Inside The Big East: Notre Dame

Mike Brey leads Notre Dame into a crowded Big East one year after Irish missed out on No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Tribune)

The run on the "basketball schools" of the Big East continued yesterday with a preview of Kevin Willard's Seton Hall team, and picks up with another Catholic institution notorious for its independence in one sport despite success in nearly everything it supports.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2010-11 Record: 27-7, 14-4 Big East)
Head Coach: Mike Brey (12th season at ND, 238-120; 337-172 overall)

Returning Starters: F Tim Abromaitis (6-8 Sr., 15.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 46% FG, 43% 3pt, 78% FT, 1.8 APG)
G Scott Martin (6-8 Sr., 9.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 43% FG, 33% 3pt, 64% FT, 1.8 APG)
Other Key Returning Players: G Eric Atkins (6-1 So., 5.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 41% FG, 35% 3pt, 70% FT, 3.2 APG)
F Jack Cooley (6-9 Jr., 3.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 66% FG, 52% FT)
G Jerian Grant (6-5 So., DNP in 2010-11)
Key Losses: G Ben Hansbrough (18.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 48% FG, 44% 3pt, 82% FT, 4.3 APG, 1.2 SPG)
F Carleton Scott (11.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 46% FG, 36% 3pt, 89% FT, 2.1 APG, 1.9 BPG)
F Tyrone Nash (9.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 49% FG, 69% FT, 2.6 APG)

To the casual fan, some of the first impressions that comes to mind when looking at the University of Notre Dame are the iconic gold football helmets, "Touchdown Jesus," the legendary "Play like a champion today" sign that each player taps on the way out of the locker room and into the tunnel leading them onto the field; and of course, the 1993 movie "Rudy." To the educated Big East basketball fan, however, some of the first impressions that come to mind are the continued stability of the program and its long-term success; not to mention the ability of head coach Mike Brey to take players who start out as nothing more than reserves, only to become all-Big East selections before the end of their four-year tenure in South Bend.

As Brey enters his twelfth season at the helm of the Fighting Irish, a longevity that makes him the third-longest tenured head coach in the conference behind Hall of Famers Jim Boeheim (Syracuse) and Jim Calhoun, (Connecticut) that talent of his has been no further prevalent than in the case of senior forward Tim Abromaitis, a former walk-on in the 2007-08 season who earned his degree a year early and is now completing graduate studies this year. Abromaitis truly has been around forever in the minds of most fans who know Notre Dame hoops; and when I called the January 3, 2009 game in which the Irish, at the time ranked seventh in the country, played St. John's at Madison Square Garden and were eventually upset by Norm Roberts' Johnnies; Abromaitis was a junior who redshirted that season after playing sparingly the year before, trapped behind the likes of Rob Kurz, Luke Harangody, Ryan Ayers, Zach Hillesland and Luke Zeller on the depth chart. Even Tyrone Nash and Carleton Scott, both of whom graduated last year after making the same transition from substitutes to starters over their four years, were ahead of Abromaitis.

Coaching a player up to the point where he defies his own potential is not the only talent Brey possesses. The coach has always been very well-liked and is one of the best interviews in the conference. As both myself and other colleagues of mine can attest to, Brey is always a highlight to speak to at Big East media day every October simply because you can see that not only does he enjoy talking to you, he also shows a genuine interest and appreciation in the questions that he is asked. This year's edition of media day, held one week from this Wednesday in midtown Manhattan, should be no exception.

Among the questions Brey will be asked this time around will be the status of his team after a shocking round of 32 loss to Florida State in the NCAA Tournament after a 27-win season in which the Irish could have landed a No. 1 seed considering that Pittsburgh, who earned the final spot on the top line of the brackets, was defeated by the Irish rather convincingly on their home court at the Petersen Center. Gone from that squad are three starters led by reigning Big East Player of the Year Ben Hansbrough, who is now competing overseas in Germany. The aforementioned Carleton Scott and Tyrone Nash have also departed, leaving Abromaitis, whose career in South Bend has outlasted six coaching changes throughout the Big East, to anchor the Notre Dame offense from the power forward position. Abromaitis will be joined up front by Jack Cooley, a 6-9 Luke Harangody lookalike now entering his junior campaign. Cooley solidified his reputation as an unsung hero last year despite averaging just three rebounds a night while only playing ten minutes per contest; and is a high percentage shot taker, as noted by his having shot 66 percent from the field a year ago.

