Notre Dame basketball has struggled this season, sitting at 11-14 after their latest loss. That defeat was the final straw for head coach Micah Shrewsberry, leading to one of the most passionate post-game speeches ever.
The Fighting Irish needed a spark, and perhaps Micah Shrewsberry provided it. The head coach shared his thoughts after their fourth loss in five games. He emphasized his commitment to getting Notre Dame back on track. He sat down at the postgame press conference and didn’t waste any time discussing the game.
The program is on pace for its fourth straight losing season, with its last winning campaign coming in 2019-20. That season ended abruptly when their final game was canceled due to COVID-19. Notre Dame needs to recapture some of that magic and become relevant in college basketball again.
Shrewsberry didn’t hold back, challenging his players to step up.
Notre Dame fell 75-60, showing little fight in the loss. Meanwhile, the Cardinals dominated with balanced scoring, as all five starters reached double figures — a tough reality for Shrewsberry and his staff to accept.
Now, the question is whether the Fighting Irish will respond after Micah Shrewsberry openly voiced his frustration with their performance. Some tough games are coming up as they try to reach .500
With six games left in the season, Notre Dame faces an uphill battle to reach .500. So far, they haven’t shown anything to Micah Shrewsberry or college basketball to suggest they can get there.
The Irish rank 305th in the country in assists, making their offense stagnant and predictable. That is reflected in their scoring, as they average just 73.2 points per game, ranking 210th nationally.
With the Micah Shrewsberry and the Fighting Irish clearly out of tournament contention, their goal is to finish the season strong. They face just one ranked opponent in their final seven games — a matchup against No. 18 Clemson.
However, Notre Dame has a tough challenge ahead in their next game, as SMU comes to South Bend with a 19-6 record. Boasting one of the top offenses in the country at 82.1 points per game, the Mustangs will put the Irish defense to the test. Shrewsberry might not be too pleased if his team can’t step up.
After that, Notre Dame will face Pittsburgh, which holds a 15-10 record. This is a winnable game for the Irish, but Pitt still has a solid offense, averaging 77.2 points per game—ranking 98th in the nation.
Notre Dame will also need to be aggressive on defense, as the Panthers are one of the best teams at taking care of the ball. They average just 9.8 turnovers per game, ranking 20th in the country.
Notre Dame’s next game will be a real test against Clemson. The Tigers are coming off dominant wins over Florida State and North Carolina, and before that, they pulled off a massive upset against Duke. They’re riding high right now.
Clemson’s defense is the real deal, allowing just 66.4 points per game. To pull off a win, Notre Dame will need a complete team effort.
After that game, Notre Dame should have a manageable finish to the season with matchups against Wake Forest, Stanford, and Cal. The Irish need a confidence boost after their recent struggles, and closing the season strong would certainly please Micah Shrewsberry after Louisville loss.
The Fighting Irish have some things to clean up before next season, but first, they need to finish this one strong. Will they be able to do it? Head coach Micah Shrewsberry certainly hopes so.
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