Notre Dame Men’s Basketball: Irish Satisfying Half of its Fanbase

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men’s basketball team is .500 in its last 12 games — and that middling effort is seeping into fan enthusiasm about the program.

Fifty-one percent of self-identified Irish fans told SB Nation’s FanPulse earlier this week that they were satisfied with the direction Mike Brey and his staff are taking the team. That’s up 14 percent from the prior week, but down one percent from two weeks ago.

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The survey was conducted prior to the Irish’s 84-82 loss to the Syracuse Orange. Notre Dame travels to Tallahassee to play the No. 5 Florida State Seminoles (16-2, 6-1 ACC) on Saturday.

Poll respondents were also asked, “Which is the best conference in NCAA basketball?”

The Big Ten was the top pick of 44.5 percent of those who answered.

Those not listed on the graphic include the Pac-12 at 4.4 percent, the SEC at 4.1 percent and “somebody else” at 2.7 percent.

Here are the confidences of fans who support opponents’ programs:

• Maryland Terrapins: 50 percent
• Boston College Eagles: 0 percent (fewer than 10 respondents)
• UCLA Bruins: 63 percent
• Indiana Hoosiers: 17 percent (fewer than 10 respondents)
• Syracuse Orange: 78 percent
• NC State Wolfpack: 88 percent (fewer than 10 respondents)
• Louisville Cardinals: 100 percent
• Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: 35 percent
• Florida State: 98 percent
• Wake Forest Demon Deacons: 20 percent (fewer than 10 respondents)
• Pittsburgh Panthers: 100 percent
• Clemson Tigers: 78 percent (fewer than 10 respondents)
• Virginia Cavaliers: 87 percent
• Duke Blue Devils: 100 percent
• North Carolina Tar Heels: 53 percent
• Miami-Florida Hurricanes: 57 percent
• Virginia Tech Hokies: 100 percent