Keeper: Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

Bill Self

On Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 8:00am, Bill Self elected to keep Luke Harangody, Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish were a major disappointment this past year. They began the season ranked #9, but stumbled more than any other team in the nation. A 7-game losing streak, coupled with an 8-10 conference record led to their ultimate demise. The Big East Player of the Year as a sophomore, Harangody improved in every statistical category. With some key senior departures, Notre Dame will need the big leprechaun to step up next year, more than ever.

Out of the 14 lineups Bill Self submitted over last season, Harangody was his highest scoring player 10 times. He was 2nd in overall scoring (505.15), and led the league in average points per start (42.10). Looking ahead, Harangody is a great centerpiece for a team with a bad taste in its mouth from last year. A first round playoff loss took the wind out of the sails of an otherwise successful season. Look for Bill Self and his squad to bounce back, with Indiana's own Harangody leading the way.

Although Harangody officially declared for the NBA draft yesterday, expect to see him back in South Bend for his senior season. It never hurts to test the waters after your junior year. But as it stands right now, he is a late second-round pick at best. Some NBA scouts have major issues with his size, lateral quickness and leaping ability. But at the college level, he is one of the more difficult matchups in the country. His blue-collar work ethic and scrappy style of play are his trademark attributes. It's not always pretty, but no one can argue with his end results - the numbers don't lie! If Harangody returns for one more year, expect him to be in the Top 5 in league scoring again.