IRISH BATTLE KENTUCKY IN NIT QUARTERS

March 25, 2009


Well, it is only the NIT tonight, but it is a match-up many thought in the preseason could happen in the 2009 NCAA Tournament this year as Luke Harangody and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame will take on embattled Billy Gillispie and Kentucky.

Not known for their ability on the defensive end, the game's outcome might hinge on How Does Notre Dame Slow Jodie Meeks (South Bend Tribune) in tonight's NIT Quarterfinal?

A spot is on the line in next week's NIT Final Four in NYC as the Healing Notre Dame Men Brace for Kentucky (South Bend Tribune) in a game where The Future for Harangody and Gillispie is Unclear (Post-Tribune).

Kentucky fans want to know if it will be Billy Gillispie's last game as coach of the Wildcats as the coach is under fire after a 40-26 record in his two seasons as head coach in Lexington. Notre Dame fans want to know if it will be Luke Harangody's last game with the Irish before entering the NBA draft.

Either way, the Wildcats Will Have their Hands Full with Harangody (Louisville Courier-Journal) as basketball fans can have a small appetizer before the real tournament gets back under way on Thursday.

According to the latest college basketball odds, Notre Dame is a 2 1/2-point favorite.

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BET GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME VS WEST VIRGINIA

March 11, 2009



Notre Dame got past Rutgers on the opening night of the 2009 Big East Tournament, 61-50, and sets up Wednesday night's meeting with West Virginia.

Despite a 3-17 shooting performance from Luke Harangody, the Irish were able to keep the Scarlet Knights at bay and put an end to the RU season. Tory Jackson had a team-high 12 points for ND with Staten Ilsand native Myle McAlarney adding 11.

Notre Dame improved to 18-13 overall on the season. The finished 8-10 in the Big East, good for the 10th-seed in the conference tournament. However, a season of disappointment for the Irish can only be salvaged with an unprecendented run of five wins in five nights through the Big East Tournament to earn the automatice bid for the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

On the other side of the ledger this evening is Bob Huggins' West Virginia Mountaineers. With a 10-8 Big East record and overall mark of 21-10, WVU has a ticket punched to the 'Dance' and will use this week in NYC to hopefully improve their seeding.

WVU defeated the Irish, 79-68, in Morgantown in their lone meeting this season. Alex Ruoff broke out of a shooting slump in that contest, scoring 24 points and junior Da'Sean Butler scored 19. Both players will look to shake off their poor night's in the season finale, a loss to Louisville, and lead WVU tonight.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game:

New Season Starts Today (Times West Virginian)
WVU Chances Hinge Largely on Rebounding, Shooting (Times West Virginian)
Mountaineers Need Shots from Ruoff, Butler (Daily Mail)
To Bye or Not to Bye (Charleston Gazette)
Jackson Points Way for ND (South Bend Tribune)
Irish Home Free in Opener (Journal Gazette)


There is something about Notre Dame that you still beleive they can put something together here in New York. Last night, an off night from Luke Harangody allowed Rutgers to put the clamps on Kyle McAlarney on the perimeter, limiting his open looks and pulling the usually high-scoring Irish into a rock fight. Although it is not their preferred style, they lucked out that their opponent lacks firepower and ND pulled out a 61-50 win.

Tonight they will face another team that will be tougher on the boards and getting after it on defense, traits of a Bob Huggins team. And, if that was not enough, a win over WVU brings up Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals. So, one can see what the Irish are up against if they are to pull off the improbable run through the conference tournament. They will have to get down and dirty on both ends of the floor.

In their first game against the Mountaineers, the Irish grabbed an early double-digit lead, only to see WVU storm back and take a lead at the half and pretty much cruise through the second half. WVU will look to hit the boards hard once again and take care of the basketball. The Irish defense is not one that forces too many turnovers, so the effort on the boards by WVU should lead to extra chances to score, which will make the difference in tonight's game.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 72
Notre Dame 66

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BET GAME PREVIEW: RUTGERS VS NOTRE DAME

March 10, 2009


The conference tournaments can offer teams a second chance on a season. A virtual do-over on a season gone wrong. There is probably no team in the country in more need of a 'do-over' than Notre Dame.

Starting off the season as a universal pick to be among the top four teams in the Big East and a near consensus as a Top Ten preseason team in the country, the Irish season started off well enough, reaching the finals of the Maui Invitational with a win over highly regarded Texas before falling to No. 1 North Carolina. They fell a week and a half later to Ohio State on a neutral floor, but Luke Harangody was still recovering from a bout with pneumonia.

The Irish then started off Big East play at 3-1, but a surprising loss at St. John's opened some eyes. However, nobody could forsee how quickly the Big East could demoralize a team, especially a veteran-laden squad as highly regarded as the Irish.

The Irish lost at Louisville, in overtime, to fall to 3-2. It was the first game of a difficult period of their schedule. As the games kept coming, so did the losses, seven in a row in all, knocking the Irish to 3-7 in the Big East and 12-10 overall.

The losses stopped suddenly, with a 90-57 pasting of Louisville at the Joyce Center, but the damage was done. The Irish finished 8-10 in the league and 17-13 overall, squarely on the wrong side of the NCAA bubble.

Now, they have new life. The Irish showed they can be capable in their thrashing of conference champ Louisville to break their streak, but frustrating defensive lapses and lack of consistent scoring from anyone outside of Harangody and Kyle McAlarney has derailed their season. Senior Ryan Ayers has shown a better scoring touch of late, and they will need more of that in the Big East Tournament.

So, tonight, in Madison Square Garden, begins a clean slate for Notre Dame as they tip off the 2009 Big East Tournament against Rutgers.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found online today:

Rutgers vs. Notre Dame (Chicago Tribune)
Hill Likes Rutgers' Chances (Asbury Park Press)
Kyle McAlarney is Notre Dame's Best Hope for Tournament Run (Chicago Tribune)
History Not on Notre Dame's Side (South Bend Tribune)

Two weeks ago, Notre Dame rallied form a 35-27 halftime deficit on their home floor to defeat Rutgers, 70-65. The Scarlet Knights are using that game as a confidence booster as they prepare to face the Irish on the Madison Square Garden floor.

In his third year as head coach of the Scarlet Knights, this is Fred Hill's first trip to the Big East Tournament. After seasons of 3-13 and 3-15, Rutgers actually went backwards in his third year, finishing 2-16 in the Big East and 11-20 overall on the season.

With McDonald's All-American freshman Mike Rosario and highly touted Greg Echenique as freshmen starters from day one, this was supposed to be the start of Rutgers move under Fred Hill up the standings, not another season of the 'same ol Rutgers.'

