The 23 greatest to play for Mike Brey at Notre Dame
After 23 seasons as Notre Dame’s head coach, Mike Brey hits the stretch run of his profession underneath “Three-Level Jesus”. It received’t finish with a run into March as we sit in late January with the Irish having only one ACC victory. It received’t be a storybook ending for Brey nevertheless it actually was a storybook profession.
It’s simple to get caught up in what’s happening this yr and marvel in regards to the massive image of Notre Dame basketball within the weeks and months to return. These questions will definitely stay for a while, however the battle of 2022-23 isn’t consultant of what Brey helped Notre Dame accomplish.
In honor of Brey’s 23 seasons at Notre Dame, I made a decision to place collectively an inventory of the most effective 23 gamers he coached with the Irish. Let me let you know, this was a activity that I believed was going to be a lot simpler earlier than I began writing it out.
As we close to the tip of yr 23 for Mike Brey at Notre Dame, listed below are the 23 greatest gamers to play for him.
Jordan Cornette, 2001-2005
(AP Photograph/Joe Raymond)
Lengthy earlier than he was the face of the ACC Community, Jordan Cornette was busy blocking pictures at Notre Dame. 201 of them in actual fact. 1 greater than LaPhonso Ellis for essentially the most in program historical past.
Colin Falls, 2003-07
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When Colin Falls graduated from Notre Dame in 2007, no person had extra made three-pointers in program historical past.
Tim Abromaitis, 2007-2012
Jan. 9, 2010; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Combating Irish guard Tory Jackson (3) ahead Tim Abromaitis (21) ahead Luke Harangody (44) and guard Tyrone Nash (1) rejoice because the Irish defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 70-68 on the Purcell Pavilion. Necessary Credit score: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports activities
If this have been to rank the most effective college students Brey has had, Tim Abromaitis most likely finishes first. He’s the one participant to ever win the Huge East Males’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award thrice. “Abro” wasn’t a foul basketball participant both, averaging over 15.5 factors per sport between the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.
Rob Kurz, 2004-2008
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports activities © copyright (2006) Matt Cashore
It wasn’t the loudest of careers at Notre Dame for ahead Rob Kurz but when was an impactful one. Kurz scored over 1,000 factors and pulled down over 650 rebounds throughout his time underneath Mike Brey. He went on to play one yr for the Golden State Warriors.
Blake Wesley, 2021-22
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If he had caught round longer you possibly can’t assist however marvel how excessive [autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] might have completed. Not that he made the unsuitable transfer, he was a lottery decide of the San Antonio Spurs in 2022. Wesley improved considerably in his one yr at Notre Dame and was an enormous purpose for the Irish getting by each Rutgers and Alabama of their most up-to-date match look.
Kyle McAlarney, 2005-2009
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Kyle McAlarney is remembered for being suspended by the college for a yr however how he bounced again from that was fairy-tale stuff. When you want a 3, he rivals Collin Falls as your man. Falls had extra general however no person made extra in a single sport than McAlarney, who as soon as hit 10.
Jack Cooley, 2009-2013
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports activities
Jack Cooley’s closing two years at Notre Dame noticed him develop into a Huge East drive. Cooley averaged 12.5 factors and seven.5 rebounds over his junior and senior seasons, and ninth in profession blocks at Notre Dame regardless of not getting a ton of taking part in time his first two years. Cooley at the moment performs for the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Japan.
Chris Quinn, 2002-2006
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Chris Quinn was a quiet murderer at Notre Dame and a very strong defender, too. Whereas we bear in mind his offense a capability to hit from the surface, Quinn’s ranks sixth all-time in steals for the Combating Irish.
Could he ultimately be his former head coach’s replacement?
Zach Auguste, 2012-2016
(AP Photograph/Robert Franklin)
I suppose we’re about to relive simply how good these groups from 2014-2016 have been if [autotag]Zach Auguste[/autotag] is the primary to get talked about. Auguste was a rebound machine, notching the third-most rebounds in a single season by any Brey participant when he pulled down 386 in 2015-16. He was a drive all around the court docket although and went toe-to-toe with Kentucky’s NBA-ready entrance court docket within the heartbreaking Regional Ultimate loss in spring of 2015.
Matt Farrell, 2014-2018
(Photograph by Abbie Parr/Getty Photos)
Matt Farrell was bumped as much as a shock beginning roll within the 2016 NCAA Event and all he did was assist the Irish again to their second consecutive Elite Eight look. Farrell averaged 16.3 factors per sport as a senior and was voted to the All-ACC Third Workforce.
Ryan Humphrey, 2000-2002
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Ryan Humphrey simply goes down as essentially the most athletic big-man of the Mike Brey period, that’s for sure. His 87 blocks in 2001-02 stay essentially the most in a single season in Notre Dame historical past whereas his 79 the yr earlier than are third-best.
