Notre Dame basketball started it's 2008-2009 season this past weekend and there are some high hopes for the talented squad.  Most services have the team as a Top 10 team going into the season, so excitement for the program is at an all-time high.  Sports Illustrated has a nice report on this year's team with some interesting quotes and stories.  For any Irish basketball fans out there, I would highly recommend it.

Luke Harangody (left) and Tory Jackson (right) enter the season as a Big East favorite

A couple of thoughts stemming from the article:

• It seems like the Irish are looking for a permanent replacement for departed senior Rob Kurz.  Zach Hillesland can certainly play down low, but I have to think Brey wants to keep Ryan Ayers as the 6th man, opening up another spot down low.  The candidates?  6-11 senior Luke Zeller, 6-8 sophomore Tyrone Nash, 6-7 sophomore Tim Abromitis, and 6-8 redshirt freshman Carleton Scott.  On Luke Zeller, from the article:

  X-Factor: Zeller. Says Brey of his 6-11 forward, "I don't yell at him much, but if I do, it's to rebound." Zeller has long acted like a shooting guard stuck in a center's body; he averaged a height-defying 2.2 rebounds per game last season. With Kurz gone they desperately need Zeller to gravitate more inside the arc and do some work on the offensive glass. Harangody can handle a heavy load in the post, but if he doesn't get any assistance down there, it's hard to see Notre Dame making a deep tourney run. If Zeller -- who appeared to have added bulk to his previously skinny upper body this offseason -- can take advantage of double-teams on Harangody and provide interior (or at the very least, mid-range) offense, he'll cement a role in the starting lineup and become a huge asset.

One of the more honest assessments of our most glaring question mark, in my honest opinion.  I'm not confident that Zeller is our best option all the time, but I think he can give Mike Brey some minutes somewhere on the floor and I think the other candidates certainly have some talent to help out Harangody and Hillesland.  If, God forbid, there's an injury to those two, there will be some major problems.

• I keep forgetting about Irish newcomers Ben Hansbrough and Scott Martin.  Hansbrough (yes, Tyler's brother) is a transfer from Mississippi State and Martin is a transfer from Purdue.  Both are ineligible to play next season but will be able to practice with the team this season.  Hansbrough has 2 years of eligibility and should slide into Kyle McAlarney's role rather easily when he graduates.  Martin enters into the equation as one of ND's more highly rated players in awhile and will be an extra offensive weapon in a year's time.
• I am actually surprised at the lack of excitement on ND's campus right now.  I realize it's still early and the football team is actually competitive again, but there hasn't been much publicity for this team on campus despite it's top 10 status.  Fall break forced the ticket office to sell student tickets online and not at a 'Midnight Madness' type event and hopefully there will be more excitement one the students get back and the season gets underway.

It promises to be an exciting year for ND basketball and I'm looking forward to it.

Update: Here's a new article on Rivals. com about Luke Harangody.  Another good article.