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Epilogue: 2017-18 Notre Dame Men's Basketball

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Bonzie Colson reinsured his foot during the third quarter in the NIT loss to Penn State.
Bonzie Colson reinsured his foot during the third quarter in the NIT loss to Penn State. (UND.com)
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Whether it’s better to be lucky than good is uncertain. What is more definitive is the 2017-18 Notre Dame men’s basketball program came up short in both areas.

It was unquestionably a team besieged by severe misfortune, but overall it just wasn’t quite good enough either to be a viable ACC or even Elite Eight contender like it was each of the past three seasons.

The misfortune is well-documented, specifically foot surgery on All-American Bonzie Colson in early January that sidelined him two months. Add to it senior point guard Matt Farrell missing about a half-dozen ACC games with his own injury, plus gradually progressing freshman D.J. Harvey out of commission the final two months, resulting in knee surgery that will sideline him at least into next October.

That is basically three of your top four scoring threats. Take away three of the top four scoring options anywhere and your margin of error is somewhere barely north of zero. Even world champion Golden State can lose to hapless 23-47 Sacramento without Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant in the lineup — as it did on Friday night.

The consequence is the sophomore class with T.J. Gibbs, John Mooney and Nik Djogo — plus junior Rex Pflueger — were thrust into expanded roles they weren’t quite ready to assume at this stage of their development (although Gibbs has potential future All-ACC capabilities in his future).

Nevertheless, even when at full health, signs of the 2017-18 Notre Dame team not quite having the same overall mojo as its three predecessors began to show early.

First it was in a blowout loss at Michigan State, followed by a stunning loss at home to Ball State before squandering a significant lead in the closing minutes while falling to so-so Indiana in the Crossroads Classic.

The latter two especially revived memories of the 15-17 campaign in 2013-14. The Ball State setback at home was like losing at home to Indiana State (and North Dakota State) in 2013-14 during non-conference play. The defeat to Big Ten school Indiana in the closing minute somewhat resembled falling to Big Ten member Ohio State in 2013-14 after the Irish held an eight-point lead with less than two minutes remaining before going down to a 64-61 defeat.

That same year, leading scorer Jerian Grant was sidelined during the conference season because of academic ineligibility, while this time it was Colson because of injury.

In the end there just wasn’t enough firepower — just like against Penn State in the second-round NIT loss. With both Colson and Farrell in the lineup, the Irish opened the game with three straight turnovers (and four in the first five possessions) and trailed 21-10 after the first quarter.

It never led while at home, trailed by 14 entering the fourth quarter, and couldn't come closer than seven points thereafter.

Would Notre Dame have received an NCAA Tournament bid had Colson been healthy all season?

Hard to fathom that it wouldn’t have.

Would it have been a top-20-caliber team, as Irish head coach Mike Brey indicated during the ACC Tournament?

Given some of the chinks in the armor shown in December, probably not. It might have been more comparable to last year’s NCAA Tournament team that was bested in the second round by a better West Virginia team — and that was with even savvy seniors such as Steve Vasturia and V.J. Beachem in the lineup to complement Colson and Farrell.

With or without Colson, Notre Dame was not quite as good as Penn State, whose length and defensive range were conspicuous, in this game. The Nittany Lions earned the win even without one of their own best players in the lineup, 6-9 forward Mike Watkins (12.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game).

“They were really good in defending us really well,” said Brey upon completing his 18th season at Notre Dame. “We just couldn’t get into any offensive rhythm, and I think Penn State is the one to blame for that — or give credit to.

“They’ve got a lot of length and size, they switch a lot of stuff with athletic guys. The size of their perimeter players really gave us problems, especially Matt. They’re doubling and there’s a lot of length around him. People have come after him and taken him away and they did a very good job taking him away.”

It was a fitting conclusion to a season of trials and never-ending challenges. Notre Dame often was valiant, generally almost always upbeat amid the circumstances … but just not quite good or fortunate enough.


Senior Farewell

The three-man class of four-year graduating seniors Colson, Farrell and center Martinis Geben perhaps represented the culture of overachievement and progress in Brey’s program better — as did fifth-year senior Austin Torres — than any he’s had.

