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Notre Dame Basketball: There’s Reason to Believe Next Season Will be Better

By Noah Strackbein

Jan 4, 2017; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Matt Farrell (5) is helped up forward Bonzie Colson (35) after a foul in the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at the Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame won 77-70. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2017; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Matt Farrell (5) is helped up forward Bonzie Colson (35) after a foul in the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at the Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame won 77-70. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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After leaving the 2017 NCAA Tournament much early than expected, Notre Dame basketball may be depressed, but there’s strong reason to believe next season will be much better.

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A 9-0 start to the season, ACC Championship run, and four All-ACC members gave Notre Dame basketball reason to believe that this season was going to be one to remember. But after a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament, the Fighting Irish are concerned that their high hopes were just nothing more than overexcitement.

There’s reason to believe this season wasn’t a fluke, though. Next year, Notre Dame brings back their top two players, and despite losing two seniors, will add 4-star DJ Harvey to the lineup.

It all starts with Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell. After leading the Irish in almost every statistical category, these two will return for their senior seasons even stronger. As two of the best players in the ACC, these two are set for one final run in South Bend.

There’s little doubt these two won’t return as some of the best players in the country. After developing a strong base this year, next season, they are going to be players talented enough to lead Notre Dame to one of the top spots in the NCAA.

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Then there are the underclassmen returning for another season. T.J. Gibbs and Rex Pflueger were sound players off the bench for Notre Dame this season. Once, Pflueger worked his way into the starting lineup and Gibbs, they started to develop their game and chemistry with the team.

Next season, these two will have another year under their belt and should be a much bigger part of the team’s gameplan. As two offensive firepowers, Gibbs and Pflueger will likely be in the starting lineup from the beginning of the year. Notre Dame’s small ball lineup worked extremely well at the end of the 2016-2017 season.

Colson proved he could handle the frontcourt by himself. With only one recruit heading to South Bend next season, Notre Dame will be in the same boat as this year when it comes to their post game. DJ Harvey, the 4-star guard/forward will add a lot to the Irish’s offense, but his 185-pound frame isn’t big enough to match some of the forwards in the ACC.

Martinas Geben isn’t the answer in the paint. Over the last three years, he hasn’t proven enough to receive more minutes than he had this past season. Next year, it’s highly doubtful he earns a bigger role than he’s had towards the end of this season.

Matt Ryan didn’t start off on the right foot, but as the season progressed, we watched as he grew into the sharp-shooting big man Notre Dame wants him to be. He isn’t starter material, but coming off the bench, he could be a valuable asset next season.

Coming off the bench, the Irish will add John Mooney and Elijah Burns. These two weren’t ready to contribute to the team this season, but after a year of development, these two should be bigger factors in 2017-2018.

Add everything together, and you bring back a team ready for a Final Four run with one more year of experience. Give two of the best players in the ACC more to work with, and the outcome is something special.

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This team was ready to make noise this season. Give them more weapons, and you bring back a team looking to be one of the most dangerous squads in college basketball.