8) It was the biggest playoff comeback of all time. Down 15 in the 4th, the Irish won on the final shot. I never saw it. I had already given them up for dead and went to Easter dinner at my son's house... <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EEvhwtXACxY" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe>
My friend Vinny is from Wisconsin but went to Miss State. I missed the 1st half of the game because I was working. Vinny, however, updated me around the clock. I had warned him about our point guard, who he should be rooting for since she's from Wisconsin, but he was having none of my antics. When she sank the 3 pointer, I posted a little homage to our Milwaukee gal just for his benefit. I do feel a little bad for Miss State. They've never won a team title in anything, and they were so close but were out gut checked.
Arike is certainly a big star now, even friends with Kobe...which personally I don't get but he seems to follow women's basketball closely. He was wearing UConn gear in the Semi's. I remember reading when Jewell Lloyd was at ND that she idolized him, and I am pretty sure he was close to Tenn legend Tamika Catchings as well. Of course there is already a lot of talk about next year, with All American Briana Turner coming back, and highly rated Soph to be Mikayla Vaughn also coming back. Plus 4 talented Freshman, including one who (Jordan Nixon) reportedly is uber talented at PG where we had to move Wing Marina Mabrey to make up for the injuries that took away our players at PG. So we have 4 very talented players coming back from this years squad, Ogumbowale, Mabry, Young and Shepard....all of which have All-American potential. Then we add back Briana Turner who was an All-American and Mykalya Vaughn and the 4 Freshmen, and oh yeah a freshman who played quite a bit this year Daniel Patterson and we've got a formidable team coming back. But you never know, UConn had 3 AA's the last 2 years had undefeated regular seasons but didn't make it to the Championship game. So as always in sports the best team on paper doesn't always win, you have to have a few lucky bounces, have some players get hot at the right time, etc. But they should be a Final Four team and maybe even the preseason #1. Still have to play the games.
No news on the recruiting front. Right now though it seems like we are really not in it for any QB's. The Irish have given out 7 offers, but really only 2 are even considering ND and both of them are long shots. Paul Tyson is Bear Bryant's Grandson and Max Duggan is reportedly going to announce for Minnesota soon. I wonder if we'll even end up with a QB in the 2019 class. Current depth is 1. Brandon Wimbush has 1 year of eligibility left. 2. Ian Book has 3 years left 3. Avery Davis has 4 years left 4. Phil Jurkovec has 4 years left. I don't really expect Jurkovec to play this fall, I expect that if Wimbush isn't up to the job that Ian Book will play. I don't really expect to see Avery Davis at QB this year. If we can get a great QB for the 2020 class that would probably work out OK as long as the guys we have don't transfer. Which of course is why it always is a good idea to have a QB in each class. I was really hoping we could get the kid from Council Bluffs Iowa, Max Duggan he seemed like a good fit for us. I guess the opportunity for early playing time at Minn is much better than at Notre Dame.
One of Muffets top assistants, Niele Ivey, a PG on the 2001 Championship team is in the running for the HC opening at UVA. She's reportedly been a great recruiter and a terrific assistant. McGraw has a terrific staff and it's been very stable for the most part, if she goes she'll be missed but MM has shown that she knows how to hire assistants so I'd say we'll be able to replace her. Also Arike will be on Ellen this Friday, she was in L.A. for the taping of the show. She's really become a media sensation after those 2 buzzer beaters in the Final Four. There have been a lot of great plays in the past, Keith Smart knocking one down to beat 'Cuse in '87 immediately comes to mind, but she's the only one I can think of who hit to buzzer beater game winners in both the Semi's and Finals.
Thanks Bodda, That was a great game between the team who has been the best all year against the team who was the hottest coming down the stretch. The one thing about this ND team is that they just don't blink. They've done this all year and they found a way again tonight. UMD looks awful tough dispatching Ohio State (I thought, easily). The commentators seemed to be championing the Buckeyes throughout the contest and I just didn't see it. To OSU's credit, they finally gained momentum when UMD did something stupid. The Wolverines and their offense really worried me. Not that the Bulldogs don't, but I certainly feared Michigan more.
