Notre Dame Basketball Hits a Wall: Four Takeaways from a Team Searching for Its Identity
On a Saturday afternoon in Blacksburg, Notre Dame basketball didn’t just lose another ACC game - they lost their way. The Irish fell 89-76 to Virginia Tech, dropping to 10-8 overall and 1-4 in conference play, but the final score only tells part of the story.
What’s happening on the court feels bigger than just a rough patch. This is a team that’s not just struggling to win - it’s struggling to compete.
Let’s break it down.
1. The Collapse at Cal Was More Than a Loss - It Was a Turning Point
Back on January 2, Notre Dame was 9.9 seconds away from starting 2-0 in ACC play for the first time since the 2017-18 season. They had just beaten Stanford on the road - a team that has since knocked off North Carolina and won at Virginia Tech - and they were leading Cal late.
Then came the collapse. A 72-71 loss that didn’t just sting.
It stripped this young Irish squad of something intangible but vital: belief.
Before that final sequence in Berkeley, Notre Dame looked like a team ready to punch above its weight. They led Stanford for over 30 minutes.
They led Cal for nearly 25. They were scrappy, confident, and playing with an edge.
Since that gut-punch in California? They’ve looked like a team searching for answers - and not finding any.
In the three ACC games since Cal, all double-digit losses, Notre Dame has led for a combined 7 minutes and 25 seconds: 2:45 against Clemson, 3:36 against Miami, and just 64 seconds against Virginia Tech. That’s not just a stat - that’s a signal. A team that once fought is now fading.
2. What’s the Identity Here?
When the halftime entertainment - a man balancing a wheelbarrow on his chin - looks more coordinated than your offense, you’ve got problems. And Notre Dame has problems.
Right now, it’s hard to pinpoint what this team does well. They foul too much.
They turn the ball over. They can’t string together consistent offensive possessions.
There’s no clear rhythm, no offensive identity, and no defensive backbone to fall back on. That’s a tough combination in any league - in the ACC, it’s a recipe for being outclassed.
Head coach Micah Shrewsberry put it plainly: “We’re trying to manufacture what we can.” And without standout freshman Markus Burton available, Notre Dame has tried to drag teams into the mud, hoping to win ugly.
But Saturday wasn’t ugly - it was just rough. Virginia Tech got to the line 32 times, scoring a season-high 89 points.
The Irish committed 20 fouls and couldn’t keep the Hokies out of the paint.
There’s a difference between grinding out games and getting ground down. Right now, Notre Dame is on the wrong side of that line.
3. The Size Disparity Is Real - And It’s Costing Them
If you want to survive in the ACC, you need size. Not just tall bodies - but size that moves, that rebounds, that scores, that competes. Notre Dame is learning that lesson the hard way.
Virginia Tech’s Amani Hansberry and Tobi Lawal didn’t just beat Notre Dame’s frontcourt - they dominated it. The two combined for 43 points, 17 rebounds, and 27 free throw attempts. Lawal, whose vertical leap reportedly touches 49.5 inches, looked like he was playing on a different level - and in some ways, he was.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, leaned on freshman Brady Koehler and grad student Matthew MacLellan in the second half. And while Koehler brought some spark (more on that in a minute), the Irish simply couldn’t match the Hokies’ physicality or athleticism inside.
When your bigs are consistently outplayed, you’re not just losing battles - you’re losing games. Notre Dame has an ACC problem, and it starts in the paint.
4. It’s Time to See What Brady Koehler Can Do
If there was one bright spot in Saturday’s loss, it was the play of freshman forward Brady Koehler. The 6-foot-10 Indiana native scored a career-high 17 points and brought a level of energy and purpose that’s been missing from the Irish frontcourt.
It’s time to give him the keys.
Sophomore Garrett Sundra, who didn’t start Saturday, has had his moments, but he hasn’t shown he’s ready to anchor the front line in this league. Koehler might not be ready either - but he’s showing signs that he could be. And that’s the kind of upside Notre Dame needs to lean into right now.
Let him play through the mistakes. Let him learn.
Let him grow. Because if there’s even a chance that Koehler can be something special, Notre Dame can’t afford to waste time finding out.
Final Thought
This isn’t just about a three-game losing streak. It’s about a team that’s lost its edge, its confidence, and maybe even its identity. There’s still time to grow, to learn, to fight - but someone in that locker room needs to grab this team by the collar and say, “Enough.”
Because right now, the Irish aren’t just losing games. They’re losing themselves.