The March Madness betting odds have the Irish as an 11 1/2-point favorite in this game. With Notre Dame still believing they are a good team, look for a solid effort out of the Irish while the Scarlet Knights' offensive woes continue under the lights of Broadway.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 74
Rutgers 58

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: ST. JOHN'S @ NOTRE DAME

March 6, 2009

St. John's at Notre Dame (-11 1/2) 7 PM.

(college basketball odds are provided by BetUS.com)

Here are some preview articles and links on the game:

Men's Basketball: Notre Dame (16-13, 7-10) vs. St. John's (15-15, 6-11) (Post-Tribune)
St. John's at Notre Dame (Chicago Tribune)
Notre Dame Hosts St. John's in Fightin Irish Home Finale (Chicago Tribune)
Irish Seniors Left With Regret, Happy Memories (Journal Gazette)
It is More than 'Just Another Game' (South Bend Tribune)

Notre Dame will be sending off seniors Ryan Ayers, Luke Zeller, Zach Hillesland and Kyle McAlarney tonight as the Fighting Irish look to avenge an earlier loss when they close up the regular season by hosting St. John's.

Despite the disappointment of Final Four expectations gone wrong, tonight is also a celebration of a group of players that helped the Irish to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances following their sophomore and junior seasons. With juniors Tory Jackson and the 2007-2008 Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody returning from last year's NCAA team, expectations were sky-high, however, a seven-game losing streak and struggles all year getting defensive stops have pushed the Irish into the mix for the NIT, not the NCAA Tournament. The Irish would have to win an unprecendented five straight Big East Tournament games next week to win the Big East Tournament and get the conference automatic bid to the Big Dance.

St. John's has hung around this season. Sure, another losing Big East campaign under Norm Roberts has long been clinched, but the 'storm were dealt a bad hand right off the bat when their top player Anthony Mason Jr. was lost for the year before they finished their third game of the season. The blow was severe to the young team, but they have shown some grit and toughness along the way and enter tonight's regular season finale at 6-11 in conference play.

But, tonight will be about Notre Dame. The energy and emotion of senior night and the frustrations of a season gone wrong should translate to a rousing effort and a comfortable win for a grand send-off of the seniors.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 83
St. John's 67

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA @ NOTRE DAME

March 2, 2009



Barring a deep run in the 2009 Big East Tournament next weekend, this might be the last hurrah for Notre Dame and their NCAA Tournament chances. The Irish are 7-9 in the Big East, but they have won four of their last six games and finish with two at home this week, beginning with tonight's Big Monday match-up against Villanova. This past Saturday, the Irish lost a golden shot at improving their resume significantly when they fell just short in a 72-65 loss at UConn in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.

The Wildcats are safely in the NCAA Tournament as Jay Wright's squad is 11-5 in the Big East and 23-6 overall. However, they look to get back on track after a Saturday afternoon home loss to Georgetown, which followed a two-point come-from-behind win on the road over lowly DePaul.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the web:

Notre Dame (16-12, 7-9) vs. Villanova (Gary Post-Tribune)
Villanova at Notre Dame (Chicago Tribune)
Notre Dame Faces Another Must-Win vs. Villanova (Chicago Tribune)
Anxious Irish to Tangle with 'cats (Journal Gazette)
ND in Must-Win Mode (South Bend Tribune)


This is it for the Irish. Backs are against the wall, we will see how they respond.

Following a seven-game losing streak where everyone left ND for dead, they responded to win four of five, including a rousing 90-57 win over Louisville to put an end to the losing streak. They nearly made it five of six, but went down at the wire against UConn in Storrs over the weekend.

A win at West Virginia or a win at Connecticut would have done wonders for the Irish resume, which currently is not good enough for the NCAA Tournament. A win on their home floor tonight against Villanova is another step in the right direction and they close the regular season at home on Friday against St. John's, so they still have a chance to reach .500 in Big East play at 9-9 with two more wins.

The Irish have reigning Big East Player of the Year in Luke Harangody inside to lead the way and he should be able to put up big numbers against the Wildcats. Villanova will hope to put pressure on Harangody with the improved offensive threat that is ante Cunningham, forcing harangody to play both ends of the court and hope the long season and lots of minutes can wear the 6-foot-8 big man down.

In their cozy confines of the Joyce Center, the Irish shooters led by seniors Kyle McAlarney and Ryan Ayers, tend to find the range much better than on the road. The tough perimeter defense of the Wildcats will look to lock down the perimeter, but if you give McAlarney a sliver of room he can make you pay. Opening up the game with some three's will open room inside for Harangody and Irish point guard Tory Jackson will be under a lot of pressure to manage the offense effecitvely and eficiently.

Villanova had been putting up points at a high rate, using a balanced attack led by Cunningham and junior Scottie Reynolds. Sophomore Corey Fisher has also been a more consistent source of offense and, along with Reggie Redding, a stout defender on the perimeter. What has made 'Nova so tough in their recent run of good play has been the offensive contributions from Shane Clark and Dwayne Anderson, a pair of seniors, as well as Corey Stokes, which seem to come at the right time when needed.

As always, a Jay Wright team will come out and play hard. They will be looking to shake off the cold shooting of Saturday, and the Irish defense is one that is more than likely to allow an opponent to get well offensively.

However, this is simply a must-win for the Irish and playing at home, you can expect them to be playing confident and with a sense of comfort at the Joyce Center. Look for some early three's and then Luke Harangody to take over in the paint. Once that happens, it will be tough for Villanova to overcome the energy that will take over the building.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 83
Villanova 75

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME @ CONNECTICUT

February 28, 2009


Following a seven-game losing streak, Notre Dame has made things interesting by coming back to win four of their last five games, moving to 7-8 in the conference. However, climbing to that magical benchmark of .500 in the Big East is a tall order on Saturday as the Irish have to travel to Storrs to take on UConn on Senior Day.

The Huskies will be honoring their senior basketball program members, including AJ Price, Jeff Adrien and Craig Austrie. The energy and emotion of the day will have Gampel Pavilion abuzz from the get-go, making it a tough atmosphere for any visitor.

Earlier this season UConn defeated the Irish 69-61 at the Joyce Center in the game that ended the record-setting Irish home win streak. While there might be an element of revenge at work for Notre Dame, the Irish do not match-up well against the Huskies.

Neither team has much depth and the presence of 7’3 Hasheem Thabeet and the powerful Adrien will make things very tough for Luke Harangody, the reigning Big East Player of the Year, who is a walking double-double for the Irish. While Harangody is likely to still register his normal 25 points and 14 rebounds, expect it to be an extremely hard-earned stat-line. Even during the seven-game losing streak, Harangody continued to put up big numbers, but the efficiency of his output dropped significantly. Much of that was due to the lack of support from the players around him.

