Just felt hopeless as we hit 8 straight buckets to ignite our run but realizing that we weren't going to generate enough stops to claw back and tie it.
That's been this team's Achilles' heel; strong, athletic bigs (see FSU, Duke, VT); I love Atkinson and Nate, both good players in their own right, but they just don't match up well defensively against these teams. Only hope when we come across squads with plus big-man play is to outscore them.
 
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