Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1170354
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 30, 2019 49 MEN'S BASKETBALL Two years later, a record 11 Big East teams among its 16 received a bid to the NCAA Tournament, including the No. 2-seeded Fighting Irish. Connecti- cut, which finished only 9-9 in the con- ference and 0-2 versus Notre Dame, went on to win the national title. Despite having to start the cam- paign at North Carolina, Brey be- lieves the 20-game league schedule will aid the conference and college basketball in general. "Last year college basketball up- ticked because Zion [Williams] was playing, but it's been on a down tick," Brey said. "We have to do any- thing we can to move the needle." Prior to Christmas this year, Notre Dame will play at North Carolina (Nov. 6), at Maryland in the ACC/ Big Ten Challenge (Dec. 4), league rival Boston College at home (Dec. 7), UCLA at home (Dec. 14) and Indiana in the Crossroads Classic at India- napolis (Dec. 21). The 20-game ACC schedule overall is broken down as follows: Home-and-home opponents: Bos- ton College, Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina, Syracuse and Wake Forest. Home only: Louisville, Miami, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech. Away only: Clemson, Duke, North Carolina State and Virginia. ✦ NEWS & NOTES • Although the sparkling new Rolfs Athletics Hall for the basketball programs opened near the end of 2018, it wasn't until this year when all amenities were in place that Brey and his team have settled in to take advantage of it. "When we were in the Big East, it was not a big deal to not have a great practice facility because Seton Hall, Rutgers, Providence, St. John's DePaul, Georgetown, Villanova didn't have much … it was fine," Brey said. "But once we jumped into the ACC [in 2013], they all have the ammo. "As good as the Big East was — and we were there when it was at its best — this is another level. The Big East also went more in cycles where sometimes Georgetown, Villanova, UConn, Pitt were off, so you could sneak in a year or two. "In the ACC, Virginia, Duke and North Carolina are not going anywhere, so you're chasing four through nine [among 15 teams] regularly to try to get a bid." Still, Brey recalls with some humor now how frustrated he used to be in not finding court time during the summer for the players. "One time we investigated using the gym at St. Mary's, and we called over there," he said of the all-women's college across from the Notre Dame campus. "We would lift in the ice arena — and then one time I'm watching four of our guys driving on the back of [2011 Big East Player of the Year] Ben Hansbrough's truck to get there. "That's the only time I got really pissed and brought it up to [director of athletics] Jack [Swarbrick]. Jack said, 'Let's get shuttle buses,' — and I was like, 'Now we're really looking ridiculous!'" • Athlon, Lindy's and Street & Smith's have all hit the newsstands with their preseason projections for the 2019-20 college basketball season. All three have the Fighting Irish improving from last season's 14-19 (3-15 in the ACC) disap- pointment, but not enough to make the NCAA Tournament. Athlon and Lindy's both have Notre Dame finishing seventh in the 15-team ACC, while Street & Smith's has it No. 11. Senior forward John Mooney, who recorded 20 double-dou- bles last year and led the league in rebounding to earn third- team All-ACC honors, has been a popular preseason first-team All-ACC selection. • Immense sadness hit the basketball program when fifth- year senior guard/captain Rex Pflueger's mother, Rebecca, lost her battle to cancer this month. Pflueger posted on his Ins- tagram account: "I can write a book about how much I love you but I'll say this … Thank you for being the best mother and the most loving/caring individual I have ever met. Your radiating positivity will remain in every person you have ever known and I can wholeheartedly say you made this world a better place. I love you Momma, say hi to Grandpa for me and I'll see you on the other side #Pfamily- OverEverything." 2019-20 NOTRE DAME MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Time (ET) Oct. 29 Capital University! 7 p.m. Nov. 1 Bellarmine! 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at North Carolina* (ACCN) 7 p.m. Nov. 9 Robert Morris^ 12 p.m. Nov. 12 Howard^ 7 p.m. Nov. 15 Marshall^ 7 p.m. Nov. 18 Presbyterian 7 p.m. Nov. 21 Toledo^ 7 p.m. Nov. 26 Fairleigh Dickinson 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at Maryland# (ESPN/2) 7:15 p.m. Dec. 7 Boston College* (ESPN2/U) 7 p.m. Dec. 10 Detroit Mercy 7 p.m. Dec. 14 UCLA 7 p.m. Dec. 21 vs. Indiana& 2 p.m. Dec. 29 Alabama A&M 7 p.m. Jan. 4 at Syracuse* (ESPN2/U) 4 p.m. Jan. 8 at NC State* (ESPN2/U) 7 p.m. Jan. 11 Louisville* (ESPN) 2 p.m. Jan. 15 at Georgia Tech* (ACCN) 6 or 8 p.m. Jan. 22 Syracuse* (ESPN/2/U) 7 p.m. Jan. 25 at Florida State* (TBA) 12 p.m. Jan. 29 Wake Forest* (ACCN) 9 p.m. Feb. 1 Georgia Tech* (RSN) 12 p.m. Feb. 5 Pittsburgh* (ACCN) 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at Clemson* (ACCN) 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at Virginia* (ESPN2/U) 9 p.m. Feb. 15 at Duke* (TBA) 4 p.m. Feb. 17 North Carolina* (ESPN) 7 p.m. Feb. 23 Miami* (ACCN) 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at Boston College* (ACCN) 9 p.m. Feb. 29 at Wake Forest* (RSN) 4 p.m. Mar. 4 Florida State* (ESPN2/U) 9 p.m. Mar. 7 Virginia Tech* (ACCN) TBA Mar. 10-14 ACC Tournament$ (ACCN/ESPN) TBA ! Exhibition; * ACC game; ^ Men Against Breast Cancer Invitational; # ACC/Big Ten Challenge; & Crossroads Classic at Indianapolis; $ at Greens - boro, N.C.; ACCN — ACC Network Senior forward John Mooney, who recorded 20 double-doubles last year and led the league in rebounding, is projected to vie for ACC Player of the Year honors. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN