Notre Dame Basketball: Three Takeaways from the Win Over Iowa

Matt Farrell Can Flat Out Ball

Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

As Pat Rick noted in his game recap, Farrell has been a pleasant surprise thus far. Most thought he’d probably would be a game manager, but that absolutely isn’t the case. Farrell is a playmaker.

Farrell is fearless and isn’t afraid to take big shots. He, along with Steve Vasturia, kept Notre Dame in the game in the second half when Iowa made their run and eventually took a brief lead. He made two huge threes to keep the Irish right there during their run.

My favorite play of the game from Farrell came late in the second half. The Irish ran and pick with Farrell in Colson. Farrell went up as if he was going to shoot it, but quickly dished it off to a wide open, rolling Colson for the easy finish.

Through just seven games Farrell stepped up and made some huge shots in crucial situations. We all know that Vasturia, V.J. Beachem, and Bonzie Colson are going to command the attention of opposing teams, but they better not over look Farrell because he’s just as dangerous as the rest of them.

Martinas Geben Needs to Find a Way to Stay On The Court

Geben needs to be on the court for the Irish this season, mostly because he really is the only low post presence on the roster. He only played 11 minutes on Tuesday night, but he was pretty impactful in his limited time. The Lithuanian pulled down nine rebounds, dove for loose balls, and provided some resistance to Cordell Pemsl down on the block.

He needs to find a way to limit the fouls. The Irish are going to be outsized by most teams this season, so any type of help they can get from Geben will be key.

Bonzie Colson Continues to Defy Odds

Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN commentator Bob Wischusen asked LaPhonso Ellis during last nights game, “When Bonzie Colson walks off the bus, does he scream ‘double-double’?” Ellis responded quickly with, “No.”

Ellis is right. Colson is only 6’5” and doesn’t look like a walking double-double. Notre Dame fans should be familiar with a player like Colson though. Adrian Dantley was also an undersized forward and was one of the best scorers and rebounders in the history of the program. In his last two seasons at ND he averaged a double-double.

Colson provides the Irish with really their only form of low post scoring. He had a monster night as he notched his fourth straight double-double with 24 points and 17 rebounds, oh and he was also a perfect 12-12 from the free-throw line.

He always finds a way to get his points, even if it doesn’t look that pretty. There was one play in the second half where he pulled down an offensive board, and without really looking at the basket he hucked up a shot and some how it still went in.

He’s the consummate hardhat and lunchpail type of player, and honestly thats the way he has to play if he wants to be a productive player.