Irish men slide in polls, women get ready for top-3 showdown

Irish Insights

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Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston talks about the new challenges the team will face by playing five Atlantic Coast Conference teams every year, starting in 2014.Today 3:00 am

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Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston talks about former Bishop Dwenger standout and current Irish defensive lineman Tony Springmann, and the value Springmann has by being a versatile lineman.Tuesday

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Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston talks about local products Tony Springmann of Bishop Dwenger and Jaylon Smith of Bishop Luers.Tuesday

The Notre Dame men's basketball team slipped in the polls, and the women's team held onto to its No. 2 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 with a top-three showdown on tap for tonight.

The Irish men (22-7, 10-6 Big East), who fell 72-64 at Marquette on Saturday, went from No. 21 to No. 24 in the AP poll. Notre Dame also slipped in the USA Today coaches' poll, going from No. 20 to No. 24.

Notre Dame closes its home schedule Tuesday night against St. John's (16-12, 8-8) before finishing the regular season at No. 8 Louisville (24-5, 12-4).

The Irish are in a three-way race for the fourth double-bye in the Big East tournament, which runs March 12 to 16 in New York's Madison Square Garden. They are battling No. 17 Syracuse (22-7, 10-6) and No. 20 Pittsburgh (23-7, 11-6) for the final double-bye.

The Notre Dame women's team (27-1, 15-0) will seek to win its second straight Big East title when the Irish play host to No. 3 Connecticut (27-2, 14-1) in tonight's season finale.

The Irish defeated the Huskies 73-72 Jan. 5 in Storrs, Conn. UConn was ranked No. 1 at the time, and Notre Dame was No. 5.