Notre Dame basketball misses out on NCAA Tournament

As much as we may not like or agree with it, it just wasn’t Notre Dame basketball’s year to make another NCAA Tournament run this year.

Unfortunately for the Notre Dame basketball team, Selection Sunday wasn’t as kind to them this time around as in years past.

For the first time since 2014, the year they joined the ACC, the Fighting Irish will not be dancing when March Madness rolls around.

Notre Dame (20-14, 8-10 ACC), who finished as one of the Selection Committee’s first four out, had an outside shot to make the tournament thanks to the return of star forward Bonzie Colson and guard Matt Farrell, who both missed significant time this season.

Colson, this year’s ACC preseason player of the year returned with a vengeance after missing 15 games with a broken foot, and Farrell was out five games with an ankle injury.

Without Colson on the floor, Notre Dame was 6-9. Without both players, the Irish were 0-4.

More from Da Windy City

• Juan Soto appears headed to the Yankees which is not a big blow Chicago Cubs offseason
• 3 takeaways from Chicago Blackhawks shootout loss to Nashville
• Chicago Cubs in the middle of chaos that is Shohei Ohtani’s free agency
• The Chicago Cubs are on a roller coaster of emotions chasing Shohei Ohtani
• Chicago Bears quietly compiling list of head coaching candidates

With Colson, who has been averaging 17 points and 9.2 rebounds over his last five games, Notre Dame was 14-5 overall and at least looked capable of competing with anyone, even in spite of its 88-70 to Duke.

But in the end, those 19 games hurt too much to overcome. And they had to have that Duke game if they wanted to really prove to the selection committee that they could make some noise, as it turns out.

As such, the only way Notre Dame can win a tournament championship is if they win the NIT.

Now, I happen to agree with Mike Brey that the Irish could have been a top 20 team with a healthy Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell leading them.

They’re not an explosive team, but their grit, ability to defend and knack for coming up with huge plays in clutch moments would’ve been a great thing to watch on the big stage this March.

At the same time, what’s more exciting: watching Trae Young possibly making incredible memories in the tournament or Notre Dame scrapping just to stay alive?

Next: Chicago Bears hot after Allen Robinson

As much as Notre Dame could’ve been an intriguing team, 2018 just wasn’t its year. Hopefully, they can avoid the injury bug next year and give it another run.

But for right now, while we can split hairs about it, the decision to leave Notre Dame out of the tournament painfully makes sense.