All arrived as three-star prospects: Colson as a “tweener” up front and ranked No. 145 nationally, Geben as a project, and Farrell deemed a bit of a reach at a Power 5 school.

Yet there was Colson earning All-American honors and becoming only the fifth player in school history to record at least 1,600 points and 900 rebounds during his career.

There was Farrell willing himself into the lineup as a where-did-he-come sophomore in 2016 en route to the Elite Eight, becoming one of the nation’s most improved players in 2017 and receiving third-team All-ACC honors as a senior.

There was Geben, who had the look of a hopeless prospect two years ago, and one contemplating a transfer — before becoming a regular double-double threat in the ACC.

“The one thing we talk about in recruiting for our program is guys get better here,” Brey said. “You hang in there with us and plug in, guys get better here. That senior class you can look and say they got better with us.”

Despite reinjuring his foot in the latter part of the third quarter versus Penn State, Colson was determined to play the final seconds and inserted himself for the closing minute, ignoring Brey’s edict to sit.

“First time I’ve had a guy sub himself — but if it’s him, it’s okay,” laughed Brey.

The three-man graduating class won 103 games in their career — seven in the NCAA Tournament, both school records over four years. The latter distinction is joined only by 1975-79 center Bruce Flowers.

This class wasn’t the centerpiece of that success, but it complemented its predecessors ideally.

“I’ve been blessed,” reflected Colson after the game about his final collegiate game. “First with my parents who blessed me to play the game… my dad pushing me to go out there and play every game like it’s my last, and I tried to do that in every game.

“This place has meant everything to me from gaining relations from my teammates every year, locker room conversations, team meals … all those things are going to be something I’m going to miss. It’s more than a game. This is brotherhood. Some people leave and they’re going to stay away. We’re going to stay in touch and we’re going to stay together. I feel that.

“I’m thankful and blessed to be here and it’s a place I’ll never forget.”

“He was such a pleasure to coach,” said Brey of Colson. “The edge about him, the toughness about him, the uniqueness of his game. He’s been such a winner for us. He’s one of my favorites I’ve ever had.

“I think the thing that really helped me (this season) was how great our players were, especially our seniors. There were days where I’m really faking it — and they’re upbeat and good and they’re doing it.

“This senior class, and probably this team, will have a special spot in my heart … When you have seniors like that, they help the coach.”


Déjà Vu

When I saw the NIT matchups last Sunday and noticed the potential of drawing Penn State in round 2, my thoughts turned to the last time the Irish were in the NIT — 2009, when the Nittany Lions also eliminated Notre Dame in the NIT.

• That Irish team finished 21-15, and so did this one.

• The 2009 Notre Dame team recorded an 8-10 mark in the Big East, and so did this one in the ACC.

I didn’t think more of it, but then I saw this post by someone with the handle of Irishmitten on ND Nation.

I usually will research these comparisons from the past to present myself, but found myself envious of the other similarities he found between the 2009 Irish and the 2018 edition. In addition to the aforementioned above, he noted:

• The 2009 Preseason Conference Player of the Year was Luke Harangody. This year it was Colson.

• Both teams played in the Maui Invitational. The trip was highlighted by a one-point upset of No. 6 Texas in November 2008 (81-80) — and this year a one-point win versus No. 6 Wichita State (67-66).

• In November 2008, the Irish rose to No. 7 during non-conference season before losing to Big Ten foe Ohio State. This past December it ascended to No. 5 before falling to Big Ten foe Michigan State.

• The 2008-09 team lost seven consecutive conference games from Jan. 12-Feb. 7. The 2017-18 edition was defeated in seven straight league games from Jan. 10-Feb. 3.

• Senior guard Kyle McAlarney set a school record that year with 10 made threes versus North Carolina. Farrell did the same this year at Boston College.

• The 2008-09 team had four players in their final years in McAlarney, Ryan Ayers, Zach Hillesland and Luke Zeller. So did this year’s squad with Colson, Farrell, Geben and Torres.

• Ayers was a senior on the 2008-09 roster, and an assistant coach on this year’s crew.

The more things change …

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