Notre Dame basketball: This Irish MBB team is built for the NCAA Tournament
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame basketball team has had an exciting season, but in the first two games of their NCAA Tournament slate, they have proven they belong.
After a stellar 2021-22 regular season that saw the Notre Dame basketball team finish with the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament, many felt they were a given to make the Field of 64 of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. However, they lost in their first game of the ACC Tournament, and when it came time for the seeding, they made the tournament for the first time in five years but were named to the First Four.
For those who do not know, the First Four is a group of games that send the winners to the Field of 64, as the tournament starts with 68 teams. The Irish needed double overtime, but they were able to punch their ticket to the West Region and a matchup with No. 6 Alabama thanks to their victory over Rutgers.
In that game, the Irish showed incredible depth and resiliency, proving to be the better team. On short rest, they made the trip to San Diego to take on the Crimson Tide in First Round action, and it was clear that the Irish were the better team in that matchup as well.
If you truly look at this roster, and how it is built, they are a perfect team to make a run in an NCAA Tournament setting. After the first two victories, they should have more than enough confidence to do just that.
Notre Dame basketball could go on a serious run
The next matchup will come Sunday, as they draw the No. 3 seed in the West Region, Texas Tech. The West Region is loaded this year, as they have the No. 1 overall seed in Gonzaga, and ACC foe Duke is the No. 2 seed. If the Irish are to make a significant run, they will have the tallest mountain to climb, but this roster is built to do just that.
I could definitely see the Irish beating Texas Tech on Sunday, and from there, it is anybody’s guess as to what could happen. Gonzaga always seems to choke in big moments and based on this year’s bracket, the field is very even.
Notre Dame has a rare blend of veterans surrounding a true star in true freshman Blake Wesley, and against Alabama, we saw Cormac Ryan put the team on his back. That is the kind of team the Irish MBB squad is, as any night someone can come out of nowhere and take over.
Overall, you have to be excited about what this team brought to the table all season long. Hopefully, there is a ton of basketball left, and what the 2021-22 team did was bring the Irish Men’s Basketball program back to national relevancy.