Notre Dame basketball: Irish MBB dream ends in Round of 32
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame basketball team saw their 2021-22 season come to an end on Sunday night, but not after an incredible run to the Round of 32.
On Sunday, the Notre Dame basketball team took on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Round of 32 action in the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Irish were able to punch their ticket to the Round of 32 after upsetting the Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday, this after making the Round of 64 after winning their First Four game against Rutgers.
Going into this matchup, the Irish were heavy underdogs, but as they have done all season long, they pushed the Red Raiders to the brink. In fact, for a while in the second half, it looked like the Irish would be punching their ticket to the Sweet 16, which would be a fitting end to a career for so many veteran faces on this roster.
Instead, the Red Raiders used their physical style of play to eliminate the Irish with a late-game run, coming away with a 59-53 victory. For the Irish, it was a sad end to a season that saw them go on an incredible run after the calendar turned to 2022, and one that saw a star emerge in Blake Wesley.
Now, it is back to the drawing board for head coach Mike Brey.
Notre Dame basketball exceeded expectations in 2021-22
The Irish struggled out of the gate this season, and it was not until they inserted true freshman Blake Wesley into the starting lineup that their fortunes started to change. In his first game, Wesley hit the game-winning shot against Kentucky, and from there, the Irish went on to be one of the hottest teams in the country.
The Irish are losing a ton of talent after this season, but there is elite help on the way in the player of J.J. Starling. They also have to wait and see what Wesley’s plans are, as he is a potential first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and could be one-and-done.