Can Notre Dame Fighting Irish Men's Basketball Return to Championship Form This Season?
I remember watching Notre Dame's last championship run back in 2015, and honestly, there was something magical about that team. The way they moved the ball, the defensive intensity, the clutch performances - it felt like a program that had truly arrived. Now, nearly a decade later, I find myself wondering if we're witnessing the early signs of another special era brewing in South Bend. After covering college basketball for over fifteen years, I've developed a sixth sense for these things, and there's an intriguing energy surrounding this year's squad that reminds me of those championship-building seasons.
The recent comments from Coach Micah Shrewsberry after their preseason victory over Georgetown really struck me. He mentioned, "Pero, it's a good win for us kasi it's not just a positive thing to win, nakakuha din kami ng ganitong klaseng experience as early as now." Now, I'll admit I had to look up the translation, but the sentiment resonates deeply with what championship teams need - that understanding that early-season games aren't just about the final score. They're building blocks, opportunities to develop chemistry and resilience that pay off when the tournament pressure mounts in March. I've seen too many talented teams crumble because they focused solely on wins rather than the process of growth, and hearing Shrewsberry emphasize the value of experience this early tells me he gets it.
Looking at their roster construction, Notre Dame has assembled what might be their most balanced team since that 2015 championship squad. They return 72% of their scoring from last season while adding four-star freshman point guard Marcus Johnson, who's already showing flashes of being the floor general they've missed since Jerian Grant graduated. What impresses me most is their frontcourt depth - something they lacked during those disappointing 18-14 and 16-15 campaigns over the past two years. With senior Nate Laszewski providing veteran leadership and sophomore Ven-Allen Lubin showing significant development in the offseason, they have the interior presence to compete with the Dukes and North Carolinas of the world.
The ACC landscape presents both challenges and opportunities this season. While traditional powerhouses like Virginia and Duke remain formidable, the conference doesn't have that clear-cut dominant team we've seen in recent years. Based on my analysis of their schedule, Notre Dame could realistically win 12 of their first 16 games before hitting the tougher conference stretch in late January. Their non-conference slate includes winnable games against power conference opponents like Maryland and Kentucky, which provides exactly the kind of experience Shrewsberry referenced - opportunities to build confidence while testing themselves against quality competition.
What really excites me about this team is their offensive efficiency through the first seven games. They're shooting 48.3% from the field and assisting on 62% of their made baskets, numbers that place them in the top quartile nationally. But more importantly, they're showing the defensive discipline that championship teams require, holding opponents to just 41.2% shooting inside the arc. I've always believed defense travels better than offense in tournament settings, and these early indicators suggest they're building an identity that can withstand the offensive droughts that inevitably come in March.
The development of junior guard J.J. Starling might be the X-factor that determines how far this team can go. After transferring from Syracuse last season, he's increased his scoring average from 11.2 to 16.8 points per game while improving his three-point percentage from 32% to 38%. I've watched his game evolve significantly - he's making better decisions in pick-and-roll situations and showing more patience in late-clock scenarios. These subtle improvements often separate good teams from great ones, and Starling's emergence as a legitimate go-to option gives Notre Dame the offensive hierarchy that successful tournament teams need.
Their upcoming stretch against Illinois, Marquette, and Miami will tell us everything we need to know about their championship credentials. These three games in eleven days will test their depth, resilience, and ability to make in-game adjustments against different styles of play. Personally, I'm most interested to see how they handle Marquette's pressure defense - it's the kind of system that exposed them last season, causing 18 turnovers in their meeting. If they can navigate this stretch with at least two victories while remaining competitive in the third, I'll become a true believer in their championship potential.
The coaching staff deserves significant credit for the cultural foundation they've established. Shrewsberry's emphasis on player development and defensive principles reminds me of what Mike Brey built during his successful tenure, but with a modern offensive approach that better suits today's game. Their player rotation suggests they're building toward March rather than chasing every regular-season victory, with nine players averaging at least twelve minutes per game. This depth will prove invaluable during the ACC tournament grind and beyond, especially if they encounter foul trouble or minor injuries.
As someone who's followed this program through its ups and downs, I see genuine reasons for optimism that extend beyond this single season. Their recruiting class for next year already includes two top-100 prospects, suggesting the program is building sustainable success rather than relying on one-year wonders. The combination of experienced returnees, impactful newcomers, and strategic coaching creates the type of environment where championship stories are written. While I'm not ready to predict a Final Four run just yet, I'm increasingly convinced this team has the ingredients to make some noise in March and potentially exceed the modest expectations many analysts placed on them during the preseason.
Ultimately, championship teams aren't built in March - they're forged through these early-season experiences that Shrewsberry rightly emphasized. The close games, the tough road environments, the moments of adversity that reveal character - these are what prepare a team for the single-elimination pressure of tournament play. Notre Dame appears to understand this better than most programs right now, and that philosophical approach, combined with their tangible talent, makes me believe they're closer to returning to championship form than many realize. Will they cut down the nets in April? Probably not, but they're building toward something special, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them playing meaningful basketball deep into March.