Mike Brey Notebook: March 4
Notre Dame is set to face Pittsburgh on Tuesday afternoon in the first round of the ACC Tournament at Brooklyn, N.Y.
The No. 10-seeded Irish and the No. 15-seeded Panthers played this past Wednesday, with Notre Dame prevailing 73-56 on Senior Night in South Bend. The winner of the first-round contest will take on No. 7-seeded Virginia Tech.
Head coach Mike Brey’s group is at full health and will look to continue its recent success in the Barclay’s Center. Notre Dame is 7-2 all time at the home of the Brooklyn Nets, including a 6-1 mark over the past two seasons.
“I wish I could put my finger on it,” Brey said Sunday afternoon when asked about his team’s success at that venue. “This group has loved playing in there. … We by far have the most wins in the building [in the ACC].
“Especially driven by this senior class there’s a little bit of a belief that it’s our place to play well, and I’m not going to do anything to play out of it.”
On Saturday, the Irish took No. 1 Virginia to the wire on the road, but ultimately fell 62-57 to the Cavaliers. With it being the second straight game with senior forward Bonzie Colson, Brey saw a team that closer resembled the one from early this year.
“First thing I said to our guys yesterday was we’re back,” Brey stated. “That felt like the team that was in Maui. Looked like it, felt like it, competed like it.
“Bonzie, of course, is a key part of it. I do feel really good where we’re at heading there.”
There will be no overlooking the Panthers (8-23 overall, 0-18 ACC), at least from the Notre Dame program.
“With everything we’ve been through this year, who are we to be looking past anybody,” Brey said. “We’ve been smacked around so much that we don’t take anything for granted. We’re going to prepare for Pittsburgh like we did for Virginia.
“We’ve got to play well on Tuesday and be ready to go. If we can advance you have a chance to play against a team in the [NCAA Tournament] field, which I think it is important.”
But the Irish would love to get another crack at a Virginia Tech team that defeated them 80-75 in South Bend Jan. 27, when both Colson and senior point guard Matt Farrell were unavailable due to injury.
“We lost a tough one here to them,” Brey exclaimed. “They are so explosive offensively with the four guards and the way they shoot it. Would love to have another crack at them with our whole guys.
“We’re focused on beating Pittsburgh and playing well. Yesterday I thought we played well and I want us to keep playing well and with a little bit of that confidence we had in Maui.”
THE BUBBLE
Notre Dame will be an interesting case come Selection Sunday if the Irish win multiple games in the ACC Tournament. How the committee values the team’s résumé due to injuries could be a hot topic of conversation if Brey’s group can make some noise in Brooklyn.
“I see it clearly now,” Brey said of the tournament bubble. “We’re flat out on the dang thing. We’ve come a long way from squinting in Boston after that game. We’re right in the middle of this thing. I’ve never been more pleased.
“There were some times in January and early February where I’m thinking can we get to the NIT bubble. I’m thrilled we can play our way into the thing. I love that we’re in Brooklyn because our guys love the building.
“It’s really about us now … given the unique dynamic of the situation. I thought we defended well close to 40 minutes. We have to do that again if we want to advance in Brooklyn.”
Being part of the conversation is music to the ears of the Irish, but they know that doesn’t matter if they don’t take care of business this upcoming week.
“We’re going to be really analyzed,” Brey stated. “We have to do some more and we’re aware of that. I love that they’re thinking and talking about us.
“All I know is the last 24 hours we’ve been the discussion. What do you do with Notre Dame? If you would have told me in the midst of that seven-game losing streak that a week from Selection Sunday they’d be trying to figure us out and talk about us, I would have taken that in a heartbeat. … We have a shot at it and we’re healthy.”
NO RUST FOR BONZIE
After missing almost two months of action, most expected there to be some rust in Colson’s game as he worked back into the flow. The senior wasn’t having any of it his first two games back.
Colson dropped 12 points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes of action against Pittsburgh, before going for 24 points and 15 rebounds while adding his toughness and hustle at Virginia.
The Irish will need double-double Colson to accomplish their goal of sneaking into the NCAA Tournament.
“Certainly, it’s an unbelievable statistical boost being a double-double guy,” Brey said. “It’s a big confidence boost. He plays with a great edge and toughness. I think it’s always been contagious to our guys. That was certainly lacking.
“We all saw it up close and personal at times when he wasn’t here. He gives us a little bit of that edge.”
Colson played 37 minutes against Virginia and was feeling the effects of returning to game shape.
“Body is sore,” Brey said. “He was a cramping a little bit yesterday. His coach plays him too much, you know how that goes. … He’s sore, but today is a good day to stretch it out … He’s just so excited to be back and competing.
“Man, does he make us confident when he’s playing like that.”
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