"The Doubters" -- There Are Many @ Final Four

Seems like every media story I read has UCONN beating our Fightin' Irish on Sunday night in the National Semi-Final game...

They conveniently "throw away" the previous three wins this season by Notre Dame over Geno's team in this manner -- "if only for a missed shot here or...  UCONN would have won these three previous meetings..."

The IRISH, on a 31 game winning streak -- THREE of them against UCONN -- are obviously wearing the Rodney Dangerfield masks on Bourbon Street this week...

I LOVE IT!


LINK:  UCONN TO WIN NATIONAL TITLE

LINK:  ESPNW PODCAST

First Video of Lady Irish Arriving @ Final Four

Here's the Fightin' Irish arriving at the Final Four in New Orleans this evening.  Click on photos to make them larger!


LINK:  VIDEO COVERAGE

LINK:  TIMES PICAYUNE -- NEW ORLEANS

Two National Awards for Lady Irish Hoops!

It was announced today that Muffet McGraw was named National Coach of the Year!  And, Jewell Loyd was named National Freshman of the Year! 

WOW!

The Irish left for New Orleans and the Final Four today at 5 PM ET -- here's a video report:

LINK:  FINAL FOUR BOUND!

Let the Talk Begin: ND vs. UCONN in Final Four

It's unfortunate that this game isn't on Tuesday night for all of the marbles...

It's also a shame that the three wins already against UCONN this season -- don't mean anything if we don't beat them for a FOURTH TIME -- something I'm sure has never happened to a Geno Auriemma team in his tenure in Storrs.

So -- the media's pickin' UCONN over our IRISH -- big surprise.

LINK:  ESPN -- KATE FAGAN

LINK:  ESPN -- EXPERTS PICK THE WINNER

LINK:  ESPN -- MICHELLE SMITH

LINK:  ESPN -- ND vs. UCONN IV

LINK:  HARTFORD COURANT

LINK:  HARTFORD COURANT #2

Notre Dame Football: Back at Practice Today

Here's the video from today's Spring Practice "inside" the Loftus Sports Center at the University of Notre Dame:

LINK:  SPRING PRACTICE VIDEO

The Future of ND Basketball Tonight on ESPN

The future of Notre Dame men's and women's basketball will be on display tonight in Chicago...

At 7 PM ET the McDonald's All-American Girls Game will be televised on ESPNU -- and it will feature two high school stars headed to South Bend to play for Muffet this fall;

• #12 -- Taya Reimer;  6'-3" Forward playing for the East Team
• #15 -- Lindsay Allan;  5'-8" Point Guard playing for the East Team

At 9:30 PM ET the McDonald's All-American Boys Game will be televised on ESPN -- and it will feature a high school star headed to South Bend to play for Mike Brey this fall:

• #11 -- Demetrius Jackson; 6'-1" Point Guard playing for the East Team

That's Demetrius Jackson -- to the far right in the photo above -- holding his Skills Competition trophy.

The Mornin' After the Irish are Final Four Bound

As is the custom here at the ND GO IRISH BLOG -- we take a romp around the worldwide web to see what the media has to say about our Fightin' Irish the morning after a big win. 

Here's the buzz after last night's victory over Duke to advance to a third straight FINAL FOUR:


LINK:  DUKE CHRONICLE

LINK:  DUKE CHRONICLE #2

LINK:  RALEIGH NEWS OBSERVER

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

THERE IS ONE MORE NET TO CUT DOWN...

Skylar Diggins just might be the greatest LEADER to ever wear a Notre Dame jersey -- in any sport.

FIGHTIN' IRISH: BACK WHERE THEY BELONG!

The Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame won their 30th straight game tonight -- earning a THIRD STRAIGHT TRIP to the FINAL FOUR. 

LINK:  POST GAME CELEBRATION

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

Muffet & Skylar: THREE TIMES to Final Four!

The photo of the night...

IRISH Back to the FINAL FOUR -- AGAIN !!!

It wasn't pretty, it wasn't easy...  Can you say THREE-PEAT!

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish beat Duke tonight 87 - 76 to earn a THIRD STRAIGHT TRIP to the FINAL FOUR!

Now, it's time to play "that school in Storrs" for a fourth time on Sunday night around 9 PM ET...


LINK:  SKYLAR AND MUFFET INTERVIEW

LINK:  VIDEO OF POST GAME CELEBRATION

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  GRAHAM HAYS -- ESPN

LINK:  QUICK RECAP

LINK:  BOX SCORE

Video of Anders Lee Goal #1 in First NHL Game!

Former Notre Dame hockey captain, Anders Lee -- scores a goal in his first NHL hockey game!  Lee last played for the IRISH on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament -- here he is three days later on his sport's biggest stage...

