Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME As a Big East coach from 2000-13, Brey ranked among the Basketball Hall-of-Fame luminaries in the league's esteemed history that began in 1979. His 146 league victories were fourth all time, behind only Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (416), Connecticut's Jim Cal- houn (309) and Georgetown's John Thompson (231). Brey's 2011, 2013 and 2015 Notre Dame teams also were the last to hand respective national title winners UConn, Louisville and Duke a loss dur- ing the season (the Irish were 2-0 versus Digger Phelps & Mike Brey: For The Record The Golden Age of Notre Dame men's basketball was from 1974‑81, when the Fighting Irish were a top‑10 regular and bona fide national title contender under head coach Digger Phelps (1971‑91). Independent status was an advantage back then, when Notre Dame was a main attraction during a time where only weekend games were televised (until ESPN formed in 1979), and it was an era where top recruits generally stayed at least three and often four years. After the program began falling in the 1980s and then had an abysmal 1990s, Mike Brey has guided the once rudderless ship into unchartered waters of NCAA Tournament success while playing in the nation's two preeminent basketball conferences, first the Big East and now the ACC, which should one day place him in Purcell Pavilion's Ring of Honor with Phelps. • In 20 seasons at Notre Dame, Phelps was 393‑197 (.666). In 16 years, Brey is 356‑177 (.668). • Phelps was 15‑16 in the NCAA Tournament (14‑14 when not including consolation games). Brey is 12‑11. • Phelps' highest final ranking after the NCAA Tournament was No. 5 in 1973‑74. Brey's also was No. 5 in 2014‑15. • Phelps posted the school's most famous win, 71‑70 in 1974 to end UCLA's 88‑game winning streak, while Brey has the greatest tournament run, winning the ACC title in 2015, including wins against eventual national champion Duke and North Carolina. • Phelps defeated five No. 1 teams at home, while Brey's 45‑game winning streak at home is the longest in school annals. • Both Phelps and Brey have four victories apiece against teams that eventually won the national title that season, and both have posted at least two‑game winning streaks in The Big Dance three times. The 57‑year‑old Brey has four more seasons to go to match Phelps' 20‑year run. But in Phelps' final four years, the Irish won only one NCAA Tournament game, and finished 28‑33 in his last two. A better ending hopefully is in store. — Lou Somogyi From 1971‑91, Phelps led the Irish to victory in two‑thirds of their games (393‑197). PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS