Thursday, January 17, 2013
More minutes for Knight
By Matt Giles
It was odd to see Tom Knight play 17 minutes in Notre Dame's loss to St. John's. The 6-foot-10 big had barely ventured off the bench this season, registering several DNPs, and falling behind Garrick Sherman on the Irish's frontcourt depth chart. However, against the Johnnies, Knight was the forward coach Mike Brey turned to, especially with Jack Cooley on the bench, and Brey has indicated Knight will begin to play more as the Big East season progresses.
Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune spoke to Brey, and the coach confirms Knight will see more minutes in the next few Notre Game tilts: "Tom has got to be our first sub off the bench; there's no question. He gave us good energy, gave us good stuff."
Even though Sherman is converting nearly 60 percent within the arc, a shooting percentage that is only second to Cooley on the squad, Brey feels the Michigan State transfer has struggled with his consistency -- especially against St. John's and Connecticut, both Irish losses -- and has yet to infuse the team with the energy Knight is capable of bringing as a sub. Don't expect, though, Knight to crack the starting lineup: despite a disappointing showing against the Red Storm, which is not surprising considering the speed the Johnnies possess among their bigs, Cooley will still be a starter.
