Kentucky’s next opponent has history of upsets

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Beware, Kentucky. That little leprechaun looms.

The pristine season, the presumed NCAA championship, the aura of invincibility and every other plaudit being thrown at the so-good-they’re-scary Wildcats are all at great risk. There’s a proven giant-killer waiting.

Notre Dame’s got next.

The Fighting Irish, with a long history of slaying basketball behemoths, stand in Kentucky’s path to the Final Four and perhaps the first undefeated season in the college game since Bobby Knight’s Indiana squad ran the table 39 years ago.

Tonight at Quicken Loans Arena, Notre Dame gets another chance at bringing down this team of teams, one some feel is invincible — you know, like the 1974 UCLA Bruins, who had their 88-game winning streak stopped by ND.

Double-digit underdogs, the Fighting Irish (32-5) believe they’ll take the floor with millions.

“We are America’s team tomorrow,” coach Mike Brey said Friday. “And we love it, we certainly will take all that support. We’ve got a monumental challenge on our hands.”

No doubt. David only had one Goliath to deal with. Kentucky’s got a half-dozen future NBA first-round draft picks, and the top-seeded Wildcats (37-0) are coming off a jaw-dropping, 39-point win over West Virginia in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Regional. Kentucky showcased all of its splendor — size, depth, defense, cold-bloodedness — in running the Mountaineers out of Quicken Loans Arena.

But beyond having one of the most efficient offenses in the country, 3-point shooters and underrated toughness, the Fighting Irish believe. Big time.

“We have a lot of confidence,” guard Jerian Grant said. “We feel they haven’t played an offensive team like us. Just go out there and play our game I think we’ll be able to get a win.”

Notre Dame has knocked off the AP’s No. 1 ranked team eight times, most recently in 2012 against Syracuse. And while that won’t necessarily help them as they try to tame the Wildcats, the Fighting Irish have faith it can happen again.