Notre Dame Basketball Looks to Return to ACC Tournament

A New Focus for the Irish

The 2025‑26 season ended with a 13‑18 overall record and a dismal 4‑14 mark in the ACC. That poor finish meant the Irish missed the conference tournament for the first time in modern history, a setback that still stings the locker room. Veteran players now carry a heightened sense of purpose, determined to avoid a similar outcome next spring. The team’s rebuilding mantra for 2026‑27 is simple: get back to Greensboro.

Coach and players are emphasizing that the ACC Tournament has traditionally served as a reset button for Notre Dame. In past years, a strong run in that tournament could propel the Irish into the NCAA bracket, even after a shaky regular season. The loss at Conte Forum to Boston College, which knocked them out of contention, turned out to be the final blow that erased any chance at that second wind.

Key Players Driving the Renewal

Holdovers like sophomore forward Brady Koehler, senior guard Braeden Shrewsberry and senior guard Logan Imes have become the backbone of the new direction. Their reactions to last season’s collapse—Koehler calling it “wild” and Shrewsberry describing the feeling as “awful”—fuel a collective hunger to prove themselves. Imes, who missed spring break after the season, says the team now has a rare week of uninterrupted focus to rebuild. These veterans are now everywhere in Rolfs Hall, a visible reminder that the program is shifting its culture.

The experience they bring is matched by a physical program that now includes unorthodox conditioning, such as boxing sessions across the street at the Joyce Center. Those extra workouts are meant to sharpen toughness and team cohesion, qualities the Irish lacked in a 4‑14 conference slate. The blend of seasoned playmakers and updated training methods illustrates how the program intends to close the gap with ACC powerhouses.

The Road to Greensboro

Notre Dame will need to stay out of the bottom three of the ACC standings after 18 games to guarantee an invitation to the tournament. Historically, the league’s Nos. 16, 17 and 18 are left out of the Greensboro field, so the Irish must aim for at least a .500 conference record. The team’s goal is not just to avoid that fate but to win an opening game, as they have done in each of the last two ACC tournaments. Reaching that point will require consistent wins and a defensive identity that can compete with the conference’s top teams.

The Irish have also leaned on past close calls to sharpen their resolve. A near‑miss a decade ago, when a Bonzie Colson ankle injury cost them a potential second ACC Tournament title in three years, still looms as a cautionary tale. That memory fuels a current roster that is older, more driven and convinced that hunger can outweigh raw talent. The mantra “Just Get to Greensboro” now hangs in the practice facility and meeting rooms, a constant reminder of the singular objective for the upcoming season.

What Success Means for 2026‑27

Success for Notre Dame will be measured first by getting back into the ACC Tournament, then by building momentum toward a deeper NCAA run. The program’s confidence stems from the belief that a handful of motivated veterans can turn the tide if the recruitment pipeline improves. Fans and analysts will be watching not only win‑loss numbers but also the intangibles—team chemistry, defensive stop rates and three‑point shooting percentages—that signal a genuine turnaround.

If the Irish can secure a spot in Greensboro and win their opening matchup, the season will be considered a step forward, regardless of final standings. That achievement would restore a crucial tradition of using the tournament as a springboard, and it would set the stage for a more competitive 2026‑27 campaign. The entire campus is now focused on that single target, and every practice, conditioning session and film session is geared toward making it a reality.