Thanks Bobda, I didn't watch the game but reading the reports it was a really great game. Irish Hockey has been on a streak with most of the wins being dramatic. I have seen the highlights though and even though I don't really get all the nuances of hockey (or soccer, lacrosse either) that winning goal was quite a play by the Irish. Somebody posted the 2008 ND/UM Frozen Four and it ended the same way except that time in OT. Corey, what do you think of our chances vs Duluth? I was certain Ohio State would make the final, they have been on a great run as well.
Just reading on the ND boards, there is still no feeling of Conference Brotherhood with the Big10 Hockey League. I wonder if Big 10 Hockey fans are rooting for ND to win the Frozen Four, ND fans wouldn't have been rooting for either Ohio State or Michigan. Although during the season most posts about Ohio State were respectful of the job their coach has done in building that program. Michigan of course is a rival most ND fans love to hate. I've always got the feeling though that among Big10 fans that even though you hated your rival, be it Ohio State/Mich or IU/Purdue once the post season got underway they pull for all their conference brothers. I just doubt ND fans will ever do that, and I wonder if Big10 fans will either when it comes to ND.
Terry, The game could go either way. Both teams play suffocating defense. UMD doesn't have that explosive firepower that Michigan has, but they are much better defensively, IMHO. I see this as a game between teams that are fairly similar in style and it should be a lot of fun. I like the Irish in this one, say 3-1, but it wouldn't be shocking at all for UMD to win it. They are a very good team.
Oh, one last thing, I really hope as many ND fans turn up as possible otherwise this will wind up being a home game for UMD and those Minnesota teams are tough to beat playing in front of a home crowd.
The B10 hockey conference is a pretty new creature so there probably is not a lot of conference loyalty. Suspect most Wisky and Gopher fans will be pulling for their old WCHA conference member, UMD. I doubt if fans of the B10 schools think of ND as a B10 school given their ACC affiliation in most sports and their status as an independent in football. Suspect ND fans similarly do not see themselves as part of the B10. My sense is that the Minnesota and Wisky fans really miss the WCHA as that league really had some great rivalries and tradition. And, given all of the love and warmth generated during the long history between M/ND, really do not see any hockey conference fraternity taking hold any time soon.
Re UMD v ND, was impressed by ND's discipline and defense. It looked like M was going to run ND out of the rink early on but after our first penalty which led to a PP goal, Jackson's trap defense clamped down on us and kept clamped on us for the rest of the game except for a few minutes in the 3rd period. UMD will have a tough time generating scores if ND stays disciplined.
Bob any further word on expansion of the Big10 Hockey League? I've seen some talk that Illinois will be going Div 1 in Hockey, but nothing as to when that will happen. Any other targets? On ND Football. Jay Hayes will graduate in May and take his graduate transfer option and play some place else next year. I didn't see that coming but before this we were at 89 scholarship players, that gets us down to 88. I don't know who else will be leaving to tell you the truth, but 3 more guys have to transfer, take a medical, or flunk out or something.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Cale Morris’ first season as the No. 1 goalie at Notre Dame will finish in the NCAA championship game. On the eve of that accomplishment, Morris collected the top honor for collegiate goalies. Morris on Friday was named the winner of the 2018 Mike Richter Award. A sophomore who played last season behind Cal Petersen, Morris leads the country in save percentage (.944) and victories (27). He and the Fighting Irish will play Minnesota Duluth for the championship on Saturday.
Yeah I was afraid of this https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/s...ans-see-bulldogs-vie-national-title-near-home The game will be a huge UMD home game with folks coming from all over to root for the Bulldogs. Hopefully, we ruin their parade.
I have not heard anything new re B10 hockey expanion The NHL and Illinois did a study that concluded that a hockey program at Illinois would be sucessful financially but I think thet are still looking for ways to fund an arena and program. There had been talk about inviting North Dakota or UMD but those discussion seemed more of the internet speculation variety.