Former Irish Hoopster Zach Hillesland's BLOG

Zach Hillesland was a student-athlete here at the University of Notre Dame from 2005 - 2009.  Ever since Zach's senior season at ND -- he's been blogging for the New York Times.

Yesterday, Zach penned an outstanding blog piece for the New York Times about Mike Brey and this year's edition of the Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame.

You'll love Zach's ability to tell a story!

LINK:  THE CONSTANT IN NOTRE DAME BASKETBALL

The IRISH WIN -- Atkins Hits Clutch Shot!

 

In a game that never wanted to end -- FINALLY ENDED in OT, with the longest final second in the history of college basketball...

And, in the YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP department...  Notre Dame was apparently a 2.5 or 3.0 favorite over USF.  So, the IRISH are up by two points with ONE SECOND left in the game.  All Notre Dame has to to is inbound the ball and the game is over.

Not so fast my friends...

Standing on the sideline, Scott Martin throws the pass across court to Pat Connaughton who catches the ball and is fouled with ONE TENTH OF A SECOND ON THE CLOCK.  He's awarded two free throws -- makes them both -- and the IRISH win by FOUR POINTS.  So, in a matter of one-tenth of a second -- bettors all over the world went from WINNER to LOSER.

That's why you don't bet!!!

It wasn't a pretty win -- but, from here on out -- any win is a GREAT WIN!  The IRISH will play tonight at 9 PM ET against LOUISVILLE in the Semi-Finals of the Big East Tournament.  ESPN will televise the game.

LINK:  LOCKER ROOM CELEBRATION

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Photo of the Day: Four Former Irish Stars

Harrison Smith, Kyle Rudolph, Michael Floyd and Jimmy Clausen are seen here posing at a photo shoot.  Can't make out if they're promoting a product or not...

IRISH Play South Florida @ 9 PM ET on ESPN

The Big East Men's Basketball Tournament "officially" begins tonight for our Fightin' Irish when they take the Madison Square Garden floor against the University of South Florida at 9 PM ET.

The two teams met once this season (January 10th) with the Irish beating the Bulls 60 - 49 in a game at Purcell Pavillion.  Folks, this will be a low scoring game tonight.  Frankly - the first team to 60 will probably win this game.

The game is on ESPN with a scheduled tip-off at 9 PM ET.


LINK:  COACH BREY WITH CBS' SETH DAVIS 

LINK:  USF'S STAN HEATH TALKING NOTRE DAME

LINK:  TOURNEY CENTRAL

OT: Solar Storms to Impact Earth Thursday!

 

From the "how do we know this?" file -- comes this report today from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (I don't get this channel on cable...):

The sun had two (2) solar flares yesterday and two (2) coronal mass ejections -- THAT SOUNDS SERIOUS...

Whatever all that means, around 1:25 AM ET TONIGHT -- these particles, which are hurling towards earth at 3 million to 4 million miles an hour -- could begin causing disruption to GPS, power grids, and some air flights near the poles.  Stay tuned!

Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  SOLAR STORMS

ND Prof Tim Judge Getting Plenty of Attention

Timothy Judge, professor of management at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business has gotten the attention of the national media -- this past year -- for his "topical and engaging" research on subjects such as "do nice guys finish last,?" and "how do you define success?"

Enjoy!

LINK:  DO NICE GUYS FINISH LAST?

LINK:  HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?

They Are & Will Be Champions -- NEXT!

The University of Notre Dame's #3 ranked Fightin' Irish women's basketball team were beaten last night by UCONN in the Big East Championship game.  A home game for the HUSKIES, ND just couldn't put the ball in the basket -- scoring a season low total of points (54), shooting a dismal 32% from the field and 64% from the free throw line.

All IRISH EYES are now on the NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP -- where the IRISH will be a #1 seed.  The only unknown is will Notre Dame be ranked #2, #3 or #4 overall in the tournament.  We'll find out Sunday.

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

Former Irish Football Star's New Coaching Gig

He has one of the all-time great names in Notre Dame football history -- CEDRIC FIGARO -- and now he's the new head football coach at South Plaquemines High School -- just outside of New Orleans, LA. 

The former ND and NFL linebacker has been coaching football at the professional level (NFL Europe) and the high school level (Florida and Louisiana) since his playing days ended.

Maybe this will open up some "recruiting lanes" for the Fightin' Irish in Louisiana!

LINK:  NEW HEAD COACH

Cooley Named Big East's Most Improved Player

 

University of Notre Dame "big man" Jack Cooooooooooooley -- was named the Big East Conference's Most Improved Player.  This comes as no surprise to Irish basketball fans.  Cooley has been a FORCE for the Fightin' Irish all season.  This award comes on the heels of Sunday's announcement that Jack had been named to the 2nd Team All Big East Team -- he deserved better...

LINK:  COOLEY NAMED MOST IMPROVED

The Game ESPN Wanted: ND vs. UCONN III

Well, did we really have to play these games in Hartford these past few days?

Two of the top women's basketball teams in the country (NOTRE DAME vs. UCONN) will square off tomorrow night for the third time this season -- in what I'm going to call the "we don't want Baylor in the NCAA Semi-Finals" game.

