Lots of interesting matchups this season, including a loaded Spartans squad, the Maui Invitational, and more
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men’s basketball program officially released its full non-conference schedule for this upcoming season, and it features numerous teams that ND has faced many, many times in its history.
The headliner is the ACC/Big Ten Challenge game announced earlier in the month, when the Irish will travel to East Lansing to take on a Michigan State team that will very likely be ranked in the top 5 considering the talent they are bringing back (including potential NBA lottery pick Miles Bridges) and some highly-regarded freshmen they have coming in this season. MSU also sits 4th on the list of programs Notre Dame has played the most, as the teams have met 95 times overall.
The Fighting Irish will also take on numbers 3 and 6 in that list in matchups against Depaul (season opener and the first-ever game played in the Blue Demons’ new Wintrust Arena) and against new coach Archie Miller’s Indiana team in the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis.
Furthermore, ND will play in the Maui Invitational in November, partaking in a tournament that also features the Michigan Wolverines, Wichita State Shockers, Marquette Golden Eagles (another major historic rival), California Golden Bears, LSU Tigers, and Virginia Commonwealth Rams. The matchups for that tourney will be announced later in the summer, but that will certainly be a big 3-day stretch for the Irish to pad their non-conference resume.
Other interesting games include a visit to the team coached by former Mike Brey point guard and assistant coach Martin Ingelsby — Delaware -- and a November contest against Mount St. Mary’s, who has made a number of NCAA Tournaments in recent years.
The rest of the opponents on the non-conference slate are pretty run-of-the-mill Notre Dame basketball non-conference opponents, as the Irish play Bethel College and Cardinal Stritch (exhibition games), Chicago State, St. Francis Brooklyn, Ball State, Dartmouth, and Southeastern Louisiana.
The Irish will be led by 2016-2017 3rd Team All-American big man BONZIE COLSON and 2016-2017 Honorable Mention All-ACC point guard Matt Farrell, and will certainly be looking to add to Brey’s fantastic 3-year stretch where he’s gone 82-28, won 7 NCAA Tournament games, and reached 2 Elite Eights.
Irish fans, it may be summer, with football season still ahead of us, but I think it’s already time to start getting excited about this upcoming college basketball season in South Bend. It should be a fun one.
