Irish wrap up exhibition slate with win

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Mike Brey is still trying to figure his basketball team out.

Even after two exhibition games, Brey is still trying to envision how all the pieces fit together - both in terms of the rotation’s depth and which players fit with which on the defensive end.

After Friday’s 75-54 win over Quincy University in Notre Dame’s final exhibition before its season opener against North Florida on Nov. 14, the Irish head coach is closer to seeing how the puzzle fits together.

“We’re learning about ourselves,” Brey said. “Of all my teams, this is the one that I didn’t have as many preconceived notions. I just didn’t what to expect with some new guys in new roles. We’ve been adjusting as we’ve watched them.”

Notre Dame had a game on its hands Friday until about midway through the first half.

Trailing 17-15, the Irish went on a 13-0 run for a 28-17 lead with 7:03 left in the half, a run punctuated by a Tim Abromaitis layup off a Ben Hansbrough steal.

Notre Dame extended its lead to 16 points after a fast break alley-oop dunk by Carleton Scott from Hansbrough, making it 40-24.

Hansbrough finished with 14 points and six assists. After starting the game 0-of-5 from the floor, he hit a 3-pointer at the 8:40 mark of the first half to break out of a mini shooting slump during the exhibition slate.

“I was going through a shooting slump,” Hansbrough said. “But coach Brey was really good in telling me, ‘Hey Ben, just keep shooting, you’re gonna make the next one.’”

Brey used the same tact with the rest of his team, which shot 8-of-33 from behind the three-point line as Quincy doubled down on forward Luke Harangody, who led all scorers 17 points and 11 rebounds.

The volume of 3-pointers was more a reflection of crisper ball movement and shots the guards couldn’t turn down, point guard Tory Jackson said.

“I was happy about it,” Jackson said. “I think we would’ve had at least 30 assists with the shots we missed. We moved it around well. With three guards that we have - me, Jonathan Peoples and Ben - we like to get in there and drive and kick to each other and help each other out. And open it up for Gody and some of the other players like Ty Nash and Carleton. We have that type of offense.”

During the second half, Notre Dame extended its lead, which allowed Brey to move deeper into the reserves than he did in the first exhibition game.

Abromaitis and Scott, both expected to play significant minutes for the first time in their Irish careers, logged 18 and 16 minutes, respectively.

Freshmen Joey Brooks, Mike Broghammer, Tom Knight and Jack Cooley each played at least three minutes.

Among the things Brey said he’s still looking into is which of the first-year big men will play their way into more minutes during the season’s early stages.

“We’re rotating them all kind of around,” Brey said, “and trying to figure out which one is the guy to go to. But that could be a revolving door kind of all year.”

Add it to the list of things Brey and his staff will continue to try and figure out as the season moves on.