Brey: Irish’s future to be decided soon

Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey said during a Wednesday teleconference that the Irish’s conference future could be decided by early next week.

Notre Dame had planned to remain in the Big East for at least one more season before joining the ACC in all sports except football and hockey in 2014.

But with the Big East’s seven Catholic schools – DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Villanova – deciding to break away from the conference’s football-playing schools and form its own league under the same conference name in July, Notre Dame has to decide whether it will be in the new Big East, stay with the conference’s football-playing schools or leave for the ACC.

ESPN reported Wednesday that a source said the ACC is ready to bring Notre Dame into the league this summer.

“I think we are in a very crucial 48 hours right now,” Brey said. “I know my boss (athletic director Jack Swarbrick) is staying closely tuned to it.”