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Notre Dame Basketball

Mike Brey Notebook | Louisville Preview

January 10, 2020
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Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey spoke on Friday afternoon as the Irish welcome No. 13 Louisville to Purcell Pavilion on Saturday. 

On what a win over a ranked team at home would mean:
"This would be huge for us. We need it bad. No question about it. What do we call it? Backs against the wall Saturday? I've only had 45  of those in my 20-year career.

"We've escaped a couple. We're disappointed with the other night because we got off to a great start and couldn't hold. If you can get through this week 2-1 with a win up and get these guys, you can at least get your legs under you on Sunday before you go to Atlanta." 


On what Notre Dame has to do to win on Saturday:
"We're going to have to rebound better. The offensive boards hurt us. They have the bodies that can hurt us on the offensive boards like NC State. 

"We came back to earth a little bit as far as shooting the basketball. We're due to make double-digit threes. When we make double-digit threes, it certainly helps us." 


On message to the team after the ACC Tournament last year:
"I huddled them up when we got off the bus. I asked them why you think we're here. Our guys are so good and none of them got it. I said we lost eight games here and we have to have a better home identity. I think we do and we feel good in that building. We've been in a good offensive rhythm in our building. 

"We're going to need it all tomorrow." 


On offense at home:
"I think some of our young guys are more comfortable where they're touching it. As bad as we shot it last year, we still had 100 more assists than turnovers. We were moving the ball. I just don't know how confident we were at times stepping up and taking them. I think we've seen our sophomore class emerge and start to feel better."


On rebounding outside of John Mooney and John Durham:
"I let him know after the game, Dane played 32 minutes. He's athletic and he can help us on the backboard. I feel we will have Rex (Pflueger) tomorrow and he helps us in that area. 

"I feel Nate (Lazzewski) has developed in that area and has become more of a big-time rebounder. Juwan has to be stronger with it. That's a challenge for him and we keep challenging him to be a stronger two-handed rebounder. 

"There's a tendency to let John get all of them because he gets just about all of them. When you're playing against NC State's front line and these guys tomorrow, there are more bodies coming in there." 


On Prentiss Hubb:
"I'm thrilled for him. I sense right now he's an extremely confident player for us. He really is quarterbacking us like 'I got this.'

"It's neat to go into the huddles and he is talking as much as TJ (Gibbs), Rex and John. He needs to keep looking to score.

"I liked in the second half he got to the bucket a little bit. That was the next phase for him. Getting to the basket and getting fouled some." 


On getting quick shots against Louisville:
"We want to get down the floor and see if we can not play against how they jam it in and pack it in. That's who we are - the 20-second shot clock thing we started last year. 

"It helps Prentiss. Playing fast helps Prentiss Hubb and it helps ignite the rest of this. It's good for our team and great for our point guard to play faster. Louisville's tempo is grinding you and we're moving it different than we have in the past. 

"We have to be really good tomorrow." 

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Mike Brey Notebook | Louisville Preview

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