Notre Dame basketball might be the most underrated program in the country

At some point during the middle of the 2017-18 season, Notre Dame basketball’s Mike Brey will become the winningest coach in the history of the program. That occasion — which will occur when the Fighting Irish win their 12th game — should result in a momentary period of proper appreciation for what Brey has been able to accomplish in South Bend.

Though Notre Dame ranks ninth all time in terms of trips to the NCAA tournament, the Irish have advanced to the Sweet 16 on only four occasions since the field expanded to 64 teams. Three of those have come under the direction of Brey, including runs to the Elite Eight in 2015 and 2016. Notre Dame was the only team in the country to make a regional final appearance in both those seasons.

Despite a disappointing loss to West Virginia in the second round of the 2017 NCAA tournament, Notre Dame still finds itself in the midst of one of the best stretches they’ve ever known. The Fighting Irish have won 82 games since the start of the 2014-15 campaign, the most they’ve ever won over a three-year stretch. Success has also been apparent in conference play, where Brey’s team is the only ACC squad to earn a top-four seed in each of the last three ACC tournaments.

With three starters, including an All-American, back in the fold, there’s no reason to believe that Notre Dame won’t continue to build on its newfound status as one of college basketball’s most consistent power conference programs.

G Matt Farrell, senior

G Temple Gibbs, sophomore

G Rex Pflueger, junior

F Bonzie Colson, senior

F Martinas Geben senior

Key contributors: F John Mooney (sophomore), F Matt Gregory (senior), F Austin Torres (senior), G D.J. Harvey (freshman), F Elijah Burns (junior), G Nikola Djogo (sophomore)

What happened last season?

Notre Dame rolled to a 9-0 start before dropping back-to-back games to Villanova and Purdue, their only non-conference defeats of the regular season. After a 16-3 start that included a 5-1 mark in ACC play, the Irish dropped five of six during an unexpected swoon in late January/early February. They bounced back with six straight wins, and ultimately advanced to the ACC tournament championship game for the second time in three years.

After squeaking by a pesky Princeton squad in round one, fifth-seeded Notre Dame was bounced by No. 4 West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA tournament, 83-71. The defeat kept the Irish from joining Wisconsin as the only teams to make the second weekend of the Big Dance in each of the last three seasons.

Who’s the star?

Of the 15 players who were named first-, second- or third-team All-Americans by the Associated Press in 2017, Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson (a third-team selection) is the only one back in college basketball. A bruising 6’6 power forward, Colson was the only player in the ACC to finish last season averaging a double-double (17.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg). As a senior, he figures to begin the season as a preseason first-team All-American, and will once again be at the center of any success the Irish enjoy.

What’s the weakness?

Lack of help in the post for Bonzie.

Colson is a star power forward, but he’s an undersized star power forward who needs help. Martinas Geben, a 6’10 senior, started 23 games last season but barely averaged better than 12 minutes per game. He also came off the bench towards the end of the season when it was discovered that he was more effective subbing in for Colson than he was playing alongside him.

John Mooney and Elijah Burns are two other returnees with size, but neither has shown the ability as of yet to be on the court for 20-25 minutes against quality competition. If that doesn’t change, Notre Dame figures to play four outside shooters and Colson for the bulk of most games.

Who is the most intriguing player on the roster?

Freshmen don’t typically thrive right away under Brey, which will make D.J. Harvey’s 2017-18 season interesting to follow. The four-star freshman was a big recruiting land for the Irish. He can score in a variety of different ways, but is especially potent from the outside. If one of the veterans above him isn’t getting the job done, Harvey could demand big minutes from the get-go during a tough non-conference slate.

What’s the schedule look like?

The Irish open the season at DePaul (DEPAUL!) and then head to the Maui Invitational on Thanksgiving week. Once they return they’ll hit the road again to face a likely preseason top five foe in Michigan State. North Carolina, Georgia Tech, NC State, and Boston College are the four squads the Irish will face twice during conference play, which isn’t overly rough.

How can the Irish make it back to the Sweet 16?

No team in the country has been better over the last three seasons when it comes to assist-to-turnover ratio, not fouling, and making free-throws than Notre Dame. If the Irish are able to keep that up, and if Colson plays like an All-American for a second straight season, then there’s no reason why this team won’t be playing deep into March.