Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

The Madness Will Begin In Buffalo

March 12, 2017

Irish NCAA Tournament Central

The University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team (25-9) have earned a spot in the 2017 NCAA Championship tournament. The Irish are the fifth seed in the West Region and will face Ivy League Champion Princeton (23-6) on Thursday, March 16, at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

The game is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, making it the initial game to kick off the big tournament (after the First Four is played) on CBS. Verne Lundquist, Jim Spanarkel will have the call with Allie LaForce on the sidelines.

Notre Dame is making its 36th NCAA tournament appearance (ninth-best all-time), third in a row and seventh in the past eight seasons. Under head coach Mike Brey, the Irish are making their 12th appearance in 17 years.

NCAA POSTSEASON SUCCESS:

Not only did Notre Dame advance to the NCAA Championship Elite Eight in 2016 for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1978-79, but the Irish combined for six NCAA tournament wins over the past two seasons – the most in program history over a two-year stretch. The previous high was Notre Dame’s three wins in 1978 (the team’s lone appearance in the Final Four) and two victories the next season.

The Irish were the only team in the nation to advance to the Elite Eight in both the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons and the back-to-back regional final games are a first for the program since the NCAA touranment expanded to 64 or more teams in 1985.

Notre Dame’s six NCAA touranment victories over the past two seasons:

Teams

Date

Site

Region

Outcome

Score

#3 Notre Dame vs. #14 Northeastern

3-19-15

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Midwest

W

69-65

#3 Notre Dame vs. #6 Butler

3-21-15

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Midwest

W (OT)

67-64

#3 Notre Dame vs. #7 Wichita State

3-26-15

Cleveland, OH

Midwest

W

81-70

#6 Notre Dame vs. #11 Michigan

3-18-16

Brooklyn, NY

East

W

70-63

#6 Notre Dame vs. #14 Stephen F. Austin

3-20-16

Brooklyn, NY

East

W

76-75

#6 Notre Dame vs. #10 Wisconsin

3-25-16

Philadelphia, PA

East

W

61-56