Mar 07, 2011
Notre Dame Irish eye Big East tournament title, top seed
While Notre Dame attempts to return to glory on the football field under new coach Brian Kelly, its men's basketball program is enjoying its best season in decades and enters this week's Big East tournament as one of the hottest teams in the nation.
Following Saturday's victory at then- No. 16 Connecticut, coach Mike Brey's Fighting Irish (25-5) are up to No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Poll, their highest ranking since USA TODAY began administering the poll in 1991.
Moreover, Notre Dame, which has won 11 of its last 12, has put itself in consideration for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
The last time the Irish were a top seed was in 1979, in the glory days of coach Digger Phelps. Notre Dame was eliminated in the regional final that season by eventual champion Michigan State. A year earlier, the Irish made their only Final Four appearance, losing in the semifinals to Duke.
The 25 wins match the best season total in Brey's 11 seasons at Notre Dame. The Irish finished 25-8 in 2007-08. They also matched their best Big East victory total. They were 14-4 in 2007-08.
The Irish have risen toward the top with one of the oldest lineups in the nation. They start five seniors, paced by all-conference guard Ben Hansbrough, the league's third-leading scorer at 18.5 points a game. He has made 45.1% of this three-pointers.
"Our maturity and experience really help us," Brey said after his team held off UConn.
Notre Dame enters the Big East tournament as the second seed behind Pittsburgh, a team the Irish beat on the road Jan. 24. They have byes in the tournament's first two rounds and will play Thursday against Cincinnati, Villanova or South Florida.
See photos of: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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