That's Anders on the left - seconds after scoring the goal!

Lee scores on a "wrister" in the 1st period of the New York Islander's game with the Winnipeg Jets.  Catch Mom & Dad in the stands after his goal!  You'll also want to catch the Islander's head coach reaction to all of the questions from the New York media about Anders Lee...


LINK:  VIDEO REPLAY OF ANDERS' FIRST GOAL

LINK:  ANDERS LEE SCORES FIRST NHL GOAL!

Photos From NCAA Tournament Site in Norfolk

Here's a photo just "tweeted" by @NotreDameBand from the arena in Norfolk, VA -- site of tonight's battle between Notre Dame and Duke for a spot in the FINAL FOUR!

First Photos of Lady Irish Leaving Team Hotel

This photo was just "tweeted" seven minutes ago by @NotreDameBand -- as they play the VICTORY MARCH for the Fightin' Irish as they leave the hotel for tonight's game with Duke.

Jackson Wins McDonald's Skills Competition!

McDonald's All-American and future Notre Dame student-athlete, Demetrius Jackson -- won the McDonald's All-American Skills Competition last night.

Jackson, who will be playing for Mike Brey's Fighting Irish this next season -- was named a "CAPTAIN" for his East Team for Wednesday night's game.  You can see Demetrius in action at 9:30 PM ET on ESPN -- Wednesday, April 3, 2013.


LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES STORY

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE STORY

It's Notre Dame vs. Duke Tonight @ 7 PM ET

Muffet's Fightin' Irish face their toughest test so far in the NCAA Tournament tonight, when they take on the fifth ranked Duke Blue Devils.  The game will be televised on ESPN beginning at 7 PM ET.  The winner advances to next Saturday night's FINAL FOUR game in New Orleans against UCONN.

Tonight's game will serve as a "sneak preview" of what Notre Dame can expect next season when we join the Atlantic Coast Conference -- Duke (pictured above) won the ACC Tournament.

Here's a link to yesterday's press conference and a couple of links to previews of tonight's game:


LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  GAME PREVIEW

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE 

LINK:  DUKE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL VIDEOS

Samardzija Throws Eight Scoreless Innings!

Not a bad way to start a season...

Former Notre Dame All-American football star Jeff Samardzija made his OPENING DAY pitching debut for the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park in Pittsburgh against the Pirates -- and boy did he have a game!

The Cubs won the game 3 - 1.

How's this for a stat line:

• 8 innings pitched
• 2 hits
• 9 strikeouts
• 1 walk
• ZERO RUNS ALLOWED!
• VICTORY #1!

LINK:  SAMARDZIJA DOMINANT!

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES STORY

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE STORY

LINK:  BOX SCORE

Notre Dame's Anders Lee Signs With Islanders

Notre Dame hockey captain, Anders Lee is off to the NHL...

The IRISH junior center -- a sixth round draft pick of the New York Islanders back in 2009 -- signed a two-year deal this morning and is already practicing with the team.  Lee is expected to be in uniform this week (possibly tomorrow night) and getting some ice time.

Congratulations!

LINK:  ANDERS LEE SIGNS WITH ISLANDERS

I Don't Want to Jinx Our Lady Irish...

But, the door has been opened WIDE to that coveted National Championship!

The #5 seeded Louisville Cardinals pulled off the upset of ALL-TIME in women's college basketball last night when they hit 16 three-pointers in their 82-81 win over what was thought to be "unbeatable" Baylor!

WOW!

So, here's what's ahead for the IRISH:

• Tuesday night -- we play #2 seed DUKE, a tough opponent -- win that game...
• And, we play UCONN for the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP -- yeah, it's a game early -- but this will be the game!  Can the IRISH BEAT UCONN FOUR TIMES in the same season?  
• Get past UCONN and you're probably looking at TENNESSEE or GEORGIA in the "second National Championship game."

Going to be fun!

LINK:  WHO'S THE FAVORITE NOW?

LINK:  LOUISVILLE BEATS BAYLOR!

Skylar Diggins -- All-Time Leading Scorer!

Notre Dame All-American Skylar Diggins scored 27 points today (22 in the first half) to become the ALL TIME LEADING SCORER in Irish women's hoops history -- as ND rolls over Kansas 93 - 63.

2,323 career points!

Notre Dame now moves on to a game Tuesday night against Duke for a third straight trip to the FINAL FOUR!

LINK:  GAME STORY

LINK:  SKYLAR TALKS RECORD 

LINK:  COACH MCGRAW AND JEWELL LOYD

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  SKYLAR INTERVIEW -- REBECCA LOBO