What we learned from two Notre Dame men’s basketball exhibition games
Two Notre Dame exhibition games against Division III opponents came and went without any drama.
The Irish played the second one Friday night, handling St. Norbert College 78-44. They never trailed in either tune-up. Cruise-control wins are the expectation when any ACC team, especially a tournament-hopeful one, plays a non-Division I opponent. But they can still be applauded, especially when looking around the country Friday.
While Notre Dame dusted St. Norbert, preseason No. 10 Kentucky – which comes to Purcell Pavilion next month – found itself in an unwanted tussle with Division II Miles College. The Wildcats won by nine.
Neither of Notre Dame’s games were tense, but they were insightful. Here are some takeaways from the two preseason contests.
Paul Atkinson Jr. is a centerpiece
It sure seems Notre Dame has something in Yale grad transfer forward Paul Atkinson Jr. Twice in two games, he provided the initial spark for Notre Dame’s offense. He posted a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double in last week’s exhibition win over Nazareth College. He ended Friday’s victory with 15 points, which included scoring or assisting on the first seven points. He grabbed nine rebounds.
“When you can throw it to Paul Atkinson in the post and people have to make some decisions, he is just really good," head coach Mike Brey said. "That was such a key get for us to plug him in. He’s on the backboard, has defensive quick hands.”
Atkinson started the scoring with a driving, spinning layup after taking a dribble handoff on the wing. He caught a post entry pass on the next possession and passed to guard Cormac Ryan, who made a three-pointer.
His contributions aren’t limited to offense. On the ensuing defensive stand after Ryan’s three, he poked the ball loose on the perimeter to force a tie-up. He scored in the post 40 seconds later.
You don’t have to squint to see Atkinson’s passing ability. Atkinson totaled six assists in the preseason and made several other impressive passes. He can pass off the short roll and find the open man when he’s doubled. Notre Dame even ran a give-and-go with him out of the post that led to a dunk from senior forward Nate Laszewski.
With Atkinson, Notre Dame has a post presence, an energetic rebounder and a forward it can run offense through. He’s also an active defender and had three steals Friday. Two of them came when he poked the ball out from behind in the post.
Blake Wesley is the No. 2 point guard
Brey is open to the possibility that freshman guard Blake Wesley could turn into a starter by season’s end. As it stands, he’s coming off the bench, but still plenty involved. Wesley was in Notre Dame’s first substitution group both games. He’s the point guard when senior Prentiss Hubb is on the bench – and sometimes when Hubb is on the floor.
Wesley’s second exhibition was quieter than his 11-point debut. He didn’t score in the first half and finished 1-of-9 from the field. He did, though, hand out four assists as a result of a few good reads with the ball in his hands.
“It shows how good a player he is," Hubb said. "Not just a good player, but he can stay level-headed. Sometimes as a freshman, it’s hard, especially if you’re having an off night shooting.
“He wasn’t in his own head or in every timeout having his head down. He was onto the next play.”
The shot selection may be hit-or-miss, as is the case with plenty of freshman guards, but Notre Dame can live with it as he grows and if he’s involved as a passer like he was Friday. The Irish need his athleticism, burst and defense.
All told, Wesley played 40 minutes in the two games.
The guard rotation
Between Hubb, Wesley, Ryan, Dane Goodwin and Trey Wertz, Notre Dame has an established and veteran five-guard rotation next to Atkinson and Laszewski. Freshman J.R. Konieczny is the most likely to join it, but that hasn’t happened just yet. He played seven minutes against Nazareth and didn’t check into Friday’s game until 7:12 remained. Brey kept a seven-man rotation for most of the game.
“There’s nine of them on my mind with [center] Elijah [Taylor] and J.R., but we kept it tighter tonight," Brey said. "They have to keep working and be ready.”
Elsewhere, sophomore wing Tony Sanders Jr. played nine total minutes in the two games and didn’t see the floor until late in the second half Friday.
A backup center?
Taylor appears to be the backup center, but the lineup with him at the five wasn’t the first one Notre Dame used when Atkinson went to the bench. Like last year, Brey downshifted Laszewski to the five, with four guards around him, as the first lineup without the starting center in the game. Goodwin played the four.
Taylor came in later in the first half of both exhibitions. On Friday, he committed a pair of offensive fouls in a span of 44 seconds and was whistled for one on defense 39 seconds into his second-half appearance. His two game totals: 17 minutes, nine rebounds, one assist, 0-of-2 from the field, one point and four fouls.
Sophomore Matt Zona didn’t check into the game until 4:21 remained and played nine minutes between the exhibitions. It’s not clear Notre Dame has a trustworthy backup center right now.
Early positive signs on defense
No one will trumpet Notre Dame’s arrival as a sturdy defensive team after holding two Division III opponents to fewer than 45 points. Still, these were two positive defensive performances. Notre Dame was engaged, talkative and did well keeping the ball out of the middle of the floor. It mixed in some zone, which Brey calls “23 matchup” because it’s less of a true zone and more of a matchup zone.
The next step is putting the clamps on Cal State Northridge in the Nov. 13 opener. It’s a game Notre Dame should win handily, but all it can do in these ones is string together good defensive days. So far, so good.
“We’re making progress on that other side of the floor,” Brey said.
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