Rockne's Roundtable

Not 100-percent sure, but I think Connaughton was just blocked by the bottom of the backboard. Good to at least see him attack the basket. Irish up 45-34 with 7:52 to go.

OK, I admit I let my emotions get the best of me, but this is how a veteran team should be playing for 40 minutes. We won't be able to get away playing a horrible first half for the rest of the season. Nice comeback.

I turned it for 5 minutes for NCIS Wes,lol, i missed it also. A much better second half. This should secure the NCAA Tourney berth.

Smacked the side of his head. Cheap shot but not that hard.

Unreal. Air just sucked out of this place. Unfair way for Cooley to finish.

And now the crowd has a chance to give Cooley an ovation. Very strange moment.

Irish running out the clock. I'd be throwing up 3-pointers after what just happened. Notre Dame wins it 66-44. Recap coming later.

They are saying on TV that biedscheid will be automatically suspended for Louisville game. He was only defending himself but he eventually threw a punch. That sucks if he is suspended.

I was so frustrated watching the first half, I couldn't post, but I would have written many of the same things you did. It was another schizophrenic effort like the game against Pitt. They can go for a stretch where you're asking, "can anyone here make a basket?" and then find another gear. The constant in recent games has been defense. In three of those games, they held teams to 42 or less. That's remarkable. In the fourth, Marquette shot their eyeballs out, and there's no defense against a team that's unconscious. The shame of the game was having Cooley's final departure marred by that fight. Pointer had been agitating much of the night. Lavin should show him the door.