While Ryan Ayers and Kyle McAlarney have picked up their games in the recent weeks as the Irish have returned to winning ways, they will have to do so on Saturday against once of the stingiest defensive teams in the nation. With the perimeter in lock-down mode and Thabeet inside, the high-powered Irish offense will likely be tested like no other time this year.

With the loss of Jerome Dyson, UConn is definitely a more vulnerable team as they will miss Dyson’s ability to break down defenses and his own defensive abilities. However, one very uplifting development from their recent win at Marquette was the 19-point, 10-rebound performance of Stanley Robinson. Finding offense from Robinson, which has been sorely missed this season, could go a long way to helping the Huskies recover some of the punch lost with Dyson’s injury.

Saturday is likely to be a very emotional day for UConn point guard AJ Price who has been through a tremendous amounts of highs and lows in his five years as a member of the UConn program. Wednesday night was among one of the highest highs as Price poured in a career-high 36 points in a win over Marquette and helping Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun to his 800th career win. Now on Senior Day, the coach and his seniors can be honored together for their accomplishments and are likely to go out in style.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Connecticut 84
Notre Dame 69

UConn-Notre Dame Preview Capsule (Norwich Bulletin)
Seniors Still Working on UConn Legacy (Hartford Courant)
Poor Record Could Hurt Luke Harangody's Player of the Year Hopes (Chicago Tribune)

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: RUTGERS @ NOTRE DAME

February 25, 2009


Mike Brey has stated his goal is for the Irish to make things interesting come Selection Sunday. Things were not looking like it would be very interesting when the Irish were mired in a seven-game losing streak, however ND has rebounded to win three of four including a thrashing of Louisville and a road win against Providence to make things interesting yet again. At 6-8 inthe Big East, they certainly have work left to do, and it starts tonight with a game they can not afford to slip up on against Rutgers.

As for Rutgers, playign out the string of another season is not sitting well for fans. The Scarlet Knights are 1-13 and in Fred Hill's third season, fans are quickly growing tired once again of the lackof success on the court. Some recruiting excitement lifted expectations heading into the season, but the continued losing ways will quickly wipe away any of that momentum.

Rutgers is led by freshman shooting guard Mike Rosario and classmate Greg Echenique has manned the paint adequately this season. While those two are certainly the building blocks for the future, they need help. The season long struggles on the court of Corey Chandler have been very evident by his drop in production and effectiveness after a promising, yet injury-plagued freshman season. Mike Coburn, another sophomore, is coming off a solid outing in their 74-56 loss versus WVU on Sunday, but he has not built on a solid frosh campaign either. Seniors Jaron Griffin and JR Inman continue to underachieve as their time on the floor seems to vary from half to half. Senior point guard Anthony Farmer has been solid throughout, but the lack of player pushing him for time does not give one much hope for a brighter future anytime soon for RU.

Luke Harangody continues to be a double-double machine and that is not likely to slow down against Rutgers. While the shot-blocking ability of Hamady N'Diaye and length of Inman might cause Harangody some difficulty at times, it is nothing greater than what he usually sees and is unlikely to deter him from racking up the points and rebounds. Teams are able to expose 'Gody defensively and wear him down to make him less efficient on offense, but RU seems adverse to going inside on offense, so do not expect them to challege the reigning Big East Player of the Year on that end of the floor.

With Rutgers likely in a 'playing out the string' mode at this point in time, do not be surprised to see Kyle McAlarney and Ryan Ayers finding open spaces to 'tee-it-up' from beyond the arc. When they get time, they are deadly. The Irish offensive abilities will carry them a long way against RU in this game.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 84
Rutgers 65


Irish Still Have Shot to Salvage NCAA Hopes (Post-Tribune)
Patience Pays Off for Notre Dame Bench Players (Chicago Tribune)
Notre Dame Not Taking Rutgers Lightly (Star-Ledger)
Fighting Irish Not Giving Up on NCAA's (Asbury Park Press)
Ejection Reaction Positive for Nash (South Bend Tribune)

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME @ PROVIDENCE

February 21, 2009

It is crunch time for Big East teams as we have just three weekends left of regular season action. Saturday is a day full of NCAA Tournament bubble implications and the Big East starts it off with Notre Dame and Providence meeting in Rhode Island.

The Irish are 5-8 in the Big East and 14-11 overall. They are coming off a disappointing road loss to West Virginia where they wasted a quick start that saw them get out to an early 10-point lead and eventually lose 79-68. Once again, their defense let them down as it was too easy for the Mountaineers to erase the deficit and pull away in the second half.

Almost any way you look at it, Notre Dame MUST have this game. A lose would make them 5-9 and they still have to play at UConn and host Villanova, meaning they would have to sweep their final four games to reach .500 in Big East play, the number Rick Pitino thinks a team MUST have to be considered for the NCAA Tournament.

“If you don’t have a winning record in your conference, you’re not getting an NCAA berth,” said the Louisville coach in this week’s Big East coaches conference call.

Providence is 8-6 in the Big East, but just 16-10 overall as they failed to win any of their meaningful out of conference games, aside from in-state rival Rhode Island. They have a road game with Rutgers left, but Pittsburgh and Villanova also are on the schedule. Winning a marquee game is probably a must, but dropping this one is likely fatal to their NCAA chances.

Providence failed to earn such a marquee win in their last outing, a 94-76 loss at Louisville. The Friars led the game 46-45 at the half, but the Cards went on an early run in the second half to gain full control of the contest.

Both teams prefer a similar style of game, wide open with plenty of shooting opportunities. A free flowing game is not very common in the Big East, but it should be here. However, whoever will dedicate themselves on the defensive end of the floor could come up with the advantage. Mike Brey believes his team is ready to finish strong.

“Every league game now, there’s a lot riding on it [especially] when you’re in the position we’re in,” Brey said this week. “There’s no question about it. It’s not lost on us.”

While there is no magic mark for a conference record in order to make the NCAA Tournament, the Irish coach knows that, at a minimum, a .500 record will put you in the conversation on selection Sunday.

“I don’t think anybody would argue that a .500 record in the Big East this year is a very respectable record,” said Brey. “I think 9-9 is pretty good in our league this year.”

With Luke Harangody and Kyle McAlarney on the side of the Irish, they are likely to have the two best players in the game. However, finding complimentary players to step up and play with toughness, both mentally and physically, is the key to the Irish. Too often this season, that has not been the case and Harangody and McAlarney are seemingly on their own to decide the Irish fate. In the Big East, that is not going to win many games.

The Friars have a deeper team of contributors and are a very experienced group. Seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Geoff McDermott, Jonathan Kale and Jeff Xavier all start, along with redshirt junior Sharaud Curry, and senior Randall Hanke is first off the bench. That experience has helped PC to a record of 8-6 in the conference to this point.

