What is next for Notre Dame men's basketball after losing in the ACC Tournament
What is next for Notre Dame men's basketball after losing in the ACC Tournament
Notre Dame's men's basketball season ended on Wednesday afternoon, as the Irish lost to North Carolina in the second round of the ACC tournament.
With a 15-18 record, the postseason isn't likely in the cards for Notre Dame. With that in mind, it's time to look ahead to what could transpire in the 2025-26 season. Head coach Micah Shrewsberry will be entering his third season, after compiling a 28-37 record in his first two years.
This coming team could give us a good look at what could be the future for the Irish or the beginning of the end of the Shrewsberry era. There is plenty riding on next year, and surely all parties involved are aware of the situation.
There is plenty of good for the Irish as they start preparing for the next season, so here are some aspects of what we could see next for Notre Dame's men's basketball team.
Player movement
The transfer portal has been huge, giving players the opportunity to leave if they don't think the situation is right for them which every team has to deal with now. On top of that, there could be NBA draft whispers as well, although those aren't very likely. Matt Allocco, Burke Chebuhar, Thomas Crowe, Nikita Konstantynovskyi, and Julian Roper are all seniors who won't be with the team next year. As for transfers, I could see Sir Mohammed exploring other opportunities given his opportunities this year. Others could leave as well, so be on the watch for news of players entering the portal.
Learning how to win close games
Multiple losses were extremely close, with seven of those ending in a two-possession game. This is about toughness, grit, and attitude, which is something that it seemed like the Irish were lacking this past season. This could very well be the difference in playing in late March or going home in the early portion of the month.
Recruiting additions
This should bring some hope for next year, as the Irish signed a group of four players headlined by 5-star guard Jalen Haralson. The rest of the class is just outside the top-100, as forward Ryder Frost, center Tommy Ahneman and forward Brady Koehler should bring depth and excitement to the program. Don't be surprised to see all of them, especially Haralson, playing early and often.
Returning players
As long as this trio decide to stay with the Irish, Tae Davis, Braeden Shrewsberry and Markus Burton will fill three of the five. J.R. Konieczny could crack the lineup, but he might be best off the bench with Haralson getting the nod. The biggest question mark is which bigs are in the first five with options like Ahneman and Kebba Njie. It would make plenty of sense to go into the portal for at least some depth, but a proven starter would probably be a better option. Cole Certa should be one of the first players off the bench, as he flashed more than a few times this season.
Outlook
It's really hard to make a judgement at the current moment, but you have to like the direction that Notre Dame is headed. Sure, Shrewsberry didn't have a successful second season, but this was never going to be a quick turnaround. Recruiting has ticked up, but player development this offseason will be just as important. If more than a few of them make the jump, this could very well the first tournament team for the Irish under Shrewsberry.
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