The winner of tomorrow night's game is ensured at least a #2 or #3 overall seeding placement in the upcoming NCAA Women's Basketball Championship -- which means you won't see Baylor until the NCAA Championship game.  Lose this game and you're probably going to be sitting in the #4 overall position -- which means you'll get Baylor in the Semi-Finals.

The IRISH have never won the Big East Tournament -- UCONN always does...  Notre Dame has won the last three contests with UCONN -- can they make it four tomorrow night?

It's going to be a big-time game.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM ET on ESPN!

LINK:  IRISH ROLL OVER WVU

Do You Think Samardzija Made a Good Choice?

Former Notre Dame All-American wide receiver Jeff Samardzija chose baseball over football a few years ago.  Well, today -- Samardzija signed a one-year contract with the Cubs for $2,640,000 - GUARANTEED money.

He's on the back end of a five-year $10.25 million deal he signed with the Cubs after graduating from ND.  Samardzija is coming off a career best season where he went 8 - 4 with a 2.97 ERA as a reliever.

LINK:  SIGNS TODAY WITH CUBS

LINK:  FIGHTING FOR ROTATION SPOT

Photo of the Day: Notre Dame in NYC!

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame men's basketball team just arrived in NYC tonight for Thursday's BIG EAST TOURNAMENT game -- this photo was just "tweeted" by the @und_video_crew

Championship BouND! IRISH beat WVU by 28!

 

The Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame put on a show tonight "revenging" a defeat to the West Virginia Mountaineers just a couple of weeks ago --  by the score of 73 - 45.  The win moves the IRISH to tomorrow night's championship game against the winner of the St. John's vs. UCONN game -- going on right now.

Here's a link to the highlights from tonight's big win!

LINK:  ND DOMINATES WVU

Lunardi Now Has ND a #6 Seed in NCAA

ESPN's chief "bracketologist" -- Joe Lunardi, has Mike Brey's Fighting Irish now a #6 seed -- heading into this week's Big East Tournament.  If you'd like to see what Region and who he has Notre Dame playing in the first round -- click on the link below:

LINK:  NCAA LATEST PREDICTIONS

Muffet's IRISH ON ESPNU TONIGHT at 6 PM ET!

The #3 Fighting Irish beat #23 DePaul yesterday afternoon to advance to the Semi-Finals of the Big East Women's Basketball Championship.  Ironically -- the Blue Demons did NOT SHOOT ONE FREE THROW in the game -- I've never heard of that before...

Anyway, it's REVENGE NIGHT (tonight) for Muffet's IRISH as they take on the West Virginia Mountaineers.  Irish fans will recall that the Mountaineers came into Purcell Pavillion last month and beat Notre Dame. 

#25 West Virginia has a big, talented team -- it's going to be quite a game. 

The winner will take on the winner of the St. John's vs. UCONN game (that follows) for the Big East Championship tomorrow night.

GOOD LUCK IRISH!

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER WIN OVER DEPAUL

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

30 Hours in the Life of ND's Purcell Pavillion

 

University of Notre Dame's award winning photographer Matt Cashore -- produced this video showing the changing face of Purcell Pavillion -- over a 30-hour period this weekend.  Fun to watch!

LINK:  PURCELL PAVILLION - 30 HOURS

Happy Birthday -- KNUTE ROCKNE!

Happy Birthday to Knute Rockne -- born on this date March 4, 1888...

Coach Rockne would have been 124 years-old today!

Ironically, the man who put Notre Dame Football into the national conversation -- was born just 102 days after the University of Notre Dame played their first ever football game against the University of Michigan on November 23, 1887.

Who could have ever imagined a birth on this date in Voss, Norway  --  124 years ago and 3,857 miles away from the campus of the University of Notre Dame -- would have such an impact on the world of sport.

The University of Notre Dame will celebrate its 125th season of Notre Dame Football this fall.

LINK:  REMEMBERING KNUTE ROCKNE

LINK:  TODAY IN NOTRE DAME HISTORY

What Were You Doing at the Age of 28?

Fr. Edward Frederick Sorin C.S.C., was only 28 years old when he and six Holy Cross brothers traveled thousands of miles from France to the wilderness of Northern Indiana and founded the University of Notre Dame du Lac.  

Think about that...

LINK:  FR. SORIN & HIS NOTRE DAME

ND's Sidney D'Mello -- Improving Learning

The University of Notre Dame's Sidney D'Mello (pictured) an Associate Professor of Psychology in the College of Arts and Letters and a couple of colleagues at M.I.T and the University of Memphis -- have created an 'emotion-sensing' computer software program that reacts to the cognitive and emotional states of students while studying.

It's called AutoTutor -- and this software has been tested on over 1,000 students who have seen an approximate ONE LETTER GRADE IMPROVEMENT! 

Boy, could I have used this in college!!!

Here's a link to the story.

LINK:  FIGHTING FOR LEARNING!

ND Women's Basketball @ Big East Tournament

The gang at UND.COM spent yesterday following Muffet's #3 ranked Fighting Irish around as they prepare for their 2nd Round Big East Women's Championship game -- today at 2:00 PM ET against DePaul -- on ESPNU.  You'll see the Irish at breakfast, study hall, practice, film meeting, etc., -- ENJOY!

LINK:  A DAY WITH THE IRISH!

LINK:  DEPAUL PREVIEW

LINK:  CURRENT RANKINGS

LINK:  BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL -- OFFICIAL SITE