The Friars can usually count on contributions from all their veterans. Sophomore Marshon Brooks has been a big contributor off the bench. That consistent production from multiple positions and players is something the Irish do not receive. While Harangody will get his points and rebounds, that has not been enough to carry the Irish. Ryan Ayers seems to disappear too often and Tory Jackson is not enough of a scorer to add to an attack that seems to have to score more to be effective.

At this point in time, it just seems that Providence is the better team. While the Irish showed in their win over Louisville, they can still look pretty good, this is coming on the road and they have only managed to beat DePaul away from home in conference play. They have lost at St. John’s and Cincinnati among others.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 81
Notre Dame 76

Notre Dame Knows Stakes vs. Providence (Chicago Tribune)
Expect a Shootout at the Dunk: Neither PC nor Notre Dame Can Defend (Providence Journal)

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME @ WEST VIRGINIA

February 18, 2009


As we head down the stretch of the big East conference season, key games carry more and more weight. Tonight in Morgantown is such a game as Notre Dame travels to take on West Virginia. The Irish have won two in a row following their seven-game losing streak, but now they leave the comfy confines of the Joyce Center to hit the road.

West Virginia, coming off Friday's 93-72 romp over Villanova in the Coliseum, is looking to start a favorable stretch of scheduling off on the right foot. The win over 'Nova should restore some confidence for a young team as they clumbed back to .500, at 6-6, in Big East play. Following the game with the Irish, WVU hits the road for three games against Rutgers, Cincinnati and South Florida before finishing up at home with DePaul and Louisville.

Much like WVU, Notre Dame ended their recent slide in memorable fashion with a 90-57 dismantling of Louisville last Thursday. The Irish followed that up with a 67-57 win over USF on Sunday. At 5-7 in the Big East and 14-10 overall, the Irish need wins and need them in a hurry.


Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Kevin Jones Unsung Part of Heralded Frosh Class (Times West Virginian)
Can ND Locate its Road Swagger (South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame vs. West Virginia (Chicago Tribune)
3 Pointers Could Decide It (Charleston Gazette)
WVU Hosting Skidding Irish (Journal News)
Huggins Confident RPI Will Get WVU NCAA Berth (Charleston Gazette)
Fighting Irish Will Test Mountaineers Perimeter Defense (Daily Mail)


Everyone still seems perplexed about Notre Dame's seven-game losing streak. Looking at that stretch, it really does seem rather simple...six of the teams were rated in the top 10 at one time or another in that stretch. The other team, Cincinnati, is a pretty good team and that game, along with four of the other six, was on the road. I do not think the stretch of losses proved the Irish are not good, maybe not quite top 25 good, but it was a stretch than many teams would have found themselves 0-7 in.

However, it is about winning and that is what the Irish need to do now. The perimeter shooting from multiple players that was missing in the seven game losing streak has returned the last few games, now it needs to show itself on the road. Luke Harangody seems good for 25 points and 15 rebounds each time out, but the level of efficiency of those numbers rises significantly when he is getting help from the perimeter.

West Virginia is not always the prettiest team, but like a Bob Huggins-coached team, they will battle and scrap and there is not a shortage of long, lean and athletic players that will wreak havoc on offenses. The Mountaineer attack is driven by senior guard Alex Ruoff and junior win Da'Sean Butler. Their veteran leadership is needed as they have a young supporting crew, which includes freshmen point guard Darryl Bryant and forward Devin Ebanks. In the win over Villanova, Butler rebounded from a four-point night in a loss at Pitt to explode for 43 points in the win. Ebanks matched his career high of 16 points, originally established in the Pitt loss on Monday, and added 10 rebounds. The pair are very tough match-ups for the WVU defense and could be in line for big nights. If Ruoff can connect on a few three's, the Mountaineer momentum can start to roll again.

The Mountaineers are a healthy 9 1/2-point favorite at home. At first blush, that numbers seems high, but looking at the Kenpom.com effeciency ratings, it shows WVU as a 12-point winner. I still contend that much of the WVU strength in the power numbers was built on the backs of the poor in their non-conference schedule, but they still should be a match-up tonight that is difficult for the Irish to handle as WVU will keep coming at them in waves of athleticism.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 74
Notre Dame 66

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NOTRE DAME LOOKS TO BUILD MOMENTUM

February 15, 2009



The frustrations of seven consecutive losses were unleashed in a perfect storm Thursday night as Notre Dame blasted Louisville, 90-57, at the Joyce Center in South Bend. With the perimeter shots falling and Luke Harangody finding room inside for an efficient 32-point effort, the Irish blew the Cards right out of the building from the get-go.

With confidence restored, the Irish will look to start a revival of a season gone awry on Sunday afternoon when South Florida visits South Bend. The Bulls are 3-8 in conference play, just one-game behind the Irish, who are 4-7. USF is coming off a 15-point home loss to Providence last week. They have won once on the road in conference play, at DePaul, and a fourth conference win would be their most since joining the Big East.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on today’s game:

Notre Dame Preview Capsule (Post-Tribune)
Tyrone Nash Searching for Consistency for Notre Dame (Chicago Tribune)


Even the big win over Louisville probably has not emptied the tank of frustrations that have built up for the Irish, who were ranked among the top 10 in the nation before a seven-game losing streak set in. The key for the Irish is to get offensive production from others to open the paint for Luke Harangody, who should find plenty of opportunities against a small and thin USF front line.

If Kyle McAlarney is hitting from the outside, it energizes the home crowd and extends the defense. Add in a few a threes from Ryan Ayers and a solid floor game from Tory Jackson and that is the Irish squad we expected in the preseason. That team showed, for the first time in quite some time, in the win over Louisville. As a 13-point home favorite, will it come again on Sunday?

The Bulls have a solid backcourt, led by dynamic scoring guard in sophomore Dominique Jones and senior Jesus Verdejo. They will have opportunities to score against the Irish defense, which is not very stout, but can the Bulls keep up offensively? Probably not…


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 80
South Florida 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: LOUISVILLE @ NOTRE DAME

February 12, 2009



It has now been more than a month since the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team has tasted victory. Their last win game at home on January 10th, 88-79 over Seton Hall. The losing streak started off normal enough, losing back-to-back road games at Louisville, which went into overtime, and at Syracuse. Then came back-to-back home losses, ending the 45-game Irish home win streak. Again, however, losing to arguably the nation's best team, Connecticut, and a surging Marquette squad in itself would not be something to sound an alarm on. The came out swinging against Pittsburgh on the road, but were run out of the building in the second half and the losing streak was suddenly at five games.

