Notre Dame's basketball season was put to bed thanks to a suffocating Washington State defense that the Irish just couldn't solve.
If the Domers had been more like Sherlock Holmes, maybe they could have uncovered a way to successfully attack and penetrate the Cougars.
Instead, their strategy and execution seemed to have been devised by Inspector Clouseau with predictable results. A performance that was more comedy than first-rate. The trouble was that in the rubble of a 61-41 thrashing, there was no laughter or frivolity. Rather, what remained was frustration, regret and the haunting thought of what might have been for the youngsters from South Bend.
When you shoot less than 25% from the field, you're beyond being in trouble. You're toast! Shooting that low won't even get it done on a grammar school playground. It was a disheartening and depressing way for an entertaining Irish squad to exit stage left. They had hoped for so much more but were left with a whole lot less.
So with the '07-'08 season officially in the books, the assessments can now begin in earnest. Here's my humble take on how coach Mike Brey's club fared over the past five months.
On balance, the year must be considered a relative success. But that success is mitigated by factors that prevent the season from being classified as great or particularly memorable or noteworthy. ND's efforts were solid but nothing overly special. Much more work needed to be done for the Irish to take an abundance of pride in the body of work they put together.
As far as the rudimentary goals of winning 20 games, making the NCAA tournament and finishing within the upper tier of the Big East conference, the Irish clearly achieved those objectives. In those regards, it was mission accomplished.
And for that they must be saluted. In the minds of many, ND was a huge question mark since they were predicted to finish a lowly ninth in league play. So let's give these Irish kudos for surprising plenty of the experts by fashioning a nifty 14-4 Big East record and getting to the Big Dance.
But truth be told, the aforementioned goals should be the bare minimum that the Irish should accomplish in any year. Anything less would be underachievement personified, if not flat out failure. Because being middling in league action or getting stuck with a NIT berth, just isn't acceptable. That kind of mediocrity won't cut it.
And while it's important for a team to validate itself by having a productive regular season, the real payoff lies elsewhere, namely in postseason play. That's where you earn your chops and make your bones. That's where you really cement your legacy.
Sadly, this Irish contingent fell well short in that area. Though they didn't exactly fizzle, their accomplishments in March were rather puny. And that inability to shine in the postseason clearly tainted much of the good work that had gone on before. When it mattered most, the Domers, by and large, couldn't step up to the challenge. Instead of bringing their best, it looked as if they didn't have their best to give.
Ominous signs that didn't bode well for a lengthy postseason run cropped up right off the bat in the Big East tournament. Seeded third and the beneficiary of a first round bye, ND was strategically positioned to do some damage at Madison Square Garden. Instead, it was a case of one and done. Like a clunker of an off- Broadway play, the Irish closed after one night.
Principally undercut by their inability to extend their defense and man up on Marquette's hot shooters, the Irish sputtered in the second half and got drubbed 89-79. The loss continued a truly disturbing trend that has seen ND consistently flame out early in the conference tournament. MSG has become a house of horrors for the Irish who have not taken well to being in the spotlight of New York. Too often, the Irish have gagged when trying to take a bite out of the Big Apple.
The implosion to Marquette was painful because it likely cost the Domers a higher seed in the NCAA's and made their path for advancement much more daunting. A better result in Gotham would have definitely enhanced ND's chances of getting deeper into the tournament. As it was, as a number five seed, ND was staring at a probable major tussle in round two which is exactly what they got.
Had the Irish dropped another first round matchup to a mid-major team as they did last year to Winthrop, they would have taken plenty of heat and deservedly so. It would have sullied much of what had been done up to that point. The truth is, it would have been darn near catastrophic.
Fortunately, and to their credit, the Irish didn't allow history to repeat itself. Playing much looser than they had 12 months before, Brey's squad didn't allow George Mason to reprise its' magnificent Final Four run of '06. ND seized control from the start and pounded the Patriots into submission 63-43. ND was nails from the outside and for good measure, they dominated underneath thanks principally to big boy Luke Harangody who tallied 18 points and swiped 14 rebounds.
By winning in the first round, the Irish had made a modest statement and gave their regular season a bit more credence and gravitas. The win over Mason proved it all hadn't been for naught.
The Irish were now poised to do something significant. If ND could beat WSU and advance to the Sweet 16, then their year would have much more meaning and carry greater weight. Furthermore, it would allow them to dream even bigger and grander dreams.
But alas, it all came crashing down in what could only be described as a dreary performance. Sure you can tip your hat to the Cougars for being tough defensively but ND contributed mightily to its' own demise. Their effort at both ends of the court left much to be desired. There was little offensive execution, not much patience and a defense that yielded far too many easy baskets.
It's hard to feel good about anything when your year ends on such a deflating note. It gnaws on you when you get your butt kicked. The taste is bitter and it sours your outlook. And no excuse can explain away such a lackluster effort.
So while the regular season had been an exhilarating ride, the postseason rated as basically a downer. Early elimination in the Big East tourney and then a total whipping in the Big Dance's second round told an unflattering story. And a season of real promise was lost forever.
Taken in totality, the Irish hoop season was splendid in some respects but very unsatisfactory in others. If I was to assign a grade to it, the mark would be a B- with an emphasis on the minus for not doing better when the stakes were the highest.
In no way do I want to dismiss or marginalize what the Domers did prior to the postseason. Finishing tied for second in what might be the country's deepest and toughest conference is nothing to sneeze at. It took lots of determination, heart and know-how to be among the elite of the Big East.
But that was merely the first part of a three-part test. ND didn't do anywhere near as well with the remaining parts. In those, they gave the impression they had shot their wad and had precious little left in reserve.
Make no mistake, Brey's team did plenty of good things. They won 25 times, all the while playing an entertaining and appealing brand of ball. They took home cooking to a new level by going undefeated at the Joyce Center and extending the Irish unbeaten streak in South Bend to an amazing 37 straight. They posted some clutch and dramatic wins in league play. Only Georgetown had a better record in the Big East. They never lost more than two games in a row. All positives to be sure. And they conducted themselves, both on and off the court, in a manner that honored the school that they represented.
But that only takes you so far. To be considered a team worthy of fond remembrance, you've got to do something truly special or spectacular. And that, the Irish just didn't do.
They were a group of great kids, a fun bunch to watch and a very good basketball team. The trouble is, they could have been so much more.