The Upside- Notre Dame | Syracusefan.com

The Upside- Notre Dame

SWC75

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- This team seems to really be coming together. The game of spreading the floor and driving to the basket for lay-ups or passing back out for treys seems to be working. After a couple of bad games from two point range, we hit 50% tonight, (18 of 36) while shooting 40% from three and getting to the line where we hit 15 of 16. That’s a combination that’s hard to beat.

- Remember all those Notre Dame sharpshooters who went off against us over the years? Trevor Cooney is our revenge. He had 22 points, including 15 in the first half. He’s gotten off to hot starts against both Wake Forest and Notre Dame and both games were blow-outs. What I liked about this game is that he only made three three-pointers: he made four point baskets, got to the line for 5 for 5 and had 3 assists. He’s so much more effective when he drives to the basket rather than just trying to be Mr. Three Pointer.

- Tyler Lydon had his best game since the Bahamas. He was aggressive both with his shot, his defensive play and his rebounding. He scored 15 points, including 3 treys, had 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a block. If he plays that way the rest of the way, anything is possible.

- Malachi Richardson continues to have an exceptional freshman year. He’s become one of the best players in the conference. Tonight he had 15 points. He attempted 12 shots of all types and made 8 of them. He scored one two pointer, three treys, (of 4) and four free throws. His highlight was a trey that barely rippled the net as he was being fouled, giving him a rare four point play that came when the Irish had just closed a 20 point lead to 12. It helped us keep control of the game.

- Michael Gbinije struggled in the first half at 1 for 7 from the field but came on strong in the second with 5 for 8 and wound up with his usual 15 points. He also has matured into a genuine point guard, rather than a small forward trying to play the point.

- Tyler Roberson worked hard for 9 tough rebounds inside and a couple of terrific follow shots.

- We went on an incredible 23-1 first half run to take control of the game. But the best thing is that we never let them back in it. Every time they made a move, be made a counter move. No comeback tonight, you Fighting Irish.

- This team is reminding me of the 2013 team that made the Final Four: so many determined drives to the basket. This team has more outside firepower to with it. The key is defense. When we play it like we did tonight, we are a formidable team. That team had two good defensive centers: Rakeem Christmas and Baye Moussa Keita. This team has had none all season. But DaJuan Coleman is starting to figure out how to positon his body to prevent people from getting to the basket and if Tyler Lydon is as aggressive as he was tonight, we’ll be OK there.

- Classy move to have the team wearing sweats with pearl’s name on them. And a classy move by Steve Vasturia to honor the Pearl by hitting a shot from the same spot.

14-8 (4-5) with 9+ to go…and only 3 more wins needed to guarantee our 46th consecutive winning season!

LET’S GO ORANGE!
 
14-8 (4-5) with 9+ to go…and only 3 more wins needed to guarantee our 46th consecutive winning season!

LET’S GO ORANGE!

I know you like to stay focused on the goal at hand, but it might be time to raise our sights. What once seemed to truly be questionable now seems almost all but in hand.
 
One month ago, I would never have expected to see a game like we saw tonight. I think it was the most fun I've had in the Dome in 2 years. Pure joyful entertainment to see our guys playing at the top of their games. So many good moments, but perhaps the best was DC making some good plays in the second half. The crowd roared. We are so behind this guy! Every single player on our team (except Franklin :() had highlight moments. Every single one! And what can you say about Cooney? Potatoes are firm and crisp! The students showed up and they were in fine form.

Oh oh oh! I even liked the new cheer the cheerleaders tried out (and you know they get on my last nerve). The guy with the mike would ask, "Whose house?" and the crowd would respond, "Our house!" This went on for several repetitions and then he asked, "Whooooooooose house?" and we said, "Cuuuuuuuuuuuse house!" Not stellar but a huge improvement and novel. Well suited to the big crowds of the Carrier Dome.
 
