Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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even tell you what happened in the last three overtimes. It's one of those things where I don't think we found [a will to win]; I think we've had it all along. … I was working out extra with the coaches trying to be ready for my opportunity and be ready for it. I'm just happy I got my opportunity." The victory improved Notre Dame's overall record to 19-5 and its league mark to 7-4, keeping the Irish within striking distance of conference leaders Syracuse and Marquette, which were tied at 8-2. Notre Dame and Louisville were tied for fifth place with seven conference games remaining before the Big East Championship in New York City March 12-16. The top four squads earn double byes in the league tournament. ✦ Notre Dame To Compete In Big East One More Year Whatever happens the rest of this season for the Notre Dame men's basketball team, its Big East Conference swan song is now officially scheduled for 2013-14, head coach Mike Brey confirmed on Feb. 6. A deal to move all Fighting Irish sports other than football and hockey to the ACC was announced in September, and both Brey and Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick appeared eager to make the switch by the start of the next academic year. The football program's contract to play five ACC teams per year is to kick in beginning in 2014, but Swarbrick revealed in December that the school wasn't bound by the same potential early exit penalties for the remainder of its athletic stable like other Big East institutions. That scheduling for next season is already in motion. Combined with a lack of progression by the seven Catholic basketball programs in the Big East expected to break away and form their own conference — now believed to be in 2014‑15 — Swarbrick made the decision on Feb. 1 to stay put for one more year. "It looked like the Catholic schools were not going to be able to formulate this league that they're going to put together by next season," Brey explained. "I think they feel they're going to be in [the Big East next year], we're going to be in there, so the last hurrah is going to be next year, not this year." A sentimental Brey didn't appear all that disap- pointed by the news. "You know what? I'm okay with that," he said. "I've had a little buyer's remorse on this ACC [deal]. Going through the [Big East this year] and playing in all these buildings and wondering if it's going to be the last [time]. … That you know you're in the Big East, you can start to schedule your non-league stuff. "Right now, we have Indiana down at the Crossroads [Classic], and it looks like we'll be in the Gotham Classic, which ends up playing Ohio State in [Madison Square] Garden as far as power games. Santa Clara will come here on a one-game stint. After that, now that we know we'll be in the Big East, we'll start to investigate what we want to do with other stuff." Notre Dame has never won a Big East regularseason title or conference tournament crown since joining in 1995, but its presence in the league has significantly enhanced the program. "It's great. How about the drama in college basketball?" Brey said. "It's going to make for an unbelievable NCAA Tournament. I just hope we can be part of that thing. We just want to get one of those 68 spots. Our league continues to be the drama queen league and the most-watched league. It's just amazing what's going on. We're right in the thick of this thing." — Wes Morgan