In the backcourt, Notre Dame's lone incumbent starter is fifth-year senior Scott Martin, whose collegiate career comes to an end this season after battling injuries while also transferring from Purdue along the way. The 6-8 Martin is primarily a shooter in the Chris Mullin mold who can make opponents pay when left open from long range. A pair of sophomores will join Martin in Brey's guard lineup, with Eric Atkins running the point full-time now that Ben Hansbrough has graduated. Atkins averaged over three assist per game off the bench last season; and if you look at his game closely, it is very reminiscent of former Irish point guard Tory Jackson, who was one of the most underrated scorers and facilitators I personally have ever seen. Completing the troika of guards will be former DeMatha Catholic standout Jerian Grant, who did not play last season; but has NBA pedigree in his favor, with his father Harvey having played for the then-Washington Bullets among other teams, and uncle Horace being the power forward alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the first three Chicago Bulls NBA championship teams.

The Fighting Irish carry yet another winning streak on their home court at the Joyce Center with them into this season, and this one stands at 19 games. Notre Dame will look for No. 20 when it opens up on November 12th against Mississippi Valley State prior to hosting Detroit, Sam Houston State and Delaware State in the regional rounds of the CBE Classic. Brey has always scheduled Notre Dame in elite early-season tournaments, and the CBE is no exception after Notre Dame won the Old Spice Classic last season and was the runner-up to North Carolina in the Maui Invitational three years ago. Once the Irish make their way to Kansas City for the final rounds of the CBE, they will face Missouri and new Tigers coach Frank Haith in the semifinals, and either Cal or Georgia in the championship or consolation game. A home game against Bryant University serves as the final tuneup before Notre Dame's first road contest of the season, which comes in Spokane against Gonzaga as the back end of a home-and-home series that saw the Zags come to South Bend a year ago.

Brey's Irish squad will also compete in the one-day BB&T Classic in Washington, D.C. against Maryland and new Terps head man Mark Turgeon on December 4th prior to returning home for matchups with Maine and Dartmouth. A neutral court meeting with Indiana at Conseco Fieldhouse and a home game with Sacred Heart are the final games on Notre Dame's nonconference ledger, with Jamie Dixon and Pittsburgh having the honor of being the first Big East opponent of the season for the Fighting Irish when the two perennial conference powers collide on December 27th at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame's first Big East road trip comes in January, with the Irish playing their 2012 opener in Cincinnati before heading to the Yum! Center to face Rick Pitino and Louisville on January 7th, with USF coming into South Bend to play the Irish three days later. Notre Dame's first home-and-home opponent is Connecticut; and the reigning national champions will invade South Bend on January 14th, just two days before the Irish start another home-and-home series with Mike Rice and Rutgers in Piscataway.

After the trip to the RAC, the Irish welcome Syracuse into South Bend before hitting the road again, first to Newark and the Prudential Center to play Seton Hall before completing the home-and-home with UConn in Hartford on January 29th. Three of Notre Dame's next four contests are at home, first against Marquette on February 4th, with a road game at West Virginia sandwiching a two-game homestand against DePaul and Rutgers. The Irish will then play Villanova at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on February 18th before returning home to complete a home-and-home series against West Virginia four days later.

The final three games for Notre Dame this season come against fellow Catholic institutions, the first taking place on February 25th when the Irish travel to New York to square off against Steve Lavin and the youngest team in St. John's history at Madison Square Garden. However, past history has not been kind to Notre Dame in the Big Apple; as they have lost each of their last three meetings with St. John's at the Garden, and have not defeated the Johnnies at the "World's Most Famous Arena" since March of 2004. Notre Dame's final road game comes two days later when they invade the Verizon Center for a second time this season to take on Georgetown, with senior night for Abromaitis and Martin taking place in the final game of the year when the Irish host Providence on March 2nd.