Rich Hidy, Sports Editor

 

On the night following a frustrating loss to a strong Ohio State team, another negative occurrence altered the remaining course of the season for the Fighting Irish basketball team.

Leading scorer Jerian Grant, an All-ACC Preseason First Teamer and probable first round NBA draft pick, was suspended for the rest of the season because of an academic issue.

“I take full responsibility for my lack of good judgment and the poor decision that I made. I have no one to blame but myself for the situation. I know and understand the expectations that go with being a student at Notre Dame and I did not live up to those standards,” Grant said in a statement following the announcement.

The Irish relied on Grant for more than a fourth of its scoring in the average game. Grant’s career year propelled Notre Dame’s success, as he was the primary cog on a team with real potential to grow and improve throughout the season. Grant shot an extremely efficient 52 percent from the field, over 40 percent from three, and dished out 6.2 assists per game as well. He was becoming the frontline guard that the Irish needed following the careers of dominant post players such as Luke Harangody and Jack Cooley. Without Grant, the Irish seemed doomed to consistent flashes of inconsistency.

Notre Dame is 2-3 without Jerian Grant as ACC play has begun. The Irish shocked the nation earlier in January with an incredibly resilient win against 7th-ranked Duke, 79-77. The Irish held one of the top freshmen in college basketball, Jabari Parker, to a 2-10 shooting performance. Eric Atkins, Steve Vasturia and Pat Connaughton were very impressive in the win. Atkins had a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists. Vasturia came off the bench for 9 points, all from behind the arc, and four rebounds. Vasturia’s specialty has been his shooting ability and range, which is now being deployed in the new-look lineup shown by Mike Brey the past few games.

Youngsters like Vasturia and fellow freshman Demetrius Jackson must play well beyond their age if Notre Dame wants to exceed current expectations and make it to March Madness. Jackson and Vasturia certainly have the talent to step in and succeed right away. Jackson was a top 25 recruit in the country out of Mishawaka Marian, and Vasturia averaged over 20 points per game his senior year at St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, becoming the leading scorer in school history. The new starting lineup features a nice mix of youth eager to make an impact and steady upperclassmen leadership. Atkins is one of the most seasoned point guards in the country, being a veteran of over 100 games, and is elite in his ability to pass and prevent turnovers. He is fourth in the country in the assist-to-turnover ratio this season.

Garrick Sherman has been a consistent post presence ever since he transferred from Michigan State. While not flashy, he gets the job done and has five double-doubles in points and rebounds this season. Sherman and sophomore forward Zach Auguste team up to make a relatively strong duo in the post. Brey prefers to stick to a smaller lineup in ACC play to be up-tempo, and Atkins, Jackson and Vasturia can all play point guard; Pat Connaughton is probably best as a shooting guard. Sherman, at the center position, is the only starter in a conventional role.

Three losses in a row to NC State, Georgia Tech and Maryland will cause the pressure meter to rise a little, and Brey will truly have to prove his coaching value this season to try to find something that will work. Games against Syracuse and North Carolina in the near future will push Notre Dame to the brink of its ability as a team. Cohesiveness is essential in turning this ship around. If the team can survive the tough times and start to build on the small successes as a start, their 10-7 record may turn around in a hurry. There are still plenty of games on the schedule, but the time is now to get on a run.

Rich Hidy is a sophomore Marketing major and journalism minor. One time, he found out he had too much swag. Contact him at rhidy@nd.edu.