I really could not be in a happier mood, ladies and gentlemen.  This weekend presents us with a one versus two, in-state rivalry college hoops game.  It gives us the return of Saturday Night Live with the fantastic Tina Fey hosting.  Then Sunday, we've got the Irish looking to extend the home win streak to thirty-five consecutive games against an exciting Syracuse game, all followed by an Oscars telecast that nobody but me and the few people who weren't annoyed by There Will Be Blood watching.  

Despite this happiness, I will reach down to some depressing childhood memories and try to critique this team, because despite the great win last night, there are some issues that need to be addressed.  We'll hammer those out first, and then move onto the praise and celebration of the Fighting Irish's 11th Big East win, and one that assuredly locked them into the NCAA tournament.

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For the negatives, Rob called me from the game last night during the second half before the team went on the mega run, with two suggestions.  His first was that most women's collegiate teams were capable of out-rebounding us, and his second involved Luke Zeller and a revoking of his scholarship.  After that cathartic venting, the Irish shots started falling, Luke Harangody composed himself and Pitt got overwhelmed by some defensive pressure and bad luck (Sam Young's missed dunk).  But before that, there were several problems that have plagued the Irish at various times this season that all flared up.  They follow, in no particular order.

*    Giving up offensive boards.  I was surprised to see the Panthers only ended up with fourteen offensive rebounds, as the case was earlier in the season with this team, it seemed like a lot more.  Notre Dame was getting out-physicaled - whether there were falls involved or not, you still have to be tough on the inside - and not blocking out.  As fun as it is to come flying across the lane for blocks all the time, it's not exactly conducive to being in position for weak side rebounding.  When the Irish settled down and focused on cleaning up the boards, that was one sign things started to turn around.

*    Biting on too many perimeter shot fakes.  Rob Kurz was particularly awful at this last night, jumping out of the gym when any Panther glanced upwards, let alone pump faked.  Getting beat on the perimeter because of foot speed is one thing, but to give up penetration because you're trying to block a jump shot is unforgivable.  How many jump shots do you see blocked in the average basketball game?  One, maybe?  Less than that?  The Irish have enough trouble cutting off the dribble-drive as it is, they don't need to add to the problem by not closing out properly on jump shooters.

*    Harangody complaining to the officials.  Maybe DeJuan Blair got more of the calls last night, but any time Harangody hits a rough stretch offensively he starts flailing and looking to an official to bail him out.  Not only is it annoying, but it's probably not going to get you anywhere.  Mike Brey saved Harangody from a technical last night, although to Gody's credit, he calmed down after his hiatus on the bench.

*    Defensive rotations.  I have a hypothesis that if a team were to put the ball in one corner against the Irish defense and swing or skip it around to the opposite corner in less than two or three seconds, they will have a completely wide open look with nary a hand in their face.  As John Wooden says, you can't teach speed, but you can teach quickness.  Whichever defender is opposite the ball needs to anticipate instead of reacting in these situations, or the Irish are going to get drilled by a team that doesn't have Ronald Ramon going 0 for 8 with mostly wide open looks.

But as we saw in the last ten minutes or so, those problems are correctable.  The only lasting concern I have with this team is maybe a lack of athleticism in perimeter defense, but there's really nothing that's going to chance personnel wise between now and March, so it's just something worth noting.  Perhaps if the NBA trade deadline hadn't passed yesterday we could have bundled together a package for Ron Artest, but I'm feeling comfortable with the eight guys Brey rolls out game-to-game.

Offensively last night, there were two major problems.  The first was that shots simply weren't falling, which happens.  Len Elmore, who I really have never enjoyed as a commentator for whatever reason, was incorrectly suggesting in his halftime analysis that the Irish needed to get better outside shots.  They had clean looks, but the shots were not falling.  It was a testament to the team that they kept it close enough that when there finally was a deluge of four threes in seven possessions, it was enough to break the game open.

The second problem was that Harangody wasn't passing out of double teams, trying to go one-on-two when he's got a plethora of jump shooters out on the floor with him.  The Irish offense is predicated on ball movement, and while you want Harangody to get as many touches as possible, it's better for the team in general if things are flowing instead of stagnating down on the block while a pair of defenders make any short incredibly difficult.  A totally correctable problem, and one that hasn't been much of an issue.

After that much on the bad of last night, it's great to get to talk about the good.  Tory Jackson is a monster, yet somehow everything I've read about last night's game save for Deadspin doesn't nearly give him enough credit.  He set the tempo early and closed the door late, playing thirty seven minutes of high energy basketball with zero - count them, zero - turnovers.  No dumb charges, no bad passes, only a controlled presence in the lane any time he got there.  While he's been knocking it down at a very favorable clip the last month or so, I still don't know if I believe in his jump shot, but this is one situation where I'll gladly admit to being wrong as he keeps knocking them down.

Harangody, upon composing himself, did well against a very game DeJuan Blair.  (Pitt should be thrilled to have him for the next three-plus years, as he seems like a good kid with great hands and a nose for the ball.)  Seeing the free throw disparity (Luke was 7 for 8, Blair 2 for 7) makes you really appreciate the big guy's proficiency from the line.  I'm still not a fan of the ugly half hook, half shot put "move" inside, but his interior presence (another double double) kept the Irish in it when shots weren't falling.

I discussed Kurz's defensive issues above, but he certainly helped get things started with a quick seven points, and had a big three when the Irish were struggling to stay close in the second half.  Glad to see McAlarney get his shot back on track after some clean looks didn't fall early, and his beautiful pass to set up Harangody for a seven point Irish lead was as good of court vision as you'll see.  A big three and some clutch free throws from Ryan Ayers, while Zach Hillesland did a pretty good job of being controlled chaos out on the floor.

Seth Davis paid the Irish a fantastic compliment in his weekend picks today, writing that "Few teams in America have better chemistry and role definition than the Irish. What's more, this is the best defensive team Mike Brey has had in South Bend."  I don't want to get my hopes too far up, as the pain of the Georgetown and Winthrop losses still sting from last year's tournaments, but this team is capable of some great things.  

Syracuse comes to town Sunday with an explosive freshman point guard in Jonny Flynn that should make for a really compelling match-up against Tory Jackson.  Paul Harris is a lot like the Charlotte Bobcats' Gerald Wallace in the way he lacks a specific position, combining the bruising style of a power forward with the handles of a combo guard.  The Orange have a pretty short bench, which evens the playing field a bit.  The Syracuse zone hasn't given the Irish much trouble the last few seasons, and they do not shoot the three ball well (250th in the nation).  The game is at 2:00, Sunday on CBS.

(And no, Gus Johnson will not be calling it.  Sad, I know.)