Mike Brey Notebook | Virginia Tech Loss

Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey spoke following the 77-63 loss to Virginia Tech on Sunday. 

On the loss: 
"We played 20 minutes really well and were able to keep them out of the paint. Not going to beat a good team playing 20-25 minutes and that's what we've kind of done against really good teams - and they're really good. They're a gifted team. 

"We're learning. Trying to learn the hard way to put 40 minutes together."

On team sustaining good play half to half:
"We continue to learn the hard way. We've been happy at halftime a couple of times - Ohio State, North Carolina, today, but man, it's just so fickle. I'm trying to explain that to them and we've kind of learned it that way." 

On not getting over the hump:
"I think we're still trying to learn how to be more mentally tough when we aren't in a good offensive rhythm. We can still defend. I think our attitude to defend was better in the first half because we were scoring. They really guarded us in the second half and took things away. If your shot doesn't go in or miss a couple in a row - being mentally tough enough to go back and guard. We don't understand that yet. 

"I think this group can learn it because they're really sharp and experiencing it. I think that's the biggest thing right now. Just a little bit of not being as mentally tough when we're not in a scoring rhythm." 

On finding toughness of team:
"I think we got some kids that will really stick their nose in there and are doing stuff. We need some guys to do that. 

"It's no different than what I've experienced through 21 years here - the kind of kids we get at Notre Dame. We get really great kids and they're really smart and for the most part, you got to make them a little tougher. A lot of times, they have to have their nose rubbed through the gutter and then they react because they are sharp and have high character. 

"I believe this group, the light bulb will go on at some point." 

On Virginia Tech's defense on Nate Laszewski:
"I think what they did a really good job of and maybe that's the book on us, is that they just switched everything with athletic guys. To Nate's credit, he didn't really get any threes, so he just drove guys and he got to the foul line. 

"I give him credit that he figured out how to score for us when he wasn't getting pick and pop face up stuff. 

"I think we're going to see a lot of switching and ball pressure because it's made us uncomfortable to date."