ND Plays Cinci Tonight on ESPN @ 7 PM EST!

The Big East Tournament begins tonight for the #4 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.  Mike Brey's boys have been in Manhattan since Tuesday -- awaiting word on who they would be playing tonight at 7 PM EST.  Well -- that team is the Cincnnati Bearcats, who hung a 25 point whipping last night on the University of South Florida.  The Irish and the Bearcats played a game at Purcell Pavillion in January -- with ND winning 66 - 58.  The game should tip-off at 7 PM EST on ESPN.  Here's a link to UND.COM'S Game Day Central:  GO IRISH!

LINK:  GAME NOTES:  ND vs. CINCINNATI

Irish Wait For Their Opponent - Day 2 in NYC!

The folks at UND.COM have been working overtime these past couple of days in Manhattan.  Here's a few interviews that took place in the past 24 hours with all of the "award winners" for the Irish!  You'll enjoy this:

LINK:  DAY 2 @ THE BIG EAST

Choosing the "Stick" Over the "Scalpel"

Former University of Notre Dame hockey goalie, Jordan Pearce is playing these days for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League.  Pearce, a top-notch student at ND -- had his choice of professional hockey or Med School -- he chose the former, the latter can wait. 

Looks like it was a good decision for Jordan.   I won't be surprised if someday soon -- Detroit Red Wings fans will see him wearing the "red-wheeled wing!"  Here's a link to a wonderful story about Jordan's progress in pro hockey along with a link to a Grand Rapids Press story:

LINK:  A DOMER DOING WELL!

LINK:  GRAND RAPIDS PRESS ARTICLE

Graduation Success Rates -- Top 20 Teams

Here's the most current NCAA Graduation Success Rates (see definition below) for the teams in this week's TOP-TWENTY rankings for Men's College Basketball - as determined by the ESPN/USA Today/Coaches Poll.

You will note that three schools in the top-twenty have a "perfect" GSR; Notre Dame, Brigham Young and Utah State.   And, five schools have a GSR under 50; Texas, Florida, Arizona, Kentucky and UCONN.

Thought you would find this quite interesting -- since we know CBS and ESPN won't be talking about this over the next few weeks of their coverage of  "MARCH MADNESS."

I look forward to the day when the TV networks and news media begin placing a school's GSR  next to their football or basketball rankings -- when they publish their TOP TWENTY POLLS.   Or, why doesn't the NCAA force CBS and ESPN to put every team's GSR next to their SEEDING in the Tournament Bracket during their broadcast of "Selection Sunday?"  

FYI:  I'm not holding my breath!!!

Here is how the NCAA defines GSR:  Graduation rates are based on the IPEDS-GRS which is defined as a six-year proportion of those student-athletes who graduated versus those who entered an institution on institutional aid.  In addition to the student-athlete data in the graduation-rates data, the GSR accounts for student-athletes who transfer into an institution while discounting student-athletes who separate from the institution and would have been academically eligible to compete had they returned.

Here's the TOP-TWENTY Teams in Men's College Basketball with their GSR:

#1:  Ohio State:  64 GSR
#2:  Kansas:  80 GSR
#3:  Pittsburgh:  64 GSR
#4:  NOTRE DAME:  100 GSR
#5:  Duke:  83 GSR
#6:  San Diego State:  58 GSR
#7:  North Carolina:  88 GSR
#8:  Brigham Young:  100 GSR
#9:  Purdue:  67 GSR
#10:  Texas:  42 GSR
#11:  Syracuse:  54 GSR
#12:  Florida:  44 GSR
#13:  Wisconsin:  70 GSR
#14:  Louisville:  50 GSR
#15:  Arizona:  20 GSR
#16:  Kentucky:  44 GSR
#17:  Utah State:  100 GSR
#18:  St. John's:  70 GSR
#19:  Connecticut:  31 GSR
#20:  Xavier:  92 GSR


SOURCE:  NCAA GSR DATABASE

Hansbrough & Brey -- Big East Honors!!!

