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

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

Inside Look at Notre Dame's Win Over Duke

Fun to see -- and you've got to love Jack Nolan's radio call!!!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME LOCKER ROOM

Domer Cooley Sets NBADL Rebound Record!

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Jack Cooley grabbed a NBADL record 29 rebounds last night -- while adding 27 points for the Idaho Stampede in their 129 - 116 win over the Los Angeles Defenders!

I guess they don't play defense in the NBADL...

LINK:  JACK COOLEY'S NIGHT

Coach K and Okafor Talk Loss to Notre Dame

Photo: Got to Love Fr. Jenkin's Reaction to Call

Notre Dame fans were feeling like they were "getting Duked" by the ACC officials late in the second half of last night's 74 -64 win.

The ESPN cameras caught Notre Dame president Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. reaction (in the background -- left of Coach Brey) to a crazy call when Duke's Justise Winslow ran right over Demetrius Jackson and the foul was called on Jackson...

Brey and Players Post Game Presser from ACC

Notre Dame shocked the ACC establishment and the folks from Bristol, CT -- who were hoping for a Duke vs. North Carolina ACC title game tonight.

NOT SO FAST MY FRIENDS...

Here's what Coach Mike Brey had to say along with Demetrius Jackson and Bonzie Colson after #9 Notre Dame beat #2 Duke 74 - 64 to earn a spot in tonight's ACC Championship game:

LINK:  COACH BREY & PLAYERS

Notre Dame's Next Women's Hoops Star...

Cunningham, Riley, Diggins, McBride, Loyd, Turner and now...

Arike Ogunbowale -- we better learn to spell her name. 

Well Arike (who will be wearing an Irish uniform this fall) set a Wisconsin state record tonight scoring 55 points in her team's OT SEMI-FINAL win in the state tournament.

LINK:  ARIKE'S BIG NIGHT

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

Fighting Irish Beat Duke -- in Their Backyard!

How about that!!!

Notre Dame goes into Greensboro tonight in the ACC Semi-Finals and beats the #2 ranked Blue Devils -- FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON!

With the win -- Mike Brey continues to be the ONLY FORMER DUKE ASSISTANT to beat COACH K!

Folks, he's 3 - 1 in the matchups!!!

Also, the win places Mike Brey 2nd on Notre Dame's all-time career win list -- now 65 behind Digger Phelps.

NOW WE PLAY NORTH CAROLINA FOR A BANNER FOR PURCELL -- TOMORROW NIGHT!

LINK:  VIDEO REPLAY OF CONNAUGHTON'S BIG SHOT!

"Jekyl & Hyde" IRISH Find a Way to Win...

It was a tale of two halfs...

There was a first half when Notre Dame made almost every shot they took -- building an 18 point lead at the half -- shooting 62.5%

Then, it got ugly...  I don't have the words or the stomach for what we witnessed the the second half.  All I will say is thank goodness for Steve Vasturia...

HEY, it's the first ACC Tournament win in Notre Dame Men's Basketball history -- and we're playing on Friday!

LINK:  SHOT OF THE GAME!

LINK:  BOX SCORE

It's Notre Dame vs. Miami Tonight on ESPN

Tip-off is scheduled for just after 9 PM ET tonight -- when #11 Notre Dame takes on "The U" in the Quarter-finals of the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament in Greensboro, NC.

You can watch the game on ESPN.

Here's the latest coverage coming out of Greensboro as the Irish prepare for tonight's game:

LINK:  PAT CONNAUGHTON INTERVIEW

Jerian Grant Named USA Today All-American!

I haven't been reporting on the ALL ACC honors that Jerian Grant has been receiving over the past week -- because I've been waiting for the bigger honors...

Like ALL-AMERICAN!

USA Today just released their five-man All-American team and Jerian Grant is one of the two guards to receive this honor!

LINK:  USA TODAY ALL-AMERICAN

Golic Jr., Fox and Wood: NFL Veteran Combine

Former Notre Dame student-athletes Mike Golic Jr., Dan Fox (photo above) and Cierre Wood will be in Phoenix March 22nd trying to impress the assembled scouts from each of the NFL teams -- at the first ever NFL VETERANS COMBINE.

Here's the story:

LINK:  NFL VETERAN'S COMBINE

Domer Takes His "Ric Flair" to Jacksonville!

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Sergio Brown is apparently going to be signing a free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars...

Sorry Colts fans!

LINK:  SERGIO HEADING TO JAX

Sporting News Ranks the Running Backs...

There is a Notre Dame student-athlete in the TOP 20...

LINK:  TOP RUNNING BACKS

Keivarae Russell -- Training for a Return to ND

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Keivarae Russell has been taking classes and working out as he hopes to return to South Bend to play for the Fighting Irish this Fall...

A few weeks ago he posted a video -- broad jumping 11' - 1" -- which would have placed him 3rd at last month's NFL Combine amongst defensive backs.

Well, the video he posted this past week (see below) shows him running "sub-4.4" 40 yard dashes -- which, would have also placed him 3rd at last month's NFL Combine amongst defensive backs.

LINK:  KEIVARAE'S 40 YARD DASH

PHOTO: Coolest SKI HELMET of All-Time!

Notre Dame's Football Equipment Manager Ryan Grooms -- tweeted this photo today...

Notre Dame Hockey Puts UMASS Away 7 - 0 !!!

The Fighting Irish, coming off a 5 OT loss on Friday night -- beat UMASS last night 5 - 3 -- and they just finished off the Minutemen tonight in grand style 7 - 0!

The win, gives Notre Dame the series win 2 -1 -- and advances the IRISH to the next round of the Hockey East Tournament against UMass-Lowell next Friday night.

GO IRISH!

LINK:  GAME STATS