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By WILL GRAVES
CORRECTS FIRST NAME TO MIKE, NOT MILE – Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey watches his team practice for a college basketball regional semifinal game in the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Notre Dame plays Wichita State on Thursday. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
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Wichita State’s Rashard Kelly dunks during practice for a college basketball regional semifinal game in the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Wichita State plays Notre Dame on Thursday. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
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Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall talks to his team during practice for a college basketball regional semifinal game in the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Wichita State plays Notre Dame on Thursday. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
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Notre Dame’s Pat Connaughton practices at the NCAA college basketball tournament, Wednesday, March 25, 2015, in Cleveland. Notre Dame plays Wichita State in a regional semifinal on Thursday. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
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Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson, left, tries to knock the ball away from Jerian Grant during practice for a college basketball regional semifinal game in the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Notre Dame plays Wichita State on Thursday. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
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CORRECTS FIRST NAME TO MIKE, NOT MILE – Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey speaks during his news conference before practice for a college basketball regional semifinal game in the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Notre Dame plays Wichita State on Thursday. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
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Notre Dame’s Pat Connaughton, right, puts his arm around teammate Jerian Grant during their news conference prior to practice for a college basketball regional semifinal game in the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Notre Dame plays Wichita State on Thursday. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
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Notre Dame’s Eric Katenda dunks during practice at the NCAA college basketball tournament, Wednesday, March 25, 2015, in Cleveland. Notre Dame plays Wichita State in a regional semifinal on Thursday. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Notre Dame coach Mike Brey has relied heavily on the toughness instilled with him by his mother while preparing for a Sweet 16 showdown with Wichita State on Thursday night.
Brey’s mother Betty died last Saturday, hours before Notre Dame beat Butler in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32. Brey didn’t tell his team until afterward. The coach says he didn’t want to provide a distraction. Brey spent last Sunday with his family in Florida to celebrate his mother’s life before returning to South Bend to prepare the third-seeded Irish (31-5) for the Shockers.
Wichita State crushed in-state rival Kansas in the round of 32. The seventh-seeded Shockers (30-4) say they were careful not to get too high after knocking off the Jayhawks. Guard Ron Baker says beating Kansas was like landing on cloud nine, but added his team can reach cloud 10 with two wins this weekend.