In the Big East, it is funny (well, not if your a coach, player or fan of a team in the conference) how a little snowflake can turn into a snowball and then start an avalanche. Losing at Louisville, in overtime, a game they had chances to win, probably did not knock the Irish down too much...but, it got the snowball headed down the hill.

Those five losses dropped the Irish to 3-6 in the Big East. Still, one could reason that more than 90% of Division 1-A college basketball teams would have gone 0-5 in that gauntlet, so Notre Dame headed to Cincinnati looking to re-start their season. Instead, they allowed 93 points and looked like a defeated team when they were run out of the building against UCLA on Saturday.

So, now ND has a seven-game losing streak. Overall record has dropped to 12-10 and the NCAA Tournament, which just a month ago seemed like a lock with a possible protected seed is now a long-shot. ND needs wins, they need big wins, but really, they need ANY win right now. It will not come easy hosting a Louisville team that is 9-1 in the Big East and 18-4 overall, but seeing that UL has really struggled offenisvely in their last 100 minutes of basketball, maybe there can be some life yet for the Irish.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game:

Banged Up Louisville Visits Fighting Irish (Chicago Tribune)
Many Reasons for Notre Dame's Collapse (Chicago Tribune)
Formula Found to Fluster Fighting Irish (Journal-Gazette)
Cardinals' Samuels Banged Up, Fired Up (Courier-Journal)
Scary Talent Await Irish (South Bend Tribune)
Irish Attempt to Stop Bleeding Against Fifth-Ranked cards (Kentucky.com)

If your offense is struggling, there might not be a better site for a major conference college team on the horizon than a date with Notre Dame. After scoring 45 points in the opening 20 minutes in a 69-63 win over West Virginia almost two weeks ago, somebody turned the switch off on the UL 'O' and has forgot to turn it back on. Since that first half, UL scored 24 points in the second half against WVU, 51 in the entire game against UConn and then struggled, before hitting a plethora of late minute free throws, in a 60-47 win on Sunday over St. John's.

In their last three losses, ND has allowed nearly 92 points a game against teams that are not known for high offensive outputs (UCLA, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati). The free-flowing game that the Irish prefer is certainly to allow the Cards to find their comfort zone more easily and with buckets, Louisville will unleash their full court pressure, and area that the Cards should have excellent success with against the Irish.

I keep waiting for the Irish to come out on fire and knocking down three's at a high rate. Well, they did do that against Pitt, making 11 in the first half alone, but this team seems so allergic to playing defense that any success almost seems like foos gold as once the game gets into a grind, they do not have the willpower or confidence to overcome any adversity. Louisville is a team that thrives in putting the opposition through adversity, can Notre Dame respond?

Louisville is a 3 1/2-point favorite on the road. The proof in this one is all on the Irish to compete, you know Rick Pitino will have his team defending and rebounding. Look for their offense to return and earn the road win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Louisville 77
Notre Dame 70

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME @ CINCINNATI

February 4, 2009


Notre Dame looks to snap their five-game losing streak when they hit the road once again to take on Cincinnati. Over the weekend, ND played just down the Ohio River in Pittsburgh and saw an early 10-point lead behind some hot three-point shooting evaporate as the Panthers ran them out of town, 93-80. The Irish now sit at 3-6 in the Big East and in serious jeopardy of missing the NCAA Tournament if they do not turn thing around VERY quickly.

Cincinnati had won four of five, including a home game with Georgetown, and were looking to begin to push their way onto the NCAA bubble when they traveled to meet Villanova on Sunday. The result was not pretty as the 'Nova defense was turned up in the second half and the Bearcats went down, 71-50, and fell to 4-5 in the Big East.


Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the web:

Irish Come Skidding into Town (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Harangody Needs Some Help on Offense (Gary Post Tribune)
Irish in Dire Need of a Victory (Journal Gazette)
Notre Dame Knows it is Now or Never (Chicago Tribune)
Time Running Out on Irish Season (South Bend Tribune)


We all know that Notre Dame has lost five games in a row and, out in cyberspace, panic has set in among the Irish faithful and fueled by those looking to stir the pot. However, closer in spection of those losses reveals that four of them have come at the hands of teams currently ranked in the top 10 of the country and the other was to #20 Syracuse on the road (when they were ranked in the top 10). So, what we have probably learned is that the Irish are NOT a top-10 team. Now, we shoudl be able to really see what they have. Their recent 5 game slide is probably a slide that 90% of the Division 1-A teams in America would also be on with those five games.

That is not to say there are not some alarming traits with this club. Obviously, their defense is as spotty as it comes. In their three road losses during the slide, they have given up an average of 91 points a game! Their rebounding outside of Luke Harangody has been non-existent. Luke Zeller, the starting power forward who stands at 6'11, had what amounted to a season's-best game against Pitt on Saturday, draining six threes and scoring 18 points in 21 minutes. However, Zeller did not grab a single rebound or block a single shot. Pitt's 6'3 guard Jermaine Dixon had 5 rebounds and was able to register a blocked shot. Also, Kyle McAlarney is just nine of 38 from the field in the last three games, including seven of 23 from 3-pt range. Since nobody has stepped up on the perimeter consistently, teams have gone all out to shut down McAlarney. While Luke Harangody is still getting his points, averaging 26.6 in the five losses, he has taken 116 shots, over 23 a game, to do so. Not very efficient.

When Cincinnati began with three straight losses to start conference play, it was their defense that was letting them down. Two of those losses came at home as they were being blitzed from beyond the arc. Notre Dame will have to hope that porous defense returns tonight.

The Bearcats have made improvements defensively, but they still have not really been tested in that regard. Their best win was over a slumping Georgetown team and this game will be played at the US Bank Arena in downtown Cincinnati, not their normal on campus home at Fifth Third Arena in the Shoemaker Center.

Deonta Vaughn is still the one to make UC go, they have been getting more help from the supporting cast, including Yancy Gates and Mike Williams, but it has not been as consistent as they had hoped to this point.

The early NCAA basketball betting odds have the Irish as a 3 1/2-point road favorite. At first, that was a little bit of a surprise. Looking closely at the game, seeing it is at US Bank and the schedule the Irish have faced, we think they do come out and put things together for a nice win tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 75
Cincinnati 68

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: IRISH LOOK TO SNAP STREAK AT PITT

January 31, 2009



The Notre Dame Fighting Irish face their fifth straight ranked opponent on Saturday when they travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers in a Big East conference showdown. The Irish will look for better luck in this one as they have lost their previous four games and have slipped to 3-5 in the Big East.

