Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/616353
MEN'S BASKETBALL defensive guards in the country; they may be the best. And [Zach] Auguste improved." Through the first nine games, that defense has only showed up in spurts. Notre Dame ranked 132nd nationally in defensive efficiency, allowing an expected 1.00 points per possession against an average offense. Notre Dame's worst defensive effort came in a close loss to Alabama Nov. 29, when the Irish fell 74‑73 to the Crimson Tide at the Advocare Invitational in Or‑ lando, Fla. The Crimson Tide had scored just 64 points in a win over Wichita State Nov. 27, and only managed 45 in a loss to Xavier Nov. 26. They also fell 80‑48 to Dayton Nov. 17. "I think defensive positioning and ball‑screen coverage with our bigs, I think we have to really hold them ac‑ countable there," Brey said after the loss to the Tide. "They've got to be better there. I think our help side has got to be better, too." The issue doesn't seem to be lack of competency, because the Irish have shown glimpses of defensive prowess. Following the loss to Alabama, Notre Dame employed a zone defense in the second half of the game at Illinois to great success, after a first half defensive struggle. The Illini shot only 13 of 37 (35.1 percent) in the second period, and the Irish overcame a double‑digit deficit early in the second half to win. "We played zone," Brey said, when asked about the major difference in the second half. "We played 2‑3 zone the whole second half. We stayed in it, and I thought we did a really good job. "It's something I think from watching 2015-16 NOTRE DAME MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Oct. 30 St. Francis (Ill.)* W, 87-56 Nov. 5 Caldwell* W, 81-56 Nov. 13 St. Francis (Pa.) W, 87-56 Nov. 17 Milwaukee W, 86-78 Nov. 21 UMass Lowell W, 83-57 Nov. 26 vs. Monmouth# L, 70-68 Nov. 27 vs. Iowa# W, 68-62 Nov. 29 vs. Alabama# L, 74-73 Dec. 2 at Illinois W, 84-79 Dec. 8 Stony Brook W, 86-61 Dec. 13 Loyola Chicago W, 81-61 Dec. 19 vs. Indiana^ (ESPN2) 2 p.m. Dec. 21 Youngstown State (ESPN3) 7 p.m. Dec. 29 Liberty (ESPNU) 3 p.m. Jan. 2 at Virginia (ESPN2) 5 p.m. Jan. 7 at Boston College (RSN) 7 p.m. Jan. 9 Pittsburgh (RSN) 4 p.m. Jan. 13 Georgia Tech (ACCN) 9 p.m. Jan. 16 at Duke (ESPN/2) 2 p.m. Jan. 20 Virginia Tech (RSN) 7 p.m. Jan. 23 Boston College (ACCN/RSN) 12 p.m. Jan. 28 at Syracuse (ESPN/2) 7 p.m. Jan. 31 Wake Forest (ACCN) 1 p.m. Feb. 3 at Miami (ESPN2) 7 p.m. Feb. 6 North Carolina (ESPN/2) 2/7 p.m. Feb. 8 at Clemson (ESPNU) 9 p.m. Feb. 13 Louisville (ESPN/2) 4/9 p.m. Feb. 20 at Georgia Tech (ESPN2) 8 p.m. Feb. 24 at Wake Forest (RSN) 9 p.m. Feb. 27 at Florida State (ESPN/2) TBA March 2 Miami (ESPN2) 7 p.m. March 5 NC State (CBS) 12 p.m. March 8-12 ACC Championship$ TBA * Exhibition; # Advocare Invitational at Orlando, Fla. (Notre Dame, USC, Wichita State, Dayton, Xavier, Ala- bama, Iowa, Monmouth); ^ at Indianapolis; $ at Veri- zon Center in Washington, D.C.; RSN — Regional Sports Network; ACCN — ACC Network