On the last day of the 2010s, it seems appropriate to look back at the decade in men’s hoops. While this year’s team has shown some flashes, it’s largely been blowouts of overmatched opponents and frustrating losses otherwise. Instead, let’s look back at happier times and remember 10 years filled with seven NCAA bids, two Elite Eights, and one ACC Championship. What better way to do that than by putting together an All Decade team for the Irish hoops program. What follows is the 100% perfect Notre Dame All Decade team. I also included a couple fun interludes along the way. Although as I mentioned, the picks are perfect, feel free to suggest any revisions in the comments.

Rules and Criteria

This is my made up exercise, but I decided to follow a few ground rules. Since a college program gets 13 scholarships, I picked 13 guys. That said, since Mike Brey tends to play shorter rotations, I thought a lot harder about the top eight or nine, while the last spots are more ceremonial. I didn’t set a quota for each position, but I wanted the roster composition to make sense. Unlike friend of 18Stripes Chris Wilson’s All BK Team, I’m not picking players from a specific season. Players get credit for their whole careers, not just their best year. That said, one ELITE season is more valuable than four solid ones in my eyes. Additionally, while the best teams will obviously have the most representation, I wanted a mix of players from throughout the decade.

I also only considered games played during this decade. Luke Harangody is obviously an Irish hoops legend, but he only played 16 games this decade which wasn’t enough to get him on the squad. Lastly, I tried to build a coherent roster that would play well together, not just a collection of guys with good stats. This was especially important among the starters and top bench players. This team needs to be able to gel when they face off against other All Decade teams, right? As such, I tended to pick second or third options from winning teams as opposed to the top dogs with better stats from less successful squads.

 The Starters

Unsurprisingly, the starters are heavily tilted toward the middle of decade Elite Eight teams with a couple guys from the early Big East squads.

PG – Ben Hansbrough – 18/4/4 in 2010/11, 2011 Big East Player of the Year, 2011 All American

After transfering from Mississippi State, Ben made the most of his time in South Bend. His 2010/11 season was one of the best in program history, and ended with him collecting All American and Big East PoY honors. He naturally played the point, but shot it well enough to play off the ball. I picture him sharing the ball handling duties with the next player on the list.

SG – Jerian Grant – 2015 All American, 2015 ACC Tournament MVP, 1739 Career Points, 690 Career Assists

Jerian’s leadership and playmaking were the prime ingredients for the most successful Irish season of the decade. He averaged 16.5 points and just under 7 assists per game in 2014/15, and had numerous game winning plays throughout the season. In addition to heroics as a senior, he famously scored 12 points in 45 seconds to force (the first) overtime in the bonkers 2013 game against Louisville. His driving ability, passing, and pick and roll wizardry fit easily in any offense.

SF – Pat Connaughton – 2015 All ACC, 2015 All ACC Tournament, 1465 Career Points

As Jerian’s sidekick leading the 2014/15 team, Pat was a huge part of the ACC title winning team. He shot over 42% from 3pt range as a senior, and rebounded well above his size. His spacing and ability to guard multiple positions make him an ideal fit in a modern roster. While his NBA exploits don’t factor into this team, he’s had a nice career thus far as a pro. Not bad for a baseball player.

PF – Bonzie Colson – 2017 All ACC, 2x All ACC Tournament, 1632 Career Points, 900 Career Rebounds

Bonzie had a limited role as a freshman on the 2014/15 team, but blossomed into a walking double-double the rest of his time at Notre Dame. The 6’5 “center” had an endless array of post moves, bank shots, and grabbed double digit boards his junior and senior seasons. He is perhaps best known as Coach K’s personal bogeyman as he frequently saved his best for games against Duke.

C – Jack Cooley – 2012 Big East MIP, 2x All Big East, 1017 Career Points, 792 Career Rebounds, 60.1% FG%

Cooley’s first two seasons were largely forgettable as he was best known for looking like a slightly smaller Luke Harangody. He busted out in a big way as a junior when he increased his scoring average by almost 10 ppg. He followed it up as a senior to secure a second year of All Big East honors. Cooley’s game was rarely pretty, but was always effective. Since graduating from ND, Cooley has played in almost every pro league around the world. He had stints in the NBA, G-League, Euro League, and Japanese League.

Interlude: Games of the Decade

Best Game at the JACC – Notre Dame 104 – Louisville 101 5OT – February 9, 2013 – Classic win featuring a wild end of regulation and overtime periods.

Best Game Road Game – Notre Dame 95 – Duke 91 – January 16, 2016 – Bonzie Colson scored 31 while trolling Coach K at Cameron.

Best Preseason Tournament Game – Notre Dame 67 – Wichita State 66 – 2017 Maui Invitational Championship – Maui Brey drew up an inbounds play to Marty Geben to beat the Shockers in the final seconds.

