Notre Dame's Path to the NCAA Final Four

Here's what stands in Notre Dame's way to a trip to the FINAL FOUR:

• ROAD BLOCK #1:  Princeton

• ROAD BLOCK #2:  West Virginia or Bucknell

• ROAD BLOCK #3:  Gonzaga, Northwestern or Vanderbilt

• ROAD BLOCK #4:  Arizona, Florida State or Maryland

We got a great draw -- other than being labeled a FIVE SEED -- for Notre Dame's game...


LINK:  BRACKET

Muffet's Irish Learn Their NCAA Seed Tonight

The Women's NCAA Selection Show is on ESPN -- beginning at 7 PM ET tonight.

It will be a huge shock if the Irish are not a #1 seed.  The only open issue is whether Notre Dame is seeded as #2 overall or #3...

Stay tuned!

LINK:  LATEST BRACKETOLOGY -- NCAA WOMEN'S TOURNEY

An Under Armour Surprise for the Fighting Irish

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?!?!?

Oh, just the new Curry's for our guys before they are released in May...#NotDoneYet pic.twitter.com/ZrcUeEVOoL

— Notre Dame MBB (@NDmbb) March 13, 2017

Next Up for Notre Dame: Princeton Tigers

What we know about the IVY League Champions -- they are a dangerous opponent!

Starting Lineup:

• Devin Cannady (Guard) -- 6'-1"
• Myles Stephens (Guard) -- 6'-5"
• Stephen Cook (Forward) -- 6'-5"
• Spencer Weisz (Forward) -- 6'-4"
• Pete Miller (Forward) -- 6'-11"

Notes:

• Cannady played his high school ball at Marian HS (South Bend)
• Notre Dame will have the height advantage if they start Geben
• Princeton won the IVY League at 23 - 6
• They did not play a Top 25 team this season
• Balanced scoring -- 4 starters average in double-figures, led by Cannady at 13.7 per game 

NCAA Tournament history:

• Last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2011 -- lost in their first game to Kentucky 59 - 57  (Kentucky made the Elite Eight that year)

What Does the NCAA Committee Look At?

Here is how the ACC regular season standings factored into NCAA Tournament seeding this year:

• North Carolina:  14 - 4 -- #1 SEED
• Notre Dame:  12 - 6 -- #5 SEED
• Louisville:  12 - 6 -- #2 SEED
• Florida State:  12 - 6 -- #3 SEED
• Duke:  11 - 7 -- #2 SEED
• Virginia:  11 - 7 -- #5 SEED
• Virginia Tech:  10 - 8 -- #9 SEED
• Miami: 10 - 8 -- #8 SEED
• Wake Forest:  9 - 9 -- #11 SEED

ACC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

• Duke:  #2 SEED
• Notre Dame:  #5 SEED

LOST IN SEMI-FINALS:

• North Carolina:  #1  SEED
• Florida State:  #3 SEED

LOST IN QUARTERFINALS:

• Louisville:  #2 SEED
• Virginia:  #5 SEED
• Virginia Tech:  #9 SEED
• Miami:  #8 SEED

Here's what you can deduct from the NCAA Selection Committee giving Notre Dame a #5 Seed:

• They didn't look at the ACC regular season
• They didn't look at the ACC Tournament
• They looked at who ND played in November and December

 

Notre Dame is a #5 SEED in the West Region

The Fighting Irish will play Princeton in Buffalo, NY on Thursday afternoon -- 12:15 PM ET tip off...

I can not believe we received a FIVE SEED -- disrespect.

• We won FIVE games against teams seeded at #5 or higher! 
• We beat the #3 Seed in the West Region (Florida State) TWO TIMES!
• We finished in a three-way tie for 2nd in ACC -- the other two received a 2 & 3 SEEDS!

ACC / NCAA TOURNAMENT SEEEDS

EAST REGION:

• Duke -- 2 Seed
• Virginia -- 5 Seed
• Virginia Tech -- 5 Seed

MIDWEST REGION:

• Miami -- 8 Seed
• Louisville -- 2 Seed

SOUTH REGION:

• North Carolina -- 1 Seed
• Wake Forest -- 11 Seed

WEST REGION:

• Notre Dame -- 5 Seed
• Florida State -- 3 Seed

C.J. Prosise's "Touchdown Jesus" Cleats

These were created by the self-proclaimed "shoe genius" Brittish Kustoms for former Notre Dame running back -- turned Seattle Seahawk -- C.J. Prosise.

Just click on photo to enlarge.

ACC Player of the Year Voting -- Really ???

I just spent the last four nights watching the top teams and players in the Atlantic Coast Conference play in their annual year-end tournament...

There is not a single player in the ACC better than Bonzie Colson -- let alone two...

How does the "ACC Voting Panel" place Bonzie a DISTANT THIRD in the vote for Player of the Year -- really???


