The Notre Dame men’s basketball team lost two key pieces early this week.
First, Notre Dame Athletics Communications put out a tweet Monday with the news that former Irish guard and current men’s basketball assistant coach Ryan Ayers would be leaving the program. The statement was vague, with the only explanation for Ayers’ departure being that he is “pursuing other opportunities.”
After graduating in 2009 following four years with the Irish, Ayers was an assistant for another four seasons following a brief stint as an assistant coach at Bucknell, where his brother played. He will be replaced by newly named interim assistant coach and former Irish/Valparaiso guard Scott Martin, who had been serving as the program’s development and recruiting coordinator since July 2019.
The very next day, Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune was the first to report that current Notre Dame junior guard Robby Carmody has suffered a broken kneecap and underwent surgery Tuesday. This is the third major injury of Carmody’s career, after suffering a torn labrum nine games into his freshman season and a torn ACL seven games into last year. His earliest expected return date is December.
