Mike Brey Notebook | Post-Detroit Mercy Win

Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey spoke following the 78-70 win over Detroit Mercy on Sunday evening. 

On the win: 
"I'm really proud of our group. This is a team that had Michigan State on the ropes on Friday night and then they had us on the ropes. I love our execution offensively and different guys wanting to take big shots. I thought our defense was really good once we got the lead back. 

"Something to build on. You got to start somewhere. We had a weird week where we had three games canceled, but eventually, we got to play. 

"To win a hard game and have to do some stuff, I think we can build on it." 

On the need to play the game: 
"We had to get a game in. Thankfully, Detroit was in the same boat when Purdue Fort Wayne called us on Thursday. Coach called me and he wanted to explain stuff and hung up on him real quick. I didn't have time for an explanation. We were in scramble mode. 

"Detroit needed a game. Then I watched them on Friday night against Michigan State and I said, 'Did we really want to schedule them?'”

On getting some game pressure in the second half:
" The game pressure thing is really neat for this group to have some pressure on them and have to make some plays and get some big defensive rebounds. 

"I thought our offensive efficiency - we need five guys in double-figures. Those starters have to get double-figures and maybe we can get a guy off the bench to double figures and we're into a nice offensive rhythm." 

On G Cormac Ryan:
"He really has a nose for the ball. I thought he slowed down in the second half. He was anxious and played a little fast in the first half offensively. He took two charges and he's all over the place with loose balls. He's got a toughness and a nose for the ball. 

"I think we had a one-point lead when he rose up for the three in front of our bench. You can't coach that. A fearlessness to want to put a dagger in and give us a two-possession lead. I thought that was big for him too." 

On 1-3-1 and 2-3 zone: 
"It saves the legs of our five. We played six tonight for the most part. Djogo's ankle - he won't be ready on Tuesday. Maybe he'll be ready on Saturday. 

"We're a little thing there and the zone buys us some time. It takes a little pressure off the legs. We've gotten better at playing it. We've gotten smarter at playing it. We're going to need it all season, even when we get Nik back or Trey Wertz eligible." 

On F Nate Laszewski:
"I think that's how far he has come now as a veteran guy. I thought he had an unbelievable week of practice too. I was even frustrated for him when he got the two fouls. We're going to play guys with two fouls. We went zone. 

"Our older guys should be able to play with two fouls. He had 10 at the half and gave us a great punch. He just continues to get more confident." 

On guys willing to take big shots: 
"I think four of those starters would love taking big shots. Laszewski has already proven himself. He'll rise up and take them. I thought Dane's drive to give us the lead back was a key. He'll take big ones. I think Prentiss has proven it and Cormac. 

"We really have four guys that kind of like that moment to give their team the lead or a two-possession lead." 

On freshman G Tony Sanders:
"I'm really excited about what I saw out of Tony tonight. More importantly, the starters are really excited. He made two shots at the end of the clock. He didn't force anything, but he was active defensively. He was moving. He's been really smart about playing with the older guys and he's an athletic guy. 

"I think we have something blossoming as far as coming off the bench as an energy guy." 

On G Dane Goodwin:
"He's always had a nose for the ball. One of the things we loved when we saw him on the circuit was how he rebounded. He's got a great nose for the ball. He did it up in East Lansing against Big 10 athletes and certainly, we'll need it on Tuesday. 

"There's a toughness about him rebounding the basketball in traffic. A little like a (Pat) Connaughton. That's a huge compliment. Connaughton could go up in traffic and get his hands on stuff. Dane is very much like Pat in that sense." 

On daily changes to schedule and routine: 
"I'm really proud of our group. They just roll with it. I think I probably got more anxious than them this week when we kept losing opportunities. They just come in and we tell them here's the deal. 

"I think that's going to serve us well. We're really mature. We get it. We get the big picture. We know we're living day-to-day."