This Notre Dame Men's Basketball team has had an interesting season to say the least. Riddled by injuries to start off the season including a season-ending ACL tear to Tim Abromaitis and going into Big East play with 5 losses, but this team preserved and showed just how good a team they are. The key to their success has been leadership. With their true leader injured for the year, Junior, Jack Cooley, and Sophomore, Jerian Grant have carried this team to China and back. Now the question is, at 19-8 and tied for 2nd in the Big East, can this team win the Big East Tournament? It would be a heck of a story and certainly give them a high seed in the NCAA Tournament but can they do it? I think they can and here is why.

Leadership: As mentioned, Jack Cooley and Jerian Grant as well as a caravan of other players have led this team to a triumphant year this far and it looks as if the sky is the limit. If they can play and lead the way they have been, they will make a run come March.

Toughness: Losing Tim Abromaitis very early in the season was what all Irish fans dreaded. It was supposed to be a lost cause for the Irish this season and time to pack it up and look to next year. The team was young and not supposed to make any noise in the college basketball world. Ahh but it wasn't to be. They knock off then unbeaten and first-ranked Syracuse and win 7 straight after that to go from an average 11-8, to a stellar 19-8. Toughness defines this team, battling through injuries and illness and fighting their way to second place in the Big East.

Even though, those are only two reasons they are HUGE ones. If this team plays to their potential and Mike Brey keeps them level-headed they are poised to come down with a case of madness come March

GO IRISH!