Mens Basketball: Irish focusing on the Hokies
By: ANDREW SOUKUP
Sports Writer
Life on the road hasn't treated the Irish well lately. That's part of the reason why the Irish can't wait to get back into the Joyce Center this weekend.
But they'll face the difficult challenge of playing two games, with a day of rest in between, against one of the worst and then one of the best teams in the Big East.
No. 12 Notre Dame's merry-go-round begins Saturday, when the team plays lowly Virginia Tech, who is tied with Miami for last in the Big East East Division. Monday, the Irish play Connecticut, who are a half-game behind Villanova for the East Division lead.
However, the Irish (20-5, 8-3 in the Big East) insist their focus is first on the Hokies (10-14, 3-8), even though they'll have scarcely 50 hours to get ready for the Huskies when Saturday's game is over.
The Irish are excited to be back at home this season, and for good reason. In their last three road games, the Irish lost to Seton Hall and Syracuse and nearly lost to West Virginia Tuesday.
More importantly, the Irish have yet to lose in the Joyce Center in 13 games this year. In fact, Notre Dame's last home loss came Feb. 17, 2002.
Right now, the Irish are concentrating on winning the Big East West Division a task that became slightly more difficult with a loss to the Orangemen on Saturday. Notre Dame is tied with Pittsburgh for second in the West Division, a half-game behind Syracuse.
And with games against Connecticut, Rutgers and Syracuse looming ahead on the schedule, the Irish end the season on a difficult stretch.
But in the back of the player's minds, the Irish are also trying to position themselves for the NCAA Tournament. Few doubt the Irish will hear their name called on Selection Sunday. The only question remaining for Notre Dame is how high they'll be seeded.
Besides having an easier path through the tourney, earning a high seed means the Irish could also play closer to home. Last year, the NCAA instituted a new seeding policy, where it grouped teams of four into "pods," giving teams that were seeded higher the chance to play closer to home. The Irish saw firsthand how struggling down the stretch can hurt their location instead of nearby Chicago, the Irish were sent to South Carolina to face top-seeded Duke.
This year, the closest tournament site for the Irish is Indianapolis, just three hours away from South Bend. And while the Irish won't openly admit it, the prospect of playing nearby where legions of fans can watch in person is an enticing one indeed.
But before the tournament, before Connecticut, the Irish have to handle themselves against Virginia Tech.
The Hokies are a team pinned against the ropes, as they have lost their last three games by an average of 16 points. But before the losing streak came upset wins over Connecticut and St. John's, when Virginia Tech knocked off those opponents by an average of 19 points.
Notre Dame's big men have been tested all season long, and they'll face another big challenge in Bryan Matthews and Terry Taylor. The 6-foot-7 Matthews, who leads the team in rebounds and points with 16.9 and 7.2, respectively, is capable of playing either on the perimeter or inside the basket.
But Matthews is dwarfed by Taylor, who averages 14.9 points and seven rebounds a game. At 6-foot-8 and 292 pounds, the offensive lineman-sized Taylor poses a dominating inside presence.
The Irish and Hokies tip off in the Joyce Center at 1 p.m.
All Sports Stories for Friday, February 21, 2003
