SOUTH BEND, Ind. ? Notre Dame's Chris Thomas and Oregon's Luke Jackson have never played each other in college. They have coached together, though.
They worked together this past summer coaching the same youth team at a Michael Jordan basketball camp in Santa Barbara, Calif.
''We were doing coaching philosophies for a little 8-year-old team and had a great time out there,'' Thomas said. ''It was fun playing with him in our free time and in pickup games.''
The NIT quarterfinal game Thursday at the Joyce Center will allow the two to play against each other for real. The two former coaching colleagues already have put together two of the best performances in the postseason this spring.
Jackson last week scored 31 of Oregon's final 33 points, leading the Ducks back from 18 points down to a 77-72 overtime victory over Colorado. He finished with 40 points overall, including scoring 29 straight at one point.
''We know he's a great player,'' Thomas said. ''He's probably the best player we've faced all season -- maybe not the most talented, but as far as a complete player, he's the best.''
Jackson, a 6-7 senior, is averaging 21.8 points and 7.3 rebounds a game.
On Monday, Thomas scored a career-high 39 points against Saint Louis, including 27 in the second half. He was 6-of-11 from 3-point range.
Jackson said the Ducks know Thomas is the key for the Irish.
''Everything goes through Chris Thomas,'' Jackson said. ''He's a playmaker. Hopefully we can contain him.''
Thomas, a 6-1 junior, is averaging 19.7 points a game.
The game also pits two other men who have a common coaching bond. Oregon coach Ernie Kent and Irish coach Mike Brey were the two finalists for the Notre Dame job when Matt Doherty resigned abruptly four years ago.
''Ernie and I have never discussed that,'' Brey said. ''Certainly I'm happy it turned out my way. I'm happy I won that game, quite frankly. But he's a heck of a coach.''
The Ducks (17-12) face a couple of obstacles in playing the Irish. Their game against George Mason at McArthur Court in Eugene, Ore., ended in the early morning hours Eastern time Wednesday and the Ducks spent much of the day traveling to South Bend. They also face playing before a big Irish crowd Thursday night.
''Notre Dame is going to have a Mac Court-type environment sitting there for them,'' Kent said.
Brey hopes so. He's also stressing to the Irish (19-12) that they have a chance to reach the 20-victory mark for a fifth straight year, a feat Notre Dame hasn't accomplished since doing it six straight seasons in 1984-89.
''That's a heck of a milestone for our program to get back into the territory again,'' he said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