Pittsburgh is coming off a loss of their own as the Panthers were beaten 67-57 at Villanova on Wednesday night, dropping Pitt to 6-2 in the Big East. Pitt was mired in foul trouble to several players, but the biggest one was DeJuan Blair being limited, much like their earlier loss at Louisville

Here are some pregame stories about the game:

Notre Dame’s Ayers in Slump, Along With Team (Chicago Tribune)
Brey: It is Time for Irish to Grow Up and Play (Courier Press)
Pitt’s Two Losses are Strikingly Similar (Post-Gazette)
Harangody Playing as Expected (Post Gazette)
Irish Enter Unfamiliar Territory (South Bend Tribune)
Ayers Remedies: Rest and Repitition (South Bend Tribune)

While Pitt’s two losses were very similar, it is unlikely to be the case that Notre Dame will be able to replicate the same defensive pressure that Louisville and Villanova are able to apply against opponents, especially on the road. The Irish are a team not know for their defense.

With their backs against the wall and desperate for a win after four losses, I expect the Irish defensive effort to be much improved, but in reality, it has not been their defense as much in their last two games as a struggling offense. Sure, Luke Harangody is still putting up monster numbers, over 25 points and 16 rebounds a game in their last four, but it is taking him a ton of shots to get those points while his teammates are all in a slump together.

Pittsburgh is not a team to face when your struggling offensively, especially from the perimeter where Jermaine Dixon is quickly becoming one of the most feared defenders in college basketball. Dixon will have the assignment of guarding Kyle McAlarney and as teams have found out lately, make Harangody work for his points, but accept he is going to get them, shut down McAlarney, and you should be in good shape.

For Pitt, they need to keep DeJuan Blair on the court. In the two losses, foul trouble limited his time on the court and saw Pitt give up double-digit first half leads once he was missing time because of fouls. With Blair on the bench, Pitt is not the same team and they give up more points, especially on the boards, and it allows the defense to set their pressure. While ND is unlikely to come with pressure, Blair’s ability to rebound and score is needed all game here.

Pitt is an 11 ½ -point favorite on their home floor. The Irish will be desperate, and I expect them to play tough on the defensive end, but the pressure of needing the win and the Pitt defense will continue to hold the Irish offense in check. Pitt wins comfortably, but maybe not quite with the ease expected with the line.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Pittsburgh 74
Notre Dame 66

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: ND LOOKS TO START NEW STREAK

January 26, 2009



Notre Dame is forced to rebound quickly following Saturday night's 69-61 home loss to Connecticut, a loss that snapped the Irish 45-game home winning streak. The last team to beat the Fighting Irish at the Joyce Center comes to town tonight as Marquette and ND hook up for a Big Monday battle.

More concerning to Irish coach Mike Brey than the end of a 45-game home winning streak is the current three-game losing steak the Irish find themselved mired in. Saturday night's loss knocked Notre Dame to 3-4 in Big East play.

Marquette has been rolling along in conference play, beating Depaul on Saturday to move to 6-0 in Big East play. The Golden Eagles will look to keep on rolling tonight and begin a home losing streak for ND.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the internet today:

ND Off Course in Big East (South Bend Tribune)
No Longer a Matter of Record (Journal-Sentinel)
Line-up Shake-up Likely for Notre Dame (Chicago Tribune)
Notre Dame Looks to End Three-Game Losing Streak (Chicago Tribune)
Acker Raising Game, Elevating Profile Off of Bench (Journal-Sentinel)

This is a really important game for Notre Dame who will embark on a three-game road trip afterwards. With trip to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and UCLA to follow, the Irish need to right the ship quickly.

Teams seem to be content on letting Luke Harangody rack up some big numbers as they concentrate on stopping the rest of the Irish players. That scheme will fall right into the Golden Eagles' plan ss they do not have the muscle inside to slow Harangody, but their quick hands will try and make him work for his points. In the three-game losing streak, nobody is stopping Harangody from putting up his stats, nearly 26 points and 15 rebounds a game, but he has had to take 79 shots (over 26 a game) to get those numbers.

it is being proven that Tory Jackson and Kyle McAlarney make this team go. Harangody will get his, but their failure to replace Rob Kurz with a consistent third scoring option and another post player to take the pressure off of Harangody has made the Irish quite beatable. Add in the fact that their defense struggles and it is clear to see why ND is sliding.

Marquette is definitely not sliding, they are rising quickly up the basketball polls. The guard trio of Jerel McNeal, Wesley Mathews and Dominic James applies pressure on both ends of the court to opposing backcourts. Their defensive effort usually takes teams right out of their comfort zone and makes up for their lack of size by disrputing play on the perimeter.

Mathews and McNeal are having tremendous senior seasons offensively, both averaging 19 points a game, and continue to wreak havoc defensively. Junior forward Lazar Hayward has taken to his role as an undersized big forward, averaging over 16 points and nearly 9 rebounds a game.

The oddsmakers have made the Irish a 3 1/2 point favorite tonight. This game almost looks to be a toss up. Marquette seems to be the better team, but are they do for a loss? I am not convinced it comes tonight as Marquette has the personnell to make things difficult for McAlarney to find shots and for Jackson to get into the offense. Despite a zone defense from the Irish, Marquette will look to hit the seams with their quickness and also score in transition when the Irish get lax on defense, which happens all too often.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Marquette 75
Notre Dame 71

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: CONNECTICUT @ NOTRE DAME

January 24, 2009

Notre Dame puts their nation’s best 45-game home win streak on the line Saturday night when Connecticut comes to town. The Irish have won 20 straight at home in Big East play and the Huskies will try to break both streaks in front of the ESPN ‘College Gameday’ crew.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on the game from around the internet:

Fightin’ Words (Journal Inquirer)
Circus Set to Descend on South Bend (TheDay.com)
Losing at Home Isn’t an Option for Notre Dame (Chicago Tribune)
Will Harangody be Ready for Thabeet? You Bet (South Bend Tribune)
Tough Talk from Fighting Irish (New Haven Register)
Joking Aside, Thabeet has to Walk the Walk (Norwich Bulletin)
Subplots Spice Up UConn-Irish (Waterbury Rep-Am)
Notre Dame Needs to Hear from Zach Hillesland (Chicago Tribune)
Irish are Decidedly Pro Joyce (Journal Inquirer)
Vitale Likes UConn’s Chances at Final Four (Hartford Courant)
Things are About to Heat Up in South Bend (TheDay.com)
Irish Hurt by Lack of Cohesiveness (Journal Gazette)

According to Hasheem Thabeet, UConn’s 7’3 center, Luke Harangody is not all that tough. Pretty interesting stuff to say about the 2007-2008 Big East Player of the Year, who is averaging 25 points and 13 rebounds a game as a junior this season.

