No. 16 Notre Dame to open season against Sacred Heart
By BRIAN KESSLER
Sports Writer
With the bad taste of last year's NCAA Tournament snub and a loss in the NIT championship game still left in its mouth, the No. 16 Notre Dame men's basketball team opens the regular season Saturday with its most talented, most experienced and most respected squad in over a decade.
The Irish take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers Saturday at 8:30 p.m. in their 500th game at the Joyce Center.
"We're excited to get the season underway," junior forward David Graves said.
"We've been practicing together since June, so we're anxious to get going and play some games that actually count."
Notre Dame went 2-0 in the preseason with wins over the California Midwest All-Stars and the International Select All-Stars. The Irish showcased their explosive offensive attack, averaging 94 points, but it is clear that defense will ultimately determine just how good this Notre Dame team is.
"We know we can put points on the board," Graves said. "We can come at teams in a lot of different ways, but we also need to be able to stop people. We need to work on our defense teamwork and our communication is key. That's what makes the difference between mediocre and good teams."
The Irish opened up a 16-0 lead in the first preseason game and never looked back. But in its second exhibition contest, Notre Dame was challenged by the
International All-Stars until a 17-4 run late in the second half enabled the Irish to pull away for the 89-71 victory.
"They were two totally different games," Graves said. "In the first one, everything went our way, but in the second one, we didn't shoot well, but we put enough points on the board to win. I think it's good to have a game like that because we are going to have some tough games this season where things don't go our way. We have to learn to win different ways, so it was good preparation."
The Irish expect big things out of junior All-American Troy Murphy, who ranked among the top 10 nationally in points and rebounds last season, as well as Oklahoma transfer Ryan Humphrey, who showcased his talents in the two preseason games. Senior Martin Ingelsby will run the point and look to dish it off to sharpshooters Graves and sophomore guard Matt Carroll.
Notre Dame will also look to its deep bench with key reserves Harold Swanagan, Ivan Kartelo and freshman Torrian Jones all looking to get quality minutes.
Sacred Heart opens its second season of Division I play after posting a dismal 3-25 record last year. To add insult to injury, the Pioneers lost seven players to graduation. They are led by senior guard Kurt Reis and forward Marijus Kovaliukas.
"We are going to go over them [today]," Graves said. "I don't know much about them, but they are like any small Division I team. They are undersized, but have good skills and can be dangerous, so we need to be prepared to play."
Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey will be looking for his 100th win as a head coach, after posting a 99-52 record at Delaware.
More importantly, he will be seeking his first win as head coach of the Fighting Irish.
Following the season opener with Sacred Heart, Notre Dame will host Loyola (Chicago), before traveling to Indianapolis for a showdown with perennial power Cincinnati.
"There isn't much time before we have a tough battle with Cincinnati," Graves said. "We have two important games, so we need to get off on the right track with that game a week away."
All Sports Stories for Friday, November 17, 2000
