Ali Patberg Named Indiana's "Miss Basketball"

The future Notre Dame student-athlete was named Indiana's "Miss Basketball' yesterday -- here's her interview:

LINK:  MISS BASKETBALL

Muffet's IRISH Talk NCAA Tournament Today

The Fighting Irish held their opening NCAA Tournament press conference today -- Muffet, Jewell and Lindsay -- answered the media's questions:

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE

NCAA Tournament Credo: "JUST WIN BABY!"

Rankings, style points, seedings, etc., -- they don't matter anymore.

It's all about WINNING -- ugly, barely -- they all count the same!!!

Notre Dame's 69 - 65 win today was a perfect NCAA Tournament win -- because every win is PERFECT.  Just ask fellow #3 seeds Iowa State and Baylor...

ON TO SATURDAY!

LINK:  HIGHLIGHTS 

LINK:  GAME RECAP

NCAA Bans "Hardship Transfer" Waivers...

Fighting Irish fans will remember former "five-star" commit Eddie Vanderdoes who signed a National Letter of Intent --- then a few weeks later decommits -- and signs a National Letter of Intent to UCLA -- "transferring" out of Notre Dame.

The NCAA ruled Vanderdoes eligible to play -- immediately -- at UCLA

With this new NCAA decree -- I don't believe this will happen anymore.

LINK:  NCAA RULE

NCAA Tourney Run Begins at 12:15 PM on CBS

The Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Champions (has a nice ring to it -- doesn't it) -- begin their NCAA Tournament run today against Northeastern at 12:15 PM ET.

The game will be televised on CBS!

One of the assistant's on the Northeastern coaching staff is former Notre Dame student-athlete Chris Markwood.  Markwood played for Coach Brey for a couple of seasons before transferring to Maine to finish his college career.

Here's what you want to see -- to get you ready for today's game.  BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE NCAA FEATURE ON PAT CONNAUGHTON -- BOTTOM LINK!

LINK:  COACH BREY TALKS NORTHEASTERN

LINK:  PRACTICE UPDATE

LINK:  PAT CONNAUGHTON INTERVIEW -- NCAA

Coach Kelly Meets With Media After Practice #1

The Fighting Irish began Spring practice at 7:30 AM ET this morning -- inside -- the Loftus Sports Complex.  After practice -- Coach Kelly met with the media -- and the folks at Fighting Irish Digital Media produced their first report:

LINK:  COACH KELLY

LINK:  PRACTICE REPORT #1

NOTRE DAME DAY 2015 -- Bigger, Better, WOW!

The folks at Notre Dame will be broadcasting LIVE over the internet and local cable TV in the South Bend market -- for 29 straight hours -- from 6:42 PM ET on Sunday, April 26th to Midnight ET on Monday, April 27th.

NOTRE DAME DAY -- is a global celebration of all things Notre Dame.

Some of the scheduled guests;  Jon Bon Jovi, Dick Vitale, Tim Brown, Golden Tate, Manti Te'o, Nicholas Sparks, etc., -- a star studded affair -- along with great stories about students, faculty, staff and ALUMNI.

If you love Notre Dame -- you will love this event!

Here's a link to the COUNTDOWN CLOCK -- and Notre Dame Day info:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME DAY -- 2015

Brian Kelly Talks Start of 2015 Spring Practice

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly -- wearing his green for St. Patrick's Day -- met with the media to talk about his football team and the start of Spring Practice.

Here's what he had to say:

LINK:  SPRING PRACTICE -- OPENING PRESSER

Notre Dame Women's Road to the Final Four!

Here's who will likely be standing in the way of the Fighting Irish's FIFTH STRAIGHT FINAL FOUR!

BUMP #1 IN THE ROAD:

• Montana (not ranked)

BUMP #2 IN THE ROAD:

• Minnesota (not ranked) or DePaul (AP rank #26)

BUMP #3 IN THE ROAD:

• Stanford (AP rank #14) or Oklahoma (not ranked)

BUMP #4 IN THE ROAD:

• Baylor (AP rank #5)  or Iowa (AP rank #18)

LINK:  NCAA BRACKET

Notre Dame #1 Seed in Oklahoma City Region

The road to a FIFTH STRAIGHT trip to the FINAL FOUR begins for Notre Dame this Friday night at Purcell Pavilion when the Fighting Irish take on Montana at 7:30 PM ET -- the game will be televised on ESPN2.

Here are the top 4 seeds in this region:

1. NOTRE DAME (31 - 2)
2. Baylor  (30 - 3)
3. Iowa  (24- 7)
4. Stanford (24 - 9)

This is the 20th consecutive season Notre Dame has earned a NCAA tournament bid

Here's what we know about Montana:

• 24 - 8 
• Won the Big Sky Conference Tournament
• Guard Kellie Rubel leads the team in scoring: 14 points per game

LINK:  SEASON STATS for MONTANA

Selection Monday Women's NCAA -- 7 PM ET

Notre Dame fans will want to tune-in to ESPN tonight beginning at 7 PM ET to see the road Muffet's Fighting Irish will have to travel to return to a FIFTH STRAIGHT FINAL FOUR.

We'll also want to learn if we're the "2nd" or "3rd" overall seed in the Tournament.

ESPNU -- will have a special on the Women's NCAA Championship beginning at 8 PM ET.

GO IRISH!

LINK:  LIVE COVERAGE

Muffet's THREE Incoming IRISH: State Champs

Winning breeds winning...

Muffet McGraw signed three McDonald's All-Americans to National Letters of Intent this past Fall; Arike Ogunbowale (#24 top photo) , Ali Patberg (on left, middle photo) and Marina Mabrey (#23, bottom photo) -- and they all led their teams to STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS this season!

