Miller to face former Maryland teammates
By ANDREW SOUKUP
Sports Writer
Had Mike Brey have known, he never would have agreed.
Had Brey known he was going to receive a senior transfer from Maryland, he never would have given a verbal commitment that pitted the Irish and the Terrapins against each other.
Had Brey known Dan Miller would step on the same court Saturday wearing a different uniform than the players, he never would have said the Irish would play in the BB&T Classic.
But Brey gave his word two years ago he would play in the tournament this weekend, six months before Miller transferred from Maryland to Notre Dame. So Saturday at the MCI Center, Miller will be reunited with his former teammates on the court for the first time since he left the Terrapins.
"Quite frankly, if we knew we were getting Dan Miller, we would never schedule this game," Brey said. "I don't think overall it's a healthy situation, but he's a fifth-year senior, he's in his niche out there, and I think he's excited to go back."
Although he left Maryland over two years ago, Miller remained in close contact with his former school. He still has old Maryland athletic gear boxed up in his house at home along with his Final Four ring. However, he is missing the national championship ring the Terrapins won last year without Miller's help.
Needless to say, Saturday is a game he's been waiting to play for a long time.
"It's a game I've had circled for a while," Miller said. "But I can't get too excited about it, I can't get to high about it. I have to go out and prepare for it like any other game."
Easy for him to say. Even without the emotional connection, the defending national champion poses a difficult challenge for the Irish. They're deep, talented and experienced.
But that was part of the reason Miller left in the first place.
A McDonald's All-American coming out of high school, Miller barely received the chance to star with the Terrapins. His best season came his sophomore year, when he earned the team's "Unsung Hero" award after starting all 34 games.
But the next year, he averaged 18 minutes a game and 4.8 points a game as Maryland's other stars led the team to its first-ever Final Four. Feeling uncomfortable, Miller decided to switch schools.
He didn't have to look very far. Greg Miller, Dan's older brother, played at Delaware under Brey, and Miller was well acquainted with Brey's coaching style. Plus, the chance to earn a Notre Dame degree helped convince the 6-foot-8 forward to don an Irish uniform.
"It was definitely difficult," Miller said. "I was leaving behind my teammates and friends to enter a new situation. But my teammates and coaches at Notre Dame helped me along, and it was a great transition for me."
Brey normally doesn't like accepting transfer players who can play for only one year. But the Irish coach looked down the road and saw the Irish would be both thin and inexperienced after David Graves, Ryan Humphrey and Harold Swanagan graduated. Bringing Miller in, even if it was just for one year, would help give the youthful Irish stability and leadership.
"Chemistry wise, you have to make sure it's a fit," Brey said. "… But Dan has the respect of his teammates in practice, he earned it in practice last year, and he's a big asset with our young players."
Although the NCAA required him to sit out last season, Miller spent the season improving himself as a player and spending more time in the weight room. He challenged the rest of the players in practice even as he prepared himself to fill in for the Irish the next season.
Even though the season is seven games young, Miller is already well on his way to becoming the impact player the Irish hoped he would be. His leadership has taken some of the burden off Brey and tri-captain Matt Carroll and his presence on the court gives the Irish tremendous matchup advantages.
Come Saturday, the Irish will need Miller to continue his early-season play if they want to win. After playing Maryland on Saturday, the Irish will face either Texas or George Washington on Sunday.
But for now, Maryland is in the spotlight.
"The focus is on Notre Dame and Maryland, not Dan Miller and Maryland," Brey said. "But he understands that and I want him to keep playing the way he's playing."
Miller still keeps in contact with his former teammates. He speaks to guard Steve Blake, one of his best friends on the team, almost twice a week. In fact, Blake called Miller to congratulate him after the Irish knocked off No. 10 Marquette earlier this week.
But come Saturday, any friendly feelings Miller has toward his old teammates will disappear even before he takes the court wearing a different uniform and sits on a different bench.
"We're still good friends, there's no hard feelings or anything like that," Miller said. "But once the game begins, once its out on the court, we know we're out there to win. We're going to go hard at each other."
All Sports Stories for Friday, December 6, 2002