FINAL ACC PLAYER OF THE YEAR VOTING:                                         

• Justin Jackson, North Carolina -- 24 first place votes
• John Collins, Wake Forest -- 15 first place votes
• Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame -- 8 first place votes
• Luke Kennard, Duke -- 5 first place votes
• Donovan Mitchell, Louisville -- 1 first place vote

BONZIE'S ACC RESUME for Player of the Year:

• 17.9 points per game (10th in the ACC) -- Jackson: 18.1
• 10.2 rebounds per game (1st in the ACC) -- Jackson: 4.6
• 52% field goal shooting (4th in the ACC) -- Jackson: 44%
• 1.6 blocks per game (6th in the ACC) -- Jackson: 0.2
• Only player in the ACC to average a "double-double"

ACC TOURNEY RESULTS for the TOP 3 POY FINALISTS:

Justin Jackson (1 - 1)

• 14 points (average)
• 3 rebounds (average)
• 11 for 33 -- shot 33% for the tournament

John Collins (1 - 1)

• 17 points (average) 
• 11 rebounds (average)
• 11 for 20 -- shot 55% for the tournament

Bonzie Colson (2 - 1)

• 22.6 points (average)
• 8.3 rebounds (average)
• 25 - 48  -- shot 52% for the tournament

NCAA Selection Show: 5 PM ET on CBS

Well, we'll soon know what Notre Dame's path will be to an NCAA Championship -- CBS' Selection Sunday show begins at 5 PM ET today...

After watching the IRISH these past few days -- I believe we have another March run in us.

Notre Dame is seeded as high as a THREE and as low as a SIX -- in the "bracketology" predictions linked below:

LINK:  ESPN'S LUNARDI

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

LINK:  TEAM RANKINGS

Duke 75 - Notre Dame 69 -- ACC Tourney Final

An ACC Championship "Turned on an Ankle..."

Notre Dame led 58 - 55 (with 8 minutes left ) when Bonzie Colson twisted an ankle and left the game...

He only scored 3 points and grabbed one rebound the rest of the way.  He had 26 points and 8 boards over the first 32 minutes of the game.

We were so close...

LINK:  BONZIE FIGHTS THROUGH ANKLE INJURY

Notre Dame Hockey's -- Last Hockey East Run!

The hottest team in college hockey right now -- your Fighting Irish!

Notre Dame is 7 - 1 - 1 in their last nine games after this weekend's sweep over 10th ranked Providence in the Hockey East Quarterfinals!

The Irish move on to Boston's TD Gardens Friday night to play a "team to be named later today."

It all hinges on the outcome of today's UMass Lowell vs. New Hampshire game. Hockey East will re-seed the final four teams prior to Friday night's games:

• If UMass Lowell wins -- the Irish will play them.

• If New Hampshire wins -- the Irish will play Boston College.

This is Notre Dame's "swan-song" with Hockey East -- as we move on to the Big Ten (that is not a typo) to play hockey next year.  It should be noted, the Fighting Irish won the CCHA tournament in the last year we played in that hockey conference.

Stay tuned!

LINK:  HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT BRACKET

Notre Dame in "Fighting Irish Green" Tonight!

Here's a great photo from the Notre Dame Locker Room at the Barclay Center as it awaits the Fighting Irish for tonight's New York Life Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Championship!

GO IRISH!

To enlarge the pano photo above -- just click on it!

Is ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars' Next for Brey?

An Opposition Coach Scouting Notre Dame

Notre Dame Nation -- Time to Vote for Bonzie!

Here's a link to the Hoophall Awards site where Notre Dame fans can vote for Bonzie Colson for the TOP POWER FORWARD in the country!

LINK:  VOTE FOR BONZIE!

Latest ESPN "Bracketology" for Notre Dame

Here's what ESPN's Joe Lunardi has to say today about where Notre Dame will be seeded and where they will play in the upcoming NCAA National Championship.

Official announcement will be made tomorrow night at 5:30 PM ET on CBS.

Here's a look at where Lunardi has the ACC teams seeded -- ND not getting much respect:

1 Seed:  North Carolina
2 Seed:  Duke
3 Seed:  Florida State
3 Seed:  Louisville
4 Seed:  NOTRE DAME
5 Seed:  Virginia
8 Seed:  Virginia Tech
11 Seed:  Wake Forest
12 Seed:  Syracuse

LINK:  BRACKETOLOGY

Notre Dame vs. Duke for ACC Title at 9 PM ET

Isn't this fun!

I can't wait --- these 12 hours can't go fast enough!  Took a lap around the worldwide web this morning to see what the "experts" are saying about tonight's ACC CHAMPIONSHIP game between Duke and Notre Dame -- see the links below.

What's the constant this week in Brooklyn? 

We were underdogs to Virginia, we were underdogs to Florida State -- we are underdogs to Duke...

I love this team.  Bring it on!

ESPN will televise this tonight -- 9 PM ET.

LINK:  DUKE BASKETBALL REPORT

LINK:  YAHOO! SPORTS

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Brey & Players ACC Tourney Press Conference

Coach Brey & Team: Post Game Locker Room