Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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48 AUGUST 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED MEN'S BASKETBALL BY COREY BODDEN A fter a disappointing 2017‑18 season that was derailed by injuries to senior stars Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell, plus freshman D.J. Harvey, head coach Mike Brey and the Notre Dame program is looking to hit the reset button and get back to the NCAA Tournament. The group hit the practice court this summer in preparation for the 2018‑19 campaign with several new faces in five freshmen and Connecti‑ cut transfer big man Juwan Durham. Guard Rex Pflueger and forward Elijah Burns are the lone seniors on scholarship, with Burns still having eligibility remaining after the conclu‑ sion of the season. With the graduation of Colson, Farrell and Martinas Geben, expec‑ tations aren't likely to be high for Brey's group. That is familiar terri‑ tory for the Irish. "I put up on the board before the first practice five teams in my past that were picked eighth, ninth, 10th or even 11th [in the ACC] that ended up finishing fourth, second and earned a NCAA Tournament bid," Brey told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "I said we're very much in this position. "We'll be picked 11th in the league with what we lost and not going to the NCAA Tournament last year. … Our past history here has been pretty strong. … I think it's a great atmo‑ sphere to develop in." The expected leaders of the team — Pflueger, Burns and junior guard T.J. Gibbs — are well aware of the view of their team heading into the new year. "I asked our guys what are the im‑ pressions of our team," Brey said. "Rex Pflueger said quickly, 'We can't make the NCAA Tournament.' That is accurate. T.J. Gibbs said, 'We've lost too much to be taken seriously.' I said two for two. "I think it puts a little chip on the shoulder, especially with the older guys. That's kind of the group we are and kind of familiar territory a little bit for our program." Brey won't have to wait until the exhibition slate this fall to see what his roster may look like on the court together. Notre Dame will spend time in the Bahamas from Aug. 7‑13 and play three games during the seven days against three different teams from that country. The timing of the foreign tour could not have been more ideal for the Irish and the coaching staff. New faces account for half of the scholar‑ ship roster, making the trip down to the Bahamas crucial for the team's long‑term development. Learning their fit within the Irish offense will be imperative to both the new additions and returners this up‑ coming season, and the three games and 10 practices will aid the players and staff in their quest to accomplish those goals. "The biggest thing individually and collectively is to gain confidence in their roles and who they are," Brey explained. "Like Elijah Burns and John Mooney as potential starters, Ju‑ wan Durham in his first year compet‑ ing healthy, the freshmen … I think the biggest thing is getting confident in who we are and how we play. "We have 10 healthy bodies who can play including Liam [Nelligan], our senior walk‑on, and we have 10 in practice. Everyone is going to play a lot." Brey is aiming to throw out as many different combinations as he can during the three contests. "We're going to change the lineup game to game and half to half," Brey said. "I'm going to start new guys every game and new guys every half to get different combinations. We have three games to really take a look at things. Everyone is going to get plenty of playing time." Guard Rex Pflueger is one of just two seniors on the Irish roster, so the 10 summer practices Notre Dame gets for its overseas trip and the three exhibition contests it will play in the Bahamas Aug. 7‑13 will be crucial to the young squad's development. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN RESET BUTTON The Fighting Irish prepare to defy expectations once again, starting with a foreign tour