SOUTH BEND − Going into Friday’s buy game at home against Elon, Notre Dame men’s basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry wanted to see his team play “like their hair’s on fire.”
That never happened, not in the beginning, not in the middle and certainly not at the end of an 84-77 loss. During his postgame press conference, Shrewsberry may have taken a flame thrower to the program’s petty cash account.
A reprimand and a fine by the Atlantic Coast Conference office may be coming after the second-year Irish coach voiced his displeasure over the three-man officiating crew of Eric Lewis, Tommy Morrissey and Connor Penn, names that are not familiar around the Irish basketball program.
Those three rarely and maybe never have worked an Irish game – at least together – before Friday, a game where they whistled Notre Dame for a season-high 19 fouls. Elon was called for 10. Shrewsberry wanted to see his team box out better to start Friday than they did three nights earlier when they allowed a season high 14 offensive rebounds in a 17-point win over North Dakota.
Box out the Irish did, almost from the start. Too often, the result was a foul called on the Irish. Notre Dame was tagged for eight of the game’s first 10 fouls. By halftime, that count was Notre Dame 10, Elon 2.
At home.
“We started the game hitting and boxing out, and they were calling fouls,” Shrewsberry said. “They’re saying it’s because of our box outs. So, we’re being physical. We’re not allowed to be physical, what the (expletive) are we supposed to do?
“I thought that was crazy to start the game.”
Shrewsberry counseled his team to keep playing the way they were playing. Playing hard. Playing aggressively. Not letting an opponent get comfortable, although the opponent got comfortable.
“We’re going to keep hitting; I don’t care,” Shrewsberry said. “I told them, keep hitting these dudes. I don’t care what the whistles say, right? We need some real officials out here.
“I thought that was stupid.”
Elon finished 13-of-17 from the free throw line. Notre Dame (4-1) was 7-of-9. It was a season low for free throw made and free throws attempted for the Irish.
Notre Dame came into the contest averaging 14.25 fouls per game. Last season, the Irish ranked 41st nationally (out of 351 Division I teams) for fewest fouls per game (15.1). A program that historically guards without fouling couldn’t guard without fouling on Friday. That’s what had the head coach in a non-holiday mood.
“We’re one of the least fouling teams in the country,” he said.
The last time a Notre Dame men’s basketball coach faced a fine by the ACC for criticizing officials was January 27. 2020. In a memorable 64-second post-game rant that lives today on YouTube, former Irish coach Mike Brey went off on the ACC officiating – particularly veteran official John Gaffney − following an 85-84 loss at Florida State.
Brey also voiced the opinion that because Notre Dame is not a full member of the ACC (it competes in the conference in every sport but football and hockey), Irish teams don’t always get the benefit of the basketball doubt from officials, especially on the road and in close conference contests.
“Come on, man, we’re in the league, too!” Brey barked as he left the post-game dais that night. “We’re in the league, too! Come on! Come on, John Gaffney! God!”
The ACC fined Brey $20,000, a check he cut from his own personal account.
Shrewsberry, in fairness, never mentioned anyone on Friday’s officiating crew by name.
Any word from the league office on a possible fine likely will come Monday.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