Ben Hansbrough was named Big East Player of the Year tonight -- and his coach, Mike Brey was named Big East Coach of the Year!!!  Congratulations!  Here's a link to the Big East's coverage of these major awards:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME TAKES TWO TOP AWARDS!

Big East Championship -- Tonight on ESPN!

Muffet McGraw's Fighting Irish of Notre Dame take on "Goliath" tonight -- on their home court -- for the honor of calling one's team BIG EAST CHAMPION!  Goliath is none other than UCONN -- the team that no one could beat, until Stanford took them down earlier this season.  Irish fans will recall that a few days after Stanford broke UCONN's "million game" (90 game) winning streak -- Notre Dame was well in control of their game against the Huskies -- only to lose the game in the final minute.  The second time they played this season -- not so close...

Will this be one of those "NOTRE DAME MOMENTS" tonight?  Game time is set for 7 PM EST on ESPN -- GO IRISH!  Here's a link to tonight's game notes -- courtesy of UND.COM:

LINK:  GAME NOTES -- ND vs. UCONN

2011 ND vs. USC Game -- Under the Lights?

There's a "twitter" rumor floating around that the 2011 Notre Dame vs. USC game at Notre Dame Stadium -- will be played at night -- in PRIMETIME!  It wouldn't surprise me for two reasons;

1. Brian Kelly has openly "campaigned" for Home Night Games
2. And, for NBC - it's a better "pay day" for advertisers -- much bigger audience at night

If I was running the "new NBC" -- remember, COMCAST just bought them -- I would be pushing Notre Dame to "own Saturday night" -- in the months of September and October.  Moving every home game in those two months to an 8 PM EST kick-off.  Do you agree?

Notre Dame's Response to Sullivan Incident

The University of Notre Dame released a statement today -- outlining the steps it would be taking to ensure that they will no longer be using hydraulic lifts (photo of lift -- after accident) to videotape football practice.  As you'll see in the linked story below -- Notre Dame will begin using multiple 50' poles with remote cameras atop.  Here's the story:

LINK: NOTRE DAME'S NEW APPROACH TO PRACTICE VIDEO

A Former ND Great Needs Our Prayers!!!

Jim Seymour -- who Irish fans will remember as #85 in the Notre Dame gold helmet -- who was on the receiving end of many TD passes from Terry Hanratty -- is in need of our prayers.  Seymour (seen here on a Time magazine cover with Hanratty) -- is battling a very aggressive form of cancer.  Please keep Jim and his family in your prayers!!!

Irish Advance to Big East Championship Final!

Muffet's Irish beat DePaul 71 - 67 to advance to the Big East Championship game tomorrow night -- for the first time in ten years!!!  It wasn't a pretty game -- but, the Irish advance to play UCONN -- on their home court for the title.  Here's a link to the boxscore from ESPN:

LINK:  IRISH BEAT DEPAUL -- ON TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

Irish Move Up To #4 in the National Rankings!!!

Can you believe it?  The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame -- are now ranked #4 in the national college basketball polls!  Both the AP and the ESPN/USA Today/Coaches Poll have Mike Brey's boys sitting in the #4 spot.  Now, if we can win a couple of games this week -- we'll probably stay in that spot for the NCAA Selection Committee to pick us a #1 seed...  Here's a link to both polls:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME BASKETBALL -- #4 IN BOTH POLLS!!!

Strong Bodies Fight -- The Movie!!!

This movie may not gather the world-wide acclaim of Rudy -- but, its mission should!!!

"Strong Bodies Fight" tells the unique story of the relationship between the University of Notre Dame's Bengal Bouts and the Holy Cross Mission in Bangladesh.   I encourage all of you to click on the link below and watch the movie trailer.   A little "insider info" -- when you visit the site the "boxer" in the blue trunks is a fighter by the name of Leo Rubinowski '09 (Bengal Bouts Champion and Boxing Team Captain) -- his Dad Conrad, is a regular visitor to the ND GO IRISH BLOG!

LINK:  STRONG BODIES FIGHT -- THE MOVIE!

Mike Brey -- Yahoo's Coach of the Year!

