Termine » onathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge hos

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- An early part of a college basketball season that had the making of something special for No. 25 Notre Dame has slipped sideways.Nine days ago, Notre Dame was undefeated and rolling. Two games later, the Irish have lost consecutive games in December for the first time since 2003.How will Notre Dame (9-2) respond from Saturdays 86-81 loss to No. 15 Purdue in the sixth-annual Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis? Seemingly rolling toward its 10th win, Notre Dame let a 17-point lead slip away with as sluggish a second half as the first was solid.This after an 11-point lead evaporated the previous Saturday in an eight-point loss to top-ranked Villanova. Both second halves exposed the Irish interior defense. The other ranked teams simply were tougher, stronger and quicker to loose balls, to missed shots.The Irish were outhustled and failed to grab a win when a win was there to grab.There wasnt much fight to the Irish. A veteran team should be beyond the funks that saw two seniors -- two captains -- in V.J. Beachem and Steve Vasturia -- go scoreless in the second half Saturday.The first nine games were rather stress-free and fun. That likely was not the case Sunday when the Irish worked their way through snow and wind outside for what promised to be an interesting afternoon inside heading into Mondays game against Colgate (2-9).Notre Dame was not in a happy place following the Villanova loss. After Saturday, that mad meter moved further in the wrong direction.Were definitely even more (ticked) than we were after Villanova, said junior power forward Martinas Geben, who had one of his best games as a collegiate Saturday after going for a season-high nine points with six rebounds and a career-best three assists in a season-best 22 minutes. Weve shown that we can win tough games. Now we just need to execute down the stretch against other teams.Time to look in the mirror. Maybe point a finger or two. Its bound to be a bit unpleasant the next two weeks as Notre Dame works toward the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play, closing quickly on New Years Eve at Pittsburgh.Who are we going to be as a team? wondered junior captain Bonzie Colson. Im tired of saying its a learning experience, but we just gotta toughen up and battle a little bit more and see who were going to be right now.Right now, nobody really knows. The Irish dont. Coach Mike Brey doesnt. He wondered late Saturday afternoon back in Indianapolis what button might be the next to push.How can a team that looked so good, so fluid, so together in the first halves of its two biggest games look so uncertain, so lost in the second half?We got comfortable at halftime, just like the Villanova game, said junior guard Matt Farrell, coming off career highs for points (22) and assists (10) for his first career double-double. We cant get comfortable, man. You just gotta want it more.Weve got to take peoples hearts.Notre Dame is 0-2 against ranked teams. Breys fine with that -- for now.Were not in the league of the two high-level teams weve played, Brey admitted. Weve got a nice team. I love our team.But ... were not in their league right now. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Drew-Brees-Jersey/ .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-John-Phillips-Jersey/ .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Hats/ . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Alex-Okafor-Jersey/ . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Thomas-Morstead-Jersey/ . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. MONTREAL -- Kai Kamara scored in the first minute and Kelyn Rowe added two goals to help the New England Revolution beat the Montreal Impact 3-1 on Saturday night.The Revolution (9-12-9), who lost to Dallas in the U.S. Open Cup final this week, posted a third straight win in Major League Soccer play with only their second road victory of the season. New England moved two points behind fifth-pplace Montreal in the Eastern Conference playoff race.ddddddddddddDidier Drogba scored on a penalty for Montreal (9-9-4), which has only one win in seven games. Perhaps more alarmingly, the Impact are 0-3-1 and have conceded 11 goals in their last four home games. 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