Notre Dame Up To No. 15 In AP Poll
Notre Dame made another jump in the Associated Press hoops media poll.
The Irish (16-2, 5-0 ACC) are ranked 15th nationally in the AP poll, making a jump of five spots from last week. They are also ranked No. 15 in the coaches poll.
“We’re all good. What were we today, 27? I lobby for 27,” head coach Mike Brey said with a laugh. “We’re good man. We’ll take what we’ve got. I love where we’re at, really proud of our group. We’re fresh mentally and physically.
“We’ll just see if we can keep plugging week to week. This league can flip on you in a heartbeat, I know how this road is, the length of the season. We’re blessed to be where we’re at.”
North Carolina is the highest-ranked ACC team at No. 9. Florida State, which hosts Notre Dame on Wednesday, is at No. 10. Louisville is No. 12, Virginia is No. 16 and Duke is at No. 18.
Notre Dame is the only undefeated team remaining in the ACC, widely considered the best basketball league in the country. Despite being on top of the conference standings and ranked just 15th, Brey said his team isn’t using that as motivation.
“I don’t think this group hangs its hat on that now,” Brey said. “They just love, they’re playing and they don’t get into that much.”
Irish senior wing V.J. Beachem said the team deserves top-10 recognition because of what it has accomplished.
“What we’ve done so far, yeah, but we still have work to do,” Beachem said.
That being said, he’s not surprised the rankings have reflected Notre Dame’s strong season.
“We aren’t really ranked that high ever, maybe at the end of the season after the tournament,” Beachem said. “It’s something we try not to worry about. If we keep winning and playing the way we are, everything will take care of itself.”
Junior guard Matt Farrell, though, dismissed any rankings talk.
“I didn’t see the rankings, and I couldn’t care less what we are,” Farrell said. “I’m sure a lot of people say that people don’t respect us. But I don’t care about that.”
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