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When people talk about ACC basketball heading into the 2015-16 season, the Duke Blue Devils, Virginia Cavaliers and North Carolina Tar Heels tend to be the focus. However, one of the best and most underrated teams in the country also happens to be in the ACC, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame will head into 2015-16 without their two brightest stars from a season ago, Pat Connaughton and Jerian Grant, but they return several talented and experienced players who should keep this team right in the thick of things in the national picture.
Zach Auguste was absolutely fantastic in the NCAA Tournament, and there may not be a more important player to this team than Steve Vasturia. Demetrius Jackson will have to increase his scoring output from a season ago, but he has the skills to do just that. These three players will be the focal points of the Fighting Irish offense, but will be joined by V.J. Beachem, Bonzie Colson, Rex Pflueger and plenty of other players who are ready to step into a major role for this team.
In non-conference play, there is only one game that matters for Notre Dame. In mid-December, the Fighting Irish play the Indiana Hoosiers on a neutral court. There is no other game on their non-conference schedule in which an opponent should even come within two possessions of winning. The Fighting Irish’s non-conference schedule is laughably easy, but that could be just what this team needs to gel before heading into one of the toughest conferences in college basketball.
Like I said before, Duke, North Carolina and Virginia are the favorites in the ACC. However, Notre Dame only faces each of these teams once, giving them an opportunity to move ahead in the rankings with a win. The Fighting Irish’s four home and homes are with four of the bottom teams in the ACC, the Boston College Eagles, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Miami Hurricanes.
The opportunity to win the ACC outright in the regular season is clearly there, and fans should expect nothing less from a dark horse to win the national title.
Last season, Notre Dame fell short in the Elite Eight to the Kentucky Wildcats, but gave the then-undefeated team everything they could handle. This season, there is no team in college basketball as talented on paper as that Kentucky team. Mike Brey will drill that into his players’ heads. If they could hang with that team last year, then they can beat any team they face this year. And with this roster, they will be truly competitive team.
Taylor Sturm is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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