Thabeet made that statement in the ESPN The Magazine’s preseason college basketball edition. He quickly fired off an apology to Notre Dame and claimed it was taken out of context in an attempt to be funny. Personally, I believe him and this is an incident that has gotten rekindled this week, but really is no big deal to the players and coaches involved. However, it will be a point of interest for the Notre Dame faithful who will likely be reminder Thabeet and Harangody all game long.

I guess Thabeet is forgetting the 32-point, 16-rebound performance Harangody had against UConn last season. Although, the first meeting last year between the two teams, won by ND, Harangody was just 5-23 from the floor as he was bothered by the size of the UConn frontline.

It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that Harangody is going to accrue big numbers in points and rebounds every time out. In his last three games, he has averaged 27.6 points and 15 rebounds a game, however his efficiency has taken a big hit. He is just 30-79 from the field in those three games. I imagine UConn will be more than happy to let Harangody get his 25 points if it takes him 25 shots, especially since it means Kyle McAlarney is not getting more attempts. In ND’s win over UConn last year, McAlarney went off for 32 points, hitting 13 of 19 (including 6 of 7 on three’s). In the loss, K-Mac was just 4-14 for 12 points.

The Huskies will need AJ Price to continue his revitalization and the big front line to make things difficult for Harangody to get his points. Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet seem like the perfect duo to do just that. Also, defensively, Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson need to keep McAlarney and Ryan Ayers from getting going on the perimeter.

Notre Dame is in the midst of a brutal stretch of games. The started this run out with a pair of losses, OT at Louisville and they were run out of the Carrier Dome by Syracuse. Now they host UConn on Saturday night and turnaround and have Marquette coming in on Monday. Following that they have a three-game road trip against Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and leave the conference for a date with UCLA. Then, they return home to meet Louisville. Getting back into the win column is very important for the Irish, but it might be a very tough task against the streaking UConn Huskies. The Irish will have to prove it on the defensive side of the ball against the UConn club, something I am not sure they are willing to do and will see their home win streak stopped.

The latest NCAA basketball odds have UConn as a 2 1/2–point favorite on the road.



NBE Blogger Prediction:

Connecticut 81
Notre Dame 77

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: IRISH TRAVEL TO SYRACUSE

January 17, 2009


After suffering their first loss in conference play on Wednesday night, the Syracuse Orange return to the comfy confines of the Carrier Dome were an anticipated crowd of more than 30,000 will brave frigid temperatures to be in the building as SU hosts Notre Dame at high noon on Saturday.

The Irish, in the midst of a brutal stretch of games with Connecticut, Marquette and Pittsburgh up next in succession before month’s end, are coming off an overtime loss at Louisville on Monday night. The loss knocked ND to 3-2 in Big East action, which both losses on the road.

Meet Irish’s Lethal Weapon (Post-Standard)
Rautins Earning Respect (Daily Times)
Notre Dame Must Improve Defensive Stands (Chicago Tribune)

Syracuse won their first four league games (again, against teams that are a combined 1-16 in conference play), but got their first taste of a conference contender Wednesday night and were thoroughly beaten by Georgetown. The Hoyas shot lights out and raced to a commanding 18-point halftime lead while the Orange got their feet under them.

Syracuse also received an injury scare against the Hoyas as Andy Rautins crumbled to the floor in pain during the first half, holding his knee, after getting tangled up for a loose ball. Rautins would not return in the game, but the immediate prognosis following the game was a bruised knee and he was likely to suit up and play against the Irish. Rautins missed all of last season because of a torn ACL from the summer of 2007.

“He’s got a slight strain or bruise but he’s walking,” SU coach Jim Boeheim told media members during Thursday’s league conference call. “He may be able to practice today [Thursday], he should be able to practice tomorrow [Friday]. We’re expecting unless something changes for him to be able to play.”

Against Louisville on Monday night, the Irish simply looked as though they ran out of gas and had nothing in the tank for overtime. Mike Brey’s club uses just seven players most nights and on Monday, six of them accounted for 223 of the 225 available minutes in the OT contest.

To win on the road, defense and rebounding are extremely important. The Irish struggle on the defensive end of the floor and the graduation of Rob Kurz has left a hole in their defensive and rebounding prowess. Against a Syracuse team that can score points and rebound, it will take a lights-out shooting effort by the Irish against the SU zone to steal a road win.

Luke Harangody will get his share of points and rebounds, like he always does. Expect the Syracuse big men of Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson to also produce on the inside for the Orange. The major question for the Irish is who will keep the SU backcourt from scoring. From Jonny Flynn to Eric Devendorf to Paul Harris and Andy Rautins, Syracuse will have offensive threats pressuring ND all game long. That is a tough match-up for the Irish.

The early college basketball betting lines have pegged SU as 3 ½-point favorites.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 84
Notre Dame 75

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME @ LOUISVILLE

January 12, 2009


To nobody's surprise, Big Monday on ESPN features another big conference match-up as Notre Dame travels to Freedom Hall to face Louisville for a 7 PM tip.

Notre Dame extended their home win streak to 45 games over the weekend with a win over Seton Hall. The high-scoring Irish are averaging 79.5 points a game in their 3-1 conference start. They are in the midst of a brutal stretch of games with five of their next seven on the road beginning tonight at Louisville. A road trip to Syracuse is ahead this weekend and then after their home-win streak is challenged by UConn and Miami, it is back on the road to battle Pitt, Cincinnati and a non-conference match-up with UCLA.

Louisville has started conference play with a pair of road wins against South Florida and Villanova. The win against the Wildcats over the weekend was a thrilling victory as 'Nova missed several golden opportunities in the final seconds to win the game. Louisville had led throughout, but needed a driving basket by Terrence Williams with seven seconds left to regain the lead and then held on as the buzzer sounded for a 61-60 win.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the web this morning:

Irish Need a Better Start Against Cards (South Bend Tribune)
Cards Dive Right back into Long Week (Louisville Courier-Journal)
Irish Face Tough Stretch (Journal Gazette)
Irish Men Hope Maturity Helps Through Tough Stretch (WNDU)
Tory Jackson Has Starring Role as ND's Jump-Starter (chicago Tribune)
Pitino Speaks and More Irish Notes (Chicago Tribune)
Kuric Earning his Cardinal Wings (Courier-Press)


Notre Dame remained on the heels of the league leaders with their 88-79 win over Seton Hall on Saturday. As usual, Luke Harangody pointed the way for the Irish with 30 points and 16 rebounds, which came on the heels of his Big Monday performance last week in a win over Georgetown of 31 points and 11 rebounds.

After a very up and down pre-conference slate, Louisville has opened thei Big East with back-to-back wins with Earl Clark being the catalyst. The 6-foot-9 junior has averaged 18 points and 9.5 rebounds in early conference action.

