Photo by Rick Kimball/ISD
Notre Dame Basketball
Notre Dame has Quiet Confidence Heading into March Madness
As Notre Dame arrived in Buffalo on Tuesday, a quiet confidence arrived with them. The Irish have been through the NCAA Tournament battles and faced many challenges over the course of the rigorous ACC schedule the last three months. However, the ability to be comfortable in March is priceless and Notre Dame is comfortable.
“Experience is definitely a big thing,” said Steve Vasturia. “We’ve been here before and we’ve won games in the tournament, so it definitely helps. It’s a different task and tournament. We are going to have to win one game at a time.”
Notre Dame’s opening opponent will be Princeton on Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. ET. Point guard Matt Farrell and Vasturia are both familiar with the Tigers but for different reasons.
“Right now, our focus is Princeton and winning that game,” explained Vasturia. “Our experience will help, but we still have to play our best basketball for 40 minutes.
“I was a Penn fan, so I saw Princeton play a lot. I watched a lot of their games, so I am familiar with them. Matt and I watched them on Saturday against Penn, and they came back to win in overtime.”
“I know Amir Bell from around Jersey and stuff like that,” Farrell stated. “We’re pretty close. It’ll be fun to play against him.”
Princeton will likely have its hands full on Thursday afternoon as Notre Dame is playing good basketball and good basketball on each end of the floor.
“Once March comes around, we’ve been able to learn and adjust to the season as it’s going on,” Vasturia said. “We are playing well on both ends of the floor, which is important, especially the defensive end.”
With Notre Dame playing well, it comes with quiet confidence, which will ideally let Farrell and Vasturia travel to San Jose next week.
“We’re pretty confident,” said Farrell. “We’re an old group. We have veterans and that matters in big games. We stay poised.
“It’s another game. It’s a new season for us. We are going to try to win the Buffalo tournament. That’s our mindset.”
“Experience is definitely a big thing,” said Steve Vasturia. “We’ve been here before and we’ve won games in the tournament, so it definitely helps. It’s a different task and tournament. We are going to have to win one game at a time.”
Notre Dame’s opening opponent will be Princeton on Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. ET. Point guard Matt Farrell and Vasturia are both familiar with the Tigers but for different reasons.
“Right now, our focus is Princeton and winning that game,” explained Vasturia. “Our experience will help, but we still have to play our best basketball for 40 minutes.
“I was a Penn fan, so I saw Princeton play a lot. I watched a lot of their games, so I am familiar with them. Matt and I watched them on Saturday against Penn, and they came back to win in overtime.”
We are going to try to win the Buffalo tournament. That’s our mindset.
Farrell’s relationship with Princeton is on a more personal level. “I know Amir Bell from around Jersey and stuff like that,” Farrell stated. “We’re pretty close. It’ll be fun to play against him.”
Princeton will likely have its hands full on Thursday afternoon as Notre Dame is playing good basketball and good basketball on each end of the floor.
“Once March comes around, we’ve been able to learn and adjust to the season as it’s going on,” Vasturia said. “We are playing well on both ends of the floor, which is important, especially the defensive end.”
With Notre Dame playing well, it comes with quiet confidence, which will ideally let Farrell and Vasturia travel to San Jose next week.
“We’re pretty confident,” said Farrell. “We’re an old group. We have veterans and that matters in big games. We stay poised.
“It’s another game. It’s a new season for us. We are going to try to win the Buffalo tournament. That’s our mindset.”
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