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

Media Reaction the Mornin' After An ACC Title!

Oh what a night!

Isn't it great to see a Notre Dame team take on a challenge like this -- these last three days!  WOW!!!

Here's what the media saying this morning about Notre Dame's FIRST EVER conference title of any shape or size in its 110 year history of men's basketball.

LINK:  YAHOO SPORTS

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  RALEIGH SPORTS

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE 

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

LINK:  RALEIGH SPORTS #2

Notre Dame's Post Game Press Conference

What a moment for Coach Brey, his staff, his players and the Notre Dame family!

Here's the post game press conference after winning the ACC Tournament Championship!

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

Notre Dame Celebrates ACC CHAMPIONSHIP!

Here's what it looked like on the court after Notre Dame's 90 - 82 win over North Carolina for the ACC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP!

LINK:  VIDEO

Pat Connaughton & Jerian Grant Post Game!

Got to love what these two seniors gave to Notre Dame basketball today! 

Here's what they had to say -- on court -- after the school's "FIRST EVER" conference tournament championship in men's basketball!

LINK:  PAT AND JERIAN

Media Reaction to ND's ACC Championship!

Here's the early media reaction to Notre Dame's ACC Tournament Championship win tonight over North Carolina -- the first ever conference title for a Notre Dame men's basketball team!

LINK:  CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

LINK:  SPORTING NEWS

LINK:  ASSOCIATED PRESS

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

Game Highlights: Notre Dame ACC Champs!!!

You will want to watch this -- great play-by-play by Jack Nolan -- CLASSIC!!!

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Photos of the ACC TOURNAMENT CHAMPS!

Here are the photos and video -- below -- coming from Greensboro over the past few minutes!!!

LINK:  CUTTING DOWN THE NET!

Can You Believe It -- ACC CHAMPS !!!

Wow...

Never been so proud of a Notre Dame team in a long, long time.

The team no one gave a chance (ESPN) these last two nights -- beats DUKE and NORTH CAROLINA in their backyard -- winning the first ever Conference Tournament Championship in the 110 year history of Notre Dame men's basketball!!!

Now, I must admit when we were down 9 points in the second half -- I didn't think we'd be celebrating a win -- but, how good was that 24 - 2 RUN that QUIETED that Carolina crowd!

We'll be the best #3 Seed in the NCAA Tournament -- come get some!!!

LINK:  ESPN GAME RECAP

ACC Championship Game Tonight at 8:30 PM

The Fighting Irish will be taking on the Tar Heels tonight on ESPN in the ACC Tournament Championship game at 8:30 PM ET.

Here's what the media is saying...

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  YAHOO SPORTS

LINK:  SB NATION

LINK:  TAR HEEL BLOG

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

#4 Notre Dame vs. #7 Virginia on ESPNU

The Fighting Irish men's lacrosse team will be playing on ESPNU today at NOON ET -- tune in!

LINK:  GAME NOTES

ESPNW Names Jewell Loyd "Player of the Year"

Notre Dame All-American Jewell Loyd was just named PLAYER OF THE YEAR by ESPNW for women's college basketball.

Congratulations!

LINK:  JEWELL