Best NCAA Tournament Game – Notre Dame 61 – Wisconsin 56 – 2016 Sweet 16 – Demetrius Jackson literally stole a win down the stretch to send ND to their second straight Elite Eight.

Best Conference Tournament Game – Notre Dame 90 – UNC 82 – 2015 ACC Championship Game – After beating Duke in the semifinal, ND used a blistering 26-3 second half run to capture their first conference title.

Some really good options got cut here including the Butler game from the 2015 NCAA Tourney, a home win over #1 Syracuse, a road win over #2 Pitt, and multiple fun wins over Duke.

In the Rotation

Pretty much all of these guys were real life teammates with the starters and showed great on court chemistry with them. There’s lots of potential for fun lineups mixing these guys and the starters together. I only identified the bench players by “guard” or “forward” since pretty much everyone can fill in at multiple spots.

G: Demetrius Jackson – 2016 All ACC, NCAA All Region Team

The top recruit of the decade grew up a stone’s throw from campus. Jackson split ball handling duties in 2014 and 2015 before taking over the point full time in 2016. His ability to play either backcourt spot, get to the rim, and shoot from deep make him an easy choice for this team despite only staying for three years. I see him spelling Grant or Hansbrough in the back court, or joining them in a guard heavy lineup.

G: Steve Vasturia – 2x All ACC Tourney, 1400 Career Points

While he doesn’t have the stats and accolades of others here, Vasturia was a key part of the best teams of the decade. He started every game on the 2015, 2016, and 2017 teams, and averaged at least 10 ppg in each season. He frequently took the hardest backcourt defensive matchup, and could do a little of everything on offense. On this team, he can fit at SG, SF, or even PF depending on who else is on the court.

F: Zach Auguste – 2016 All ACC, NCAA All Region Team

Auguste fills the role of a modern big man as he developed fantastic pick and role chemistry with Grant and Jackson. He averaged a double-double his senior year, and was a key figure in NCAA Tournament runs in 2015 and 2016. He’ll be a big part of a PNR heavy offense when Cooley is out of the game, and will thrive with an open lane surrounded by shooters.

F: Tim Abromitas – 2011 All Big East, 41% career 3pt

Tim was a perfect stretch-4 before those became commonplace in pro and college hoops. He was a big part of the 2011 team with Ben Hansbrough, and his torn ACL early in the 2011/12 season ruined what should have been a fantastic senior season. His 3pt% is second only to Hansbrough among players this decade. A five out, all shooters lineup with him, Vasturia, Connaughton, Hansbrough, and Jackson would be extremely hard to guard.

Interlude: Women’s All Decade Starting 5

PG: Skylar Diggins-Smith – 2nd in career points behind the next player on this list.

SG: Arike Ogunbowale – I’d like a statue of Ice Twice outside the JACC, please.

SF: Jackie Young – Do everything member of the title team and #1 WNBA draft pick.

PF: Natalie Achonwa – Key member of four Final Four teams.

C: Brianna Turner – Best defensive big of the decade.

This was very hard. Jewell Loyd, Kayla McBride, Jess Sheppard, and Devereaux Peters all have arguments to be on this team.

Back of the Bench

I considered Ty Nash and VJ Beachem, but ultimately decided on these four for the final spots.

G: Matt Farrell: 2018 All ACC, 1097 Career Points, 417 Career Assists

Would likely crack the rotation if not for an abundance of ball handlers above him. Farrell was an undersized and unheralded recruit, but shined his junior and senior seasons as the starting point guard. Made countless winning plays and developed some really fun chemistry with Bonzie Colson.

F: Scott Martin: 2011 All Big East Tournament, 776 Career Points, 453 Career Rebounds

Martin has the least impressive stats of anyone on this team. That said, his ability to play multiple positions and fit into a variety of lineups gave him the nod here. The Purdue transfer was a key player on three NCAA Tournament teams at the beginning of the decade. Unfortunately, only playing parts of three seasons at ND and injuries kept him from reaching higher career milestones. He recently filled the next guy’s spot on the bench.

G: Eric Atkins: 1421 Career Points, 589 Career Assists, 12.4 PPG from sophomore to senior seasons

Atkins was the lead ball handler after Ben Hansbrough, and trailed only Grant in assists this decade. He led a couple good, not great, teams to NCAA bids, and feels like a good, not great player to me. He made enough of an impact to be invited back onto the coaching staff after graduating, however.

F: John Mooney: 2019 ALL ACC, 14.3 PPG and 11.8 RPG in junior and senior seasons

Mooney is the only player from the current squad to make this team. Obviously he’s piled up points and rebounds the last two seasons, but neither team has piled up wins. That said, making an All ACC team while averaging a double-double earns him a spot on the team.

Again, these are perfect selections, but feel free to disagree below.