Last season these teams played a wild affair in Freedom Hall, won by Louisville 90-85. Louisville watched a 20+ point lead dwindle as Luke Harangody was raining down three's as part of his 'gody-like 40 point explosion. Departed senior David padgett led the Cards with 26 points...they have definitely missed him this season.

To win on the road in the Big East you need to rebound and defend. Notre Dame did not do those things against St. John's and the Redstorm made them pay in a 71-65 upset. Have the Irish learned their lesson? Defending the versatile and athletic Cards will be another test of the Irish mettle and show if this is a different team that scored a lot of points in the regular season, only to be bounced early in the NCAA's the last two seasons.

Louisville is a 6 1/2 point home favorite tonight. The Cards will have a very tough time slowing Harangody inside, but look for coach Pitino to sell out stopping the rest of the Irish and come up with the win.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Louisville 73
Notre Dame 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL AT NOTRE DAME

January 10, 2009


Notre Dame extended their home court winning streak to 44 games on Monday with a win over Georgetown. They will look for win #45 in a row at the Joyce Center when Seton Hall comes to town on Saturday afternoon.

The Irish rebounded from a surprising loss to St. John’s last weekend and are now 2-1 in Big East play. The short-handed Pirates are 0-3 in the conference. They did show some life after blowout losses to SU and WVU to begin conference play by taking Villanova to overtime this week. We will see if they can get their first win in conference play on the Irish home court.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the web this morning:

Notre Dame Works on Maintaining Intensity (Chicago Tribune)
ND At its Best on Edge (South Bend Tribune)
Irish Try to Avoid Pirate Overthrow (Journal Gazette)

Last year, Notre Dame blitzed Seton Hall on the road, this year they will look to do the same in South Bend. Luke Harangody should have an absolute field day in the paint and the Seton Hall tendency to give wide open shots from the perimeter bodes very well for Kyle McAlarney and Ryan Ayers.

Seton Hall will score points, and the Irish defense is certainly susceptible to yielding points, but Tory Jackson matches up very well with Eugene Harvey and SHU’s penchant for pushing the pace falls into the hands of the preferred style of the Irish. Even with the college basketball lines pointing to the Irish as 14 ½-point favorites, it seems to be a number they will sail past.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 87
Seton Hall 71

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: GEORGETOWN @ NOTRE DAME

January 5, 2009


Notre Dame puts their 43-game hom ewin streak on the line tonight when they welcome in the Georgetown Hoyas to the Joyce Athletic Center for a key Big East early season showdown. Both teams are looking for a little pick-me-up following disappointing weekend efforts and avoid a two-game conference losing streak.

Here are the pre-game stories and previews found on the internet for tonight's game:


Pressure Building for Irish (Journal Gazette)
Irish Hope to Rebound Against Hoyas South Bend Tribune)
After a Tough Loss, Hoyas Must Regroup Quickly (Washington Post)
Hoyas, Irish Both Trying to Rebound (Washington Examiner)
Hoyas Look to Rebound (Washington Times)
Notre Dame Needs Kyle McAlarney to Regain his Shot (Chicago Tribune)
Failure to Rebound Causes Irish Loss (Journal Gazette)
Splinters, But Little Else coming off Hoyas Bench (Free Lance-Star)

The pressure to win your home games int he Big East is tremendous. That pressure will be doubled tonight for Notre Dame as the Irish look to extend their school-record 43-game home winning streak and avoid losing back-to-back games after a surprising defeat to St. John's at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

The area of concern for the Irish are defense and rebounding. Notre Dame seems to be trying to push the tempo in games to a free-flowing affair. Even in their win at Depaul to open conference play, the Blue Demons were scoring at will with Dar Tucker and Mac Koshwal, who literally are the only two consistent scoring threats the Blue Demons place on the floor. Tonight, their defense will be tested by a Hoya club that usually has up to five excellent scoring threats on the floor at a time!

Georgetown will look to rebound after they were bullied on their home court by Pittsburgh, 70-54 on Saturday. Pitt beat Georgetown on the glass mercifully, actually grabbing more of their own missed shots (20) than the Hoyas could (16) as they outrebounded Georgetown 48-23, wow!

Just five days after being the toast of the conference with their impressive road win over Connecticut to start Big East play, every perceived short-coming og the Hoyas was exposed by Pitt, from their lack of depth, phsyical size in the paint and overall inexperience.

The challenge John Thompson III will issue to his club is to be tougher. That is probably a challenge more easily to be answered by a team that can play defense and be effecient offensively like the Hoyas.

As for Notre Dame, the pressure is mounting and the loss to the Redstorm, along with the defensive questions make this a tough match-up. The Hoyas will look to slow the game down, neither team has a lot of depth, so the edge to the better defensive team looks to be apparent. Luke Harangody is likely to have a big game inside, but the Hoyas will work to close down opportunities for the other Irish players, especially Kyle McAlarney.

The latest college basketball odds have ND as a slight 2 1/2 point favorite. Could this be the night the home win streak is put to rest?

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 71
Notre Dame 66

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME @ ST. JOHN'S

Notre Dame heads to Madison Square Garden to met St. John’s on Saturday afternoon. The Irish, despite two losses in their pre-conference schedule, have remained in the top 10 and are currently ranked #7 in the country.

The Irish opened Big East play with a 92-82 win at DePaul and will look to start off with back-to-back road wins ahead of Monday’s date with Georgetown at the Joyce Center. In their win over the Blue Demons, old reliable Luke Harangody dominated the paint with 26 points and 16 rebounds and senior Zach Hillesland added a career-best 17 points in the win.

St. John’s started fast on New Year’s Eve sprinting out to an 11-0 led on Providence in Rhode Island. However, the Redstorm turned into a pumpkin well before midnight as PC stormed back to bury SJU 75-54.

Sean Evans led SJU in their conference opener with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Redstorm was without point guard Malik Boothe, out with an injury, and Justin Burrell has not found his comfort zone since returning to action wearing a mask due to facial fractures suffered earlier this season. SJU is already without Anthony Mason Jr, their leading scorer from a year ago, who will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury suffered in the season’s second game.

Here are some of the pregame stories and previews found on the web:

Cool Hands Carried Irish (South Bend Tribune)


Native New Yorker Kyle McAlarney returns home for the contest and look for the outside half of the dangerous inside/outside duo of McAlarney and Harangody to have a big game. Once K-Mac hits a few shots to loosen the defense, Harangody will go to work inside and SJU has few answers for the Irish offense that can rack up the points.

The latest college basketball odds have the Irish as a 9 1/2-point road favorite. We would like to see St. John’s prove they can keep up with an offense as potent as the one they will see on Saturday.


Prediction:

Notre Dame 75
St. John’s 63

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