Matt Farrell: "We don’t take this game for granted" 

Notre Dame fought but just missed the NCAA Tournament as they were the first team out as Davidson won the Atlantic 10 conference tournament on Sunday afternoon. 

“I do know we were fairly and thoroughly analyzed,” said Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. “I gotta believe the selection committee was tired of looking at our stuff because it kept coming back at them in different ways.

“We were in. The A10 championship knocked us out.”

Senior point guard Matt Farrell couldn’t bring himself to watch the selections or any hoops since arriving back in South Bend on Friday. 

“I haven’t watched basketball since we got back,” stated Farrell. “I didn’t even watch the selection show. Some of the guys were in there watching, but I wasn’t watching. Bonzie (Colson) can talk to some of the guys from Rhode Island and let them know we’re upset with them.”

“I wanted to take a break from it. You can only hear so much - 'the bubble and if Notre Dame was going to get in.' I just needed a break. I went home and watched a lot of superhero movies. I watched Thor, Deadpool and then I watched Spiderman.” 

The New Jersey native was open about his feelings as expected, but he also knows the NIT will provide a chance to enjoy the game he loves. 

“There’s no excuses,” Farrell said when it came to the NCAA Tournament. “The committee made the decision, and we didn’t do enough to get in. Sometimes life sucks and it is what it is.

"We have another opportunity to keep playing the game we love and for this senior class to not be done and put on the jersey again is special. We’re going to enjoy it.”

Part of the enjoyment will be playing alongside Colson. The two had high aspirations when the season tipped off, but injuries to both plagued the season, but they will have a chance to end the season with a win. 

“We haven’t been able to play a lot together, so we’re excited we get to keep playing with each other and this starting five,” explained Farrell. “Our senior class has been through too much, and we’ve had a lot of success here. This year didn’t go how we wanted it, but it is what it is.

“We talked about how this group is healthy, we really enjoyed being around each others company, and we had fun with each other. We had fun playing the right way in Maui, and that’s what we want to get back too.” 

Farrell continued. 

 “After everything we’ve gone through, it’s another opportunity for us to keep playing,” said Farrell. “What else are we going to be doing? No one else is here, and we want to play. We don’t take this game for granted. 

“We’re excited. We find ways to have fun and battle through everything. We have an opportunity in a brand new season to chase a championship.”