Well, Yahoo Sports decided to announce their All-American Team and National Coach of the Year today for college basketball today -- and Notre Dame's Mike Brey is their pick for top coach!  It's the first National Coach of the Year honor for Mike Brey -- and if the Irish keep winning, it probably won't be his last.  FYI:  Ben Hansbrough was named Second Team All-American.  Here's a link:

LINK:  YAHOO'S -- NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR 

Blue Gold Game to be Televised on Versus!

For the first time that I can recall -- the Notre Dame Blue Gold Game will be televised.  The cable channel called VERSUS will televise the game LIVE on April 16th.  As a prelude to this -- on St. Patrick's Day -- VERSUS will run a six-hour NOTRE DAME marathon beginning at 5 PM EST.  First up, the Notre Dame vs. Penn State in 1992, followed by the USC vs. Notre Dame game in 2005 and then it will end with the Florida State vs. ND 1993 game.  Should be fun for ND Fans!!!  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  VERSUS TO GET THE IRISH!

Irish Win -- Play Again Tonight on ESPNU

The #7 Irish beat Louisville last night 63 - 53 in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament.  The win puts Notre Dame on a collision course this evening with DePaul -- the Blue Demons are ranked #12 in the country and beat the Irish 70 - 69 the last time they played.  The game will be televised tonight LIVE on ESPNU beginning at 8 PM EST.  Here's a link to the South Bend Tribune game story from last night along with the game notes for tonight's contest.  Go IRISH!

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE -- GAME STORY

LINK:  GAME NOTES:  ND vs. LOUISVILLE

Muffet's Irish on ESPNU Tonight @ 8 PM EST!

The #7 Fighting Irish play their first game tonight in the 2011 Big East Women's Basketball Tournament against Louisville.  ESPNU will televise the game -- LIVE -- beginning at 8 PM EST.  Here's the link to the game notes for tonight's contest.  Go IRISH!

LINK:  BIG EAST TOURNAMENT PLAY -- BEGINS TONIGHT!

2011 Big East Basketball Tournament -- Bracket

This is the first time the Big East Tournament will have every team play.  The fun begins on Tuesday with four games at Madison Square Garden.  The Irish will play Thursday night @ 7 PM EST against one of these teams;  Villanova, Cincinnati or USF.  Here's a link to the tournament bracket:

LINK:  2011 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT -- BRACKET

Hansbrough -- Only Unanimous Choice!

University of Notre Dame guard, Ben Hansbrough was named today to the All-Big East First Team -- and he was the only unanimous choice!!!  Here's a link to the announcement:

LINK:  HANSBROUGH -- ONLY UNANIMOUS CHOICE!!!

Are the Irish a #1 Seed in NCAA Tournament?

In the past 20 hours -- the so called college basketball "experts" are now talking about whether Notre Dame deserves a #1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.  Who would have thought!!!  Before the season started -- these same experts were predicting the Irish would finish among the "bottom half" of the tough Big East Conference.  Here are links to a Fox Sports story and a CBS Sports story -- on this very subject:

LINK:  DO THE IRISH DESERVE A #1 SEED?

LINK:  NOTRE DAME #1 SEED IN WEST REGION

Irish Beat UCONN With Hansbrough on Bench!!!

What a game...

With eight minutes to go -- I was wondering out loud -- "What was Brey thinking when he put Hansbrough back into the game with eight minutes left, four fouls and the Irish up by eight???

Then ten seconds later -- Hansbrough makes a stupid foul and he's on the bench for the balance of the game.  UCONN goes on 13-0 run putting the Irish down five and, if you were at my house -- you would have heard my yelling at the TV sure this game was over...

Yet, somehow the Irish were able to ride out UCONN's flury -- and two big free-throw misses by Scott Martin -- and still win the game 70 - 67 in front of a dismayed John Saunders (ESPN) who did his best to show his hate for ND all game long... 

It was the first win for a Mike Brey team at UCONN -- it locked up a #2 seed in the upcoming Big East Tournament -- and probably a #2 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.  WAY TO GO IRISH!!!

Here's a few links to the media's reaction to the big win today!:

LINK:  NEW YORK TIMES

LINK:  NEWS TIMES -- CT

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  ESPN