If you had a time machine and could send me back to the preseason to whisper in my ear that I’d have to write a heartbreaking recap after ND lost a thrilling ACC Champoinship game – I’d have taken it on the spot. Now that I’m here, however, it doesn’t feel all that great.
Let’s be clear. The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish are a hell of a basketball team. They poured their hearts out on the floor of the Barclay’s Center. Duke just had a little too much talent and a little too much help. Notre Dame came up short. Much like two years ago, the Irish were the fart in church. The team that was largely a side show for ESPN’s Selection Sunday Duke promotion and NBA Draft coverage played hard the entire night. Sadly, the ACC has their “signature” champion.
I’d love to wow you with facts and figures about how this game ebbed and flowed. We could do X’s and O’s about how Brey used ball screens to maneuver match-ups for his leading warrior. That’s all well and good. The reality of basketball is that you need to make shots. Notre Dame didn’t make shots Saturday night, and they are the ACC runner up because of it.
This stings, but let me try to throw some silver linings on this dark cloud.
Bonzie Colson is an MF’ing Warrior
Bonzie Colson, the 6’5″ center with hardly any major college offers in high school stole the show for much of the night. Colson put up huge numbers and led his team. Aside from Tatum’s eye-popping heroics for Duke, Colson’s performance was one for the ages. It is heartbreaking it wasn’t met with a victory and the MoP award.
Jayson Tatum Won’t Be Back
The freshman saved Duke’s bacon with some impressive late game heroics. When he put his head down and wanted to get to the rim, it was impossible to start him. He’ll make some NBA franchise very happy next season.
Matt Ryan Can Help
We focus on his shooting for good reason, but Matt Ryan is developing his all around game. He made some good passes and did some better defensive work Saturday. He is an important asset. Ryan is gathering critical momentum for him to build into his final 2 seasons in South Bend.
The NCAAT is Only Two Games per Week
I’m not even going to go back and look at the numbers. Feel free to go to KenPom or ESPN and get them for yourself. Notre Dame shot like crap. The Irish couldn’t get a clean look from three to drop in the second half, and that was the difference in the game. Their legs were gone. The good news kids is that NCAA games have a rest day in between. Notre Dame just took a team full of NBA talent to the wire on tired legs without making threes. They should be just fine in their NCAAT run.
This wasn’t the dream ending we were hoping for, but another 2 wins in an ACCT pushes Notre Dame to 6-2 over the last 3 years. Steve Vasturia has received all-tournament honors twice. Some of our former Big East brethren have yet to win a game in the damn thing. Be proud of your Irish.
Every trip to a final is precious. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sad. However, this Irish team isn’t a flash in the pan. Mike Brey’s program is building a culture of winning that is proving successful in this meat grinder of a league. I’m not taking a finals appearance for granted, but we were just here two years ago. I’m sad Steve and VJ couldn’t hang a second banner, but I’m damn excited to see if Bonzie can give it a shot next year. This isn’t something we “haven’t done before” anymore. The Irish belong.
Now, just sit back and enjoy a cold cocktail tomorrow during the selection show and realize what a blessing it is to be complaining about seeding versus sweating a bubble.
Totally agreed about your sentiments – ACC and ESPN got the champion they wanted – even all the questions in the postgame press conference were about how great Jayson Tatum is – very frustrating to watch that.
So excited for us to finally play at a true neutral site – I was hoping that the ACC tournament in NY would help alleviate some of the blue blood biases – yet is was to no avail, and we were yet again the road team in the ‘ship, yet we almost pulled it out. Mike Brey mentioned he’s disappointed in the support for the Irish in a pregame interview with Jack Nolan – hopefully this is something we can all slowly turn around.
I got to calm down and move on to tomorrow – I think 1 hour of Bill Walton announcing will help me doing that. Otherwise, if we hit shots, we can beat ANYONE. 2 yrs ago, we ended Duke’s ACCT, then they went on a run (not to discredit the E8 run we made). Reverse happened this year, we’ll see if the second half is also deja vu, but the other way… I wouldn’t mind if Duke fans complain in a month about how THEY were the only team that beat the National Champion this year.
Minor clarification – beat them twice that year.
I’m happy that if we were going to lose, we did it with such a poor shooting performance. Because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to get over the horrible first half officiating that helped put us in a hole.
What a game and what fight though. These guys never give up. Any time it seems like an opponent is going to stretch a lead to double figures and pull away, we hit some big shots and step up the D. Just not quite enough in the tank.
I wish we had gone to Bonzie inside down the stretch more, but who knows how the ankle was feeling.
If we can get under control Farrell, aggressive VJ, and rested Steve in the tourney, we can beat anyone. Even 2 out of 3 of those guys (with standard Bonzie of course) would make me feel good about our chances against 95% of the field.
Shots just didn’t fall in the second half. Bummer about the loss but another great conference tournament run setting up for a fun NCAAs. For a third straight season, I wouldn’t bet against Mike Brey in March.
I do hated seeing Duke and their coach beat us. But, we just couldn’t hit our shots. Tired legs, probably.
I woke up this morning feeling worse. The snow probably didn’t help.
What helped me feel a little better is how Brey and the boys ran Giles off the court. K couldn’t play him. We immediately put him in a ball screen and scored. That was humorous to me and somewhat proof that our “old guys at the YMCA” approach to competing in the league will continue to be fun (and frustrating for opponents).
And somehow Schulman and Bilas still couldn’t stop talking about how Giles had “given Duke quality minutes.” I usually love that broadcast crew, but man that Duke infatuation at ESPN is grating.
But Duke has kind of become the Tebow or Cav’s of NCAAB. The soap opera drama around them and fascination with their “personalities” has become such fruitful #narrative. Fair and balanced don’t pay no bills.
Even with the loss, this has been one of my favorite ND teams of all time. On to the tourney!
Something very important to note about this ACCT. While it isn’t as big a deal as hanging a second banner, beating Virginia and FSU on consecutive nights, in fairly decisive fashion is incredibly important for the long term health of the program.
Thinking back to Bennett and Hamilton both eating Brey’s lunch in the NCAAT not all that long ago, those wins prove that there isn’t some sort of stylistic barrier that keeps ND from beating those teams. There isn’t some magic formula we need to unlock. Play well, and those defensive minded teams can be beat playing our flowing open style. That makes for a wonderful long-term prognosis for the program.
Really hate Duke – Makes losses like this so much harder to swallow. Add in the One-and-done non-student athletes and I might be in a clinical depression. I am conflicted on whether beating ourselves with poor shooting makes it better or worse. To be firing on all cylinders vs VA and FSU and then so flat vs the dreaded Dirt Devils is just pretty frustrating – I am holding out hope this keeps the chip firmly on their shoulders heading into Thursday.
I do have confidence these guys can beat anyone with their A-game versus traditionally needing an off night from the opponent AND A-game to beat top tier teams.