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Notre Dame Basketball: Is it back to reality for the Irish?

By Chase Eyrich

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - FEBRUARY 16: Head coach Mike Brey of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts to a call in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on February 16, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - FEBRUARY 16: Head coach Mike Brey of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts to a call in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on February 16, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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After falling in overtime and failing to reach 50 points, there’s not much to say for Notre Dame basketball besides for we’ve seen this story before.

It’s uncanny how many close losses Notre Dame basketball has this season.

Can they just not close games? Or, are they just not good enough to run with the rest of the ACC?

With most of those close losses coming to the top teams in the ACC, the latter can’t hold true. The Irish can run with any team in the conference.

Lack of execution in the final minutes of games has become so prominent that it’s hard not to point all issues that have come with this season at.

While Virginia was never out of striking distance, the Irish were in a position to take control of the game. Instead, ND failed to score more than five points in the final 9:27 minutes of regulation and overtime combined.

For a team that prides themselves on their offensive ability, it was a timid performance to say the least.

Just a couple weeks ago, Mike Brey mentioned that when this team can hit ten three-pointers they’re walking away with a win. Then, it was said that the Irish can post 80-points consistently.

Both of those are true most of the time.

In Charlottesville, it wasn’t a race to 80 — it was an excruciating crawl to 50.

While the one-point loss isn’t the end of the world for Notre Dame, it’s a tough one to swallow.

Things were looking up for Brey’s squad. Four straight wins and all of a sudden the Irish looked like they would live to fight for another day.

Yet, those days are starting to become numbered.

Seven games remain for Notre Dame and the room for error is depleting.

Between a date with Duke this Saturday and a revenge match against Florida State in March, the Irish are in need to steal at least one if they want to solidify a chance at securing a tournament spot.

Their dancing shoes are not out of reach just yet. There’s some heavy footwork ahead, but plenty of winnable games remain. Four of the remaining games are against teams that Notre Dame has already seen this season.

Five of the remaining games are against the bottom half of the conference. While one of those is a UNC team who has been reunited with Cole Anthony, they’re also a team that saw their season practically end with a loss to Duke. The Tar Heels responded like a team that has nothing to play for as it translated to a 17-point loss to Wake Forest.

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That glimmer of hope that Notre Dame showed with their four game win streak is still out there. The reality of this season doesn’t have a cap of a NIT berth. Everything is still in play for the Irish.