Steve Vasturia, 2013-2017
(AP Photograph/Robert Franklin)
Don’t let the appears idiot you right here. Steve Vasturia, aka “White Steve”, was an murderer and did all of it throughout these deep match runs. He was a heck of a defender, may bury the required three, and clearly was dependable as he averaged over 34 minutes a sport from his sophomore season ahead.
John Mooney, 2016-2020
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports activities
John Mooney.
John Mooney.
No that’s not a misprint.
No that’s not a misprint.
Mooney completed his Notre Dame profession with 45 double-doubles, together with 25 through the 2019-20 season.
Mooney completed his Notre Dame profession with 45 double-doubles, together with 25 through the 2019-20 season.
Demetrius Jackson, 2013-2016
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Demetrius Jackson was a beast on each of the 2015 and 2016 Elite Eight groups however particularly was in a position to showcase his skills throughout that ’16 match run.
Matt Carroll, 1999-2003
Notre Dame Matt Carroll (13) reacts as he leaves the court docket following the Irish 93-92 double extra time victory over Georgetown, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003 in South Bend, Ind. Carroll scored 36 factors to guide Notre Dame. He additionally set the college document for profession three-point baskets at this time. (AP Photograph/Joe Raymond)
Matt Carroll was a constant contributor throughout Mike Brey’s first three seasons at Notre Dame. The three-year starter’s 1,850 factors stay the eighth-most in program historical past. Carroll was a key participant on the 2003 Candy 16 staff as he helped the Irish attain the NCAA Event every of his three years beginning. Carroll performed within the NBA from 2003-2012.
Tory Jackson, 2006-2010
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He wasn’t an elite scorer by any means however what Tory Jackson did with the basketball was precisely what you ask of some extent guard. Jackson dished out 694 assists (second in program historical past) and recorded 211 steals (second) in his 4 seasons.
Bonzie Colson, 2014-2018
: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports activities
Bonzie Colson was a drive at Notre Dame and a purpose for such excessive expectations getting into the 2017-18 season. He completed his profession with 1,632 factors and 900 rebounds however had it not been a for a damaged foot, may have had a superb quantity extra of each and maybe an ACC Participant of the 12 months Award.
Chris Thomas, 2001-2005
Credit score: Photograph by Joe Robbins-USA TODAY Sports activities
That is the place the record will get actually tough, not that it wasn’t already powerful sufficient. I may make a case to place Chris Thomas as excessive as number-two. He has extra assists and steals than any participant in Notre Dame historical past. But he checks in sixth as a result of it is a actually loaded top-five.
Ben Hansbrough, 2009-2011
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Ben Hansbrough transferred into Notre Dame so his time underneath Brey was considerably brief however his impression was large. Hansborough was voted the Huge East’s participant of the yr for his efforts in 2010-11, averaging 18.4 factors per sport whereas main the Irish to a 27-7 mark.
Luke Harangody, 2006-2010
(Photograph by Jim McIsaac/Getty Photos)
Ever placed on a pair of outdated denims and occur to discover a $20 invoice in it? That’s how Mike Brey needed to have felt about Luke Harangody. However as an alternative of it being a $20 invoice, this one had much more zeros in it. Harangody was a drive within the Huge East and easily simply discovered methods to attain and rebound, doing so to the tune of the second most in every class in Notre Dame historical past.
Pat Connaughton, 2011-2015
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Pat Connaughton did all the pieces at Notre Dame. He defended like loopy, he distributed, he blocked pictures (none greater than within the NCAA Event vs. Butler), and he even pitched nicely sufficient to be drafted by the Baltimore Orioles. “Planet Pat” made 120-straight begins throughout Brey’s greatest stretch at Notre Dame. That’s not a coincidence for the present Milwaukee Bucks guard.
Jerian Grant, 2011-2015
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After being dominated academically ineligible simply earlier than Christmas in 2013, Jerian Grant was compelled to overlook the rest of that season. He returned to Notre Dame for 2014-15 and on staff that was loaded with expertise, he was its greatest participant. Grant averaged 16.5 factors and 6.5 assists per sport that yr and was voted as a first-team All-American.
Troy Murphy, 1998-2001
Notre Dame’s Troy Murphy shoots over Xavier’s Reggie Butler (55) through the first half Friday, March 16, 2001 in Kansas Metropolis, Mo. (AP Photograph/Charlie Riedel)
I really feel partly like I’m dishonest by placing Troy Murphy on the prime of this record as a result of he performed just one season underneath Mike Brey. Heck, Murphy performed for 3 totally different coaches in his three years at Notre Dame. Murphy was the most effective participant on Brey’s first staff, a Notre Dame one which reached the NCAA Event for the primary time in 11 seasons. Certain solely one in every of them got here underneath Brey, however Murphy left school after successful Huge East Participant of the 12 months honors a second-straight season.