Notre Dame's Carleton Scott (34) drives to the basket through the Syracuse defense Monday. (Tribune Photo/GENE KAISER)
Story Created:
Jan 20, 2010 at 12:55 AM EDT
Story Updated:
Jan 20, 2010 at 12:55 AM EDT
Was he being a gracious guest after his team won its third consecutive league road game, or simply offering some college basketball knowledge accumulated from 34 seasons on the sideline?
Following Monday’s game between Notre Dame and No. 5 Syracuse, one won by the Orange in a contest that was sometimes closer on the scoreboard (84-71) than in reality, coach Jim Boeheim offered an unsolicited opinion of the opponent.
Boeheim believes Notre Dame should be 4-2 in the Big East instead of 3-3 because it had Cincinnati beaten two nights earlier only to lose in the closing seconds. He also stressed that the Irish are a better team than last season. Pressed to expand further, Boeheim, who has rarely met a microphone or a media audience that he has liked, actually did.
“First off they’re a great offensive team,” said Boeheim, who again reiterated the point he made after last season’s game in the Carrier Dome that Luke Harangody is the best offensive player to ever play in the Big East. “The other guys, they do have to work hard, make plays and have had good games.
“They’re pretty good.”
Agree? Disagree? Still too early to tell? Whatever the case, following are answers to four questions that have surfaced during Notre Dame’s first two-game losing streak this season.
What coaching strength could also be a weakness?
Mike Brey believes in being a confidence-giver, and coaches in a way that allows the main guys in the rotation to play with a free mind so as to deliver every night.
That works well in theory if the ones monopolizing the minutes reciprocate with solid, consistent showings. But with a rotation that seldom goes deeper than seven, rarely can more than one player fall into a funk in a given league game. When more do, it becomes a pitfall of the program and leads everyone to wonder why the guys who don’t consistently contribute still play?
It happened during last season’s seven-game losing streak, when players that Brey had put so much trust in to perform didn’t produce. But Brey stayed with them and the Irish staggered to an 8-10 league record.
Similar signs again have surfaced. Since going for a career-high 23 points in the league opener against Providence, senior Jonathan Peoples has scored three points the last five games. He missed two lay-ups against Cincinnati and a pair of 3s against Syracuse. Those shots might have helped swing momentum, and have to fall from a main guy.
Since Providence, Irish reserves have been outscored a combined 85-18.
It’s not just the bench. Subtract Monday’s efforts by Tim Abromaitis and Harangody, who combined for 23 field goals, and the other three starters shot 2-for-17. Negate Abromaitis, Harangody and Tory Jackson combining for 42 points against Cincinnati, and the other five Irish who played offered a combined 16.
With such a short rotation, Notre Dame must maximize effort from everyone just to have any chance. For the Irish to be good, the seven guys have to be really good. When they’re not, it’s like playing 5-on-4.
How does a past player’s presence still haunt the Irish?
It’s been nearly two years and nobody has offered the hard work and hustle and intangibles provided by former power forward Rob Kurz.
Harangody enjoyed his Big East player of the year season while working alongside Kurz. The Irish last played in an NCAA tournament with Kurz as a team captain. Coincidence?
Last season’s tag team of Zach Hillesland and Luke Zeller didn’t do it. This season’s duo of Tyrone Nash and Carleton Scott has had their moments, but both remain boys in a men’s league. They suffer through segments when they can’t grab a key rebound, secure a loose ball or finish a follow-up.
Nash enjoyed a stretch where, for the first time in his career, he scored double figures in three consecutive league games. In the two games since, he’s had one point and two rebounds.
Unhappy over his role, Scott left the program for 48 hours earlier this month. His minutes have since increased and he was solid (nine rebounds) against Syracuse. But he’s hit only 3-of-9 shots the last two games.
Each longed to take bigger steps into bigger roles when buried on the bench this time last season. No longer can one step forward and two steps back be acceptable.
How restless is the Irish fan base?
Judging by the reaction during Monday’s closing seconds, either because the Orange kept scoring with the outcome decided or because the crowd was sick of again coming close, there was no holding back on the boos or the catcalls.
The fans seem to be teetering on the edge of an abyss, even though the Irish, who were 12-7 at this point last season, are 14-5.
Once whispers, concerns about the program’s future have grown louder. Angry e-mails and tweets to the Tribune after losses far exceed those after Irish wins. Complaints about the non-league schedule still fester, as does the desire to play the freshmen. Worries remain that it will get worse, maybe because last season’s collapse is so fresh.
Big East or no Big East, there remains an expectation, however unrealistic, that Notre Dame’s place in the college basketball hierarchy should be the same spot in 2010 as it was in 1978.
Some Irish faithful already may have reached a point of no return, where no matter what happens the rest of the way, they will judge Brey and the program and the players to be not good enough. Again.
With a third of the league schedule complete, where should this Notre Dame team sit in the Big East standings?
Right where it is: Eighth place. Notre Dame - for now - is an average program in an above-average conference.
Picked to finish middle of the pack (eighth out of 16 teams) in a preseason vote of conference coaches, Notre Dame has beaten two teams it should (Providence, South Florida), lost to three that are superior in terms of depth or athleticism or both (Cincinnati, Connecticut, Syracuse) and has surprised another (West Virginia) on a night when almost all of the key guys were at their best.
With a roster of pros, Syracuse is steam-rolling toward a possible No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Should Notre Dame have won Monday? Seriously?
When the stars are aligned, the moon is full, the karma right and the Irish work together at a high level on both ends, they can compete with anyone in the league. When slippage - offensive inefficiency, defensive indifference, lack of toughness around the basket, etc. - seeps in like it has the last two games, the team looks ordinary.
Unlike last season at this point, Notre Dame still has room to be better. Question is, will it?
Staff writer Tom Noie: tnoie@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6153