Think other posters have said this before, but Malachi really looks like a mini-Melo out there at times. His ability to pop the three, rebounds, not as well as Melo, but does it. Doesn't turn the ball over much and when he drives to the basket he gets followed or puts the ball in the hoop or both. I don't want to overstate this, cause he doesn't do any of those things quite as well as Melo, with maybe shooting the 3 as the exception.
 
OK. Good as place as any to write this, There is something screwy about us being first 4 out ... But. I know there are any number of teams that have beaten ranked teams. And I understand we have had some miserable games ... and some very close ones too. But how many teams being included already with Lunardi have beaten 4 ranked teams ... Connecticut, A&M, Duke, and now ND. Granted a couple are no longer ranked ... but they were at the time
 
Think other posters have said this before, but Malachi really looks like a mini-Melo out there at times. His ability to pop the three, rebounds, not as well as Melo, but does it. Doesn't turn the ball over much and when he drives to the basket he gets followed or puts the ball in the hoop or both. I don't want to overstate this, cause he doesn't do any of those things quite as well as Melo, with maybe shooting the 3 as the exception.

P.S. I am becoming more and more fearful of losing Mal.:(
 
- ...

- Malachi Richardson continues to have an exceptional freshman year. He’s become one of the best players in the conference. Tonight he had 15 points. He attempted 12 shots of all types and made 8 of them. He scored one two pointer, three treys, (of 4) and four free throws. His highlight was a trey that barely rippled the net as he was being fouled, giving him a rare four point play that came when the Irish had just closed a 20 point lead to 12. It helped us keep control of the game.

...

That was huge in sealing the outcome, but I think Malachi's highlight was dropping a three (and enjoying it) right after being charged with what I assume was a cheap make-up technical. That was awesome.
 
That was huge in sealing the outcome, but I think Malachi's highlight was dropping a three (and enjoying it) right after being charged with what I assume was a cheap make-up technical. That was awesome.

I'm super pissed I missed that. My DVR must have caught up to realtime when that happened and totally quit on me. When I got back to the game it was all over, but I did get to see that 3.

Was it double techs? That kid hit Mal right in the chest. After pushing Mal out of bounds and then some.
 
I'm super pissed I missed that. My DVR must have caught up to realtime when that happened and totally quit on me. When I got back to the game it was all over, but I did get to see that 3.

Was it double techs? That kid hit Mal right in the chest. After pushing Mal out of bounds and then some.

Going by the PA, it was a Notre Dame technical (#4, was it?)...and then, after a delay, a technical on Richardson. That's what makes me think it was a cheap one (though I didn't see what happened, was watching Auguste knock Coleman down on the block) - these referees are so consumed with advantage/disadvantage that they often offset a technical on the offender by laying a cheap one on the other team.

(Can you tell I have no respect for that POS Michael Stephens? That crew was pathetic. Two guys looking at Roberson get rolled up on and the only whistle they can muster is out of bounds on him.)
 
Going by the PA, it was a Notre Dame technical (#4, was it?)...and then, after a delay, a technical on Richardson. That's what makes me think it was a cheap one (though I didn't see what happened, was watching Auguste knock Coleman down on the block) - these referees are so consumed with advantage/disadvantage that they often offset a technical on the offender by laying a cheap one on the other team.

(Can you tell I have no respect for that POS Michael Stephens? That crew was pathetic. Two guys looking at Roberson get rolled up on and the only whistle they can muster is out of bounds on him.)

If I get a minute today, I'll go back and see if the DVR actually caught that one and report back.
 
I know you like to stay focused on the goal at hand, but it might be time to raise our sights. What once seemed to truly be questionable now seems almost all but in hand.

First things first. Three more wins and we'll have something to celebrate. Then the issue will be making the Big Dance. We can't guarantee that one right now but we can clinch the first goal, which had seemed to be in jeopardy not so long ago.
 
I really like the mid-range game the Cooney and Richardson seem to be using more. Both have that soft jumper and being able to hit a 3, drive all the way or stop and shoot will drive defenders crazy!
 

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