2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Basketball Preview

2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Basketball Predictions

It’s been three straight seasons of missing the NCAA Tournament for Notre Dame. This year, the Fighting Irish will once again be hard pressed to go anywhere other than the NIT. Can anyone step up and change the team’s chances for a tournament berth? A few players could help the Irish get back on track.

Point guard Chris Quin (17.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.4 APG) is gone and that means that sophomore Kyle McAlarney (6.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, 46.6 FG%, 90.9 FT%) will be leading the team on the court. He’s an accurate three-point shooter. Senior Colin Falls (13.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 39.9 FG%, 79.7 FT%), also a fine three-point man, will be shooting even more this season. There are three freshmen guards, with Joe Harden offering the most as a shooter and Tory Jackson the most at point.

Swingman Russell Carter (11.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.5 APG, 45.3 FG%, 68.1 FT%) can score quickly and grabs rebounds with surety. He can also hit threes. Freshman Luke Harangody is big—6’ 8” and 255-pounds—and averaged 26.6 PPG and 12.8 RPG in his senior year. He’s expected to contribute immediately. Both sophomore Luke Zeller (3.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 36.4 FG%, 47.1 FT%) and junior Rob Kurz (6.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 0.6 APG, 46.6 FG%, 77.3 FT%) will be asked to finally reach their potential. If they can, it will greatly help the Irish up front.

Coach Mike Brey (16- 14 overall, 6- 10 Big East; 118- 70 in 6 years) returns with the hope that last season’s tough lessons will be used well by the team. Brey is optimistic that his veterans will perform well. For the Irish to succeed they must play much better defense and control the boards.

If anything, this team is motivated by it’s three-year exclusion from the Big Dance. The Fighting Irish will certainly fight, but do they have the bulk, depth and talent to pull themselves out of the doldrums? Their frontcourt is especially worrisome. Will they get a NCAA Tournament bid? Only time will tell.

If you want more info on the 2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish College basketball team check out the NCAA's official basketball team page of the program or check out some rival previews from Maddux Sports of schools like the Providence Friars and Seton Hall Pirates.