How's that for a HAT TRICK!

LINK:  ARIKE'S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP -- 27 POINTS

LINK:  ALI'S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP -- 31 POINTS

LINK:  MARINA'S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP -- 28 POINTS

Most Wins Among the Top 16 Seeds in NCAA

If you look at the top 16 seeded teams in the NCAA Tournament -- here are the total number of wins -- against each other this season -- kind of eye-opening isn't it!

FACT:  Gonzaga, a #2 seed, has not beat one of the Top 16 seeded teams in the NCAA Tournament.  Villanova, a #1 seed, has only beat one of the Top 16 seeded teams.


The Top 16 seeded teams in the 2015 NCAA Tournament

• #1 -- Duke:  6 wins
• #3 -- Notre Dame:  5 wins
• #2 -- Virginia:  4 wins 
• #3 -- Iowa State: 4 wins
• #1 -- Kentucky:  3 wins
• #2 -- Kansas:  3 wins
• #3 -- Oklahoma:  3 wins 
• #3 -- Baylor:  3 wins
• #4 -- North Carolina:  3 wins
• #1 -- Wisconsin:  2 wins
• #4 -- Louisville:  2 wins
• #4 -- Maryland:  2 wins
• #1 -- Villanova:  1 win
• #2 -- Arizona: 1 win
• #4 -- Georgetown: 1 win
• #2 -- Gonzaga:  0 wins

Makes you wonder how the Selection Committee -- placed Notre Dame against Kentucky in the ELITE EIGHT -- we didn't earn that!

Notre Dame's Path to the ELITE EIGHT...

Here are the teams that stand in front of Notre Dame from reaching an ELITE EIGHT DATE in Cleveland with #1 seed Kentucky:


STEP ONE:  BEAT NORTHEASTERN

• Record:  23 - 11
• Common Opponents: Florida State & UMass
• Northeastern beat FSU 76 - 73 /// ND beat FSU 83 - 63
• Northeastern loss to UMass 79 - 54 /// ND beat UMass 81 - 68
• Won the Colonial Conference Championship

STEP TWO:  BEAT BUTLER or BEAT TEXAS

• Butler is 22 - 10
• Texas is 20 - 13
• Common Opponents with Butler:  North Carolina, Providence
• Butler beat North Carolina 74 - 66 /// ND beat North Carolina twice
• Butler loss to Providence 66 - 62 /// ND loss to Providence 75 - 74
• Common Opponents with Texas:  None

STEP THREE:  BEAT KANSAS OR WICHITA STATE

• Kansas is 26 - 8
• Wichita State is 28 - 4
• Common Opponents with Kansas:  Michigan State
• Kansas beat Michigan State 61 - 56 /// ND beat Michigan State 79 - 78
• Common Opponents with Wichita State: None

#1 Seed in the NCAA Tourney Lost Twice to ND

So, Duke is a #1 seed -- yet they are 1 - 2 against #3 seed Notre Dame this season.
 
Please explain to me the "spread" between these two teams in the NCAA Tournament!  It's quite obvious the conference tournaments -- mean nothing to the selection committee...

#1 Seed Duke: 29 - 4

• Losses:  North Carolina State, Miami, Notre Dame, Notre Dame
• Quality Wins:  Wisconsin, Michigan State, Louisville, Notre Dame, North Carolina (2), Virginia

#3 Seed Notre Dame:  29 - 5

• Losses: Providence, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Duke, Syracuse
• Quality Wins:  North Carolina (2), Duke (2), Michigan State, Louisville
• ACC Tournament Champions

Notre Dame a #3 Seed Plays Northeastern

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame the "hottest" #3 seed in the country -- will play in the MIDWEST REGION -- where the #1 seed is Kentucky.

The NCAA Tournament begins on Thursday for Notre Dame when they play Northeastern in Pittsburgh at 12:15 PM ET.  Win -- and the IRISH would play the winner of #5 seed Butler vs. #12 Texas.

Here's what we know about Northeastern -- see link below:

GO IRISH!

LINK:    NORTHEASTERN

MUST SEE -- Bonzie Takes Fox Microphone!

The legend grows...

LINK:  BONZIE

NCAA SELECTION SUNDAY -- 6 PM ET on CBS

Notre Dame fans will want to tune-in today to the SELECTION SUNDAY SHOW -- as the NCAA Tournament field will be announced at 6 PM ET on CBS.

Big questions:

• Will Notre Dame be a #2 or #3 seed?
• Who will Notre Dame play in their first two games?
• And, where with the IRISH play?

Now, I must say I'm not crazy about ESPN's Joe Lunardi's latest BRACKETOLOGY -- it has Notre Dame facing Michigan State in the 2nd round -- no one wants a piece of Tom Izzo this early in the tournament...

LINK:  BRACKETOLOGY

Williams Talks ACC Championship Loss to Irish

North Carolina's Roy Williams met with the media after the Tar Heels 90 - 82 loss to Notre Dame in the ACC Tournament Championship game -- here's a brief excerpt from that press conference -- along with a link to the complete press conferences for both teams:

LINK:  ROY WILLIAMS

LINK:  BOTH PRESS CONFERENCES

On Court Reaction After ND's FIRST ACC Title!

Here's Jerian Grant, Mike Brey and others -- on court -- after Notre Dame's 90 - 82 win over North Carolina last night to win the ACC Basketball Tournament!

LINK:  JERIAN GRANT

LINK:  MIKE BREY

LINK:  BONZIE TAKES OVER INTERVIEW