SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- An early part of a college basketball season that had the making of something special for No. 25 Notre Dame has slipped sideways.Nine days ago, Notre Dame was undefeated and rolling. Two games later, the Irish have lost consecutive games in December for the first time since 2003.How will Notre Dame (9-2) respond from Saturdays 86-81 loss to No. 15 Purdue in the sixth-annual Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis? Seemingly rolling toward its 10th win, Notre Dame let a 17-point lead slip away with as sluggish a second half as the first was solid.This after an 11-point lead evaporated the previous Saturday in an eight-point loss to top-ranked Villanova. Both second halves exposed the Irish interior defense. The other ranked teams simply were tougher, stronger and quicker to loose balls, to missed shots.The Irish were outhustled and failed to grab a win when a win was there to grab.There wasnt much fight to the Irish. A veteran team should be beyond the funks that saw two seniors -- two captains -- in V.J. Beachem and Steve Vasturia -- go scoreless in the second half Saturday.The first nine games were rather stress-free and fun. That likely was not the case Sunday when the Irish worked their way through snow and wind outside for what promised to be an interesting afternoon inside heading into Mondays game against Colgate (2-9).Notre Dame was not in a happy place following the Villanova loss. After Saturday, that mad meter moved further in the wrong direction.Were definitely even more (ticked) than we were after Villanova, said junior power forward Martinas Geben, who had one of his best games as a collegiate Saturday after going for a season-high nine points with six rebounds and a career-best three assists in a season-best 22 minutes. Weve shown that we can win tough games. Now we just need to execute down the stretch against other teams.Time to look in the mirror. Maybe point a finger or two. Its bound to be a bit unpleasant the next two weeks as Notre Dame works toward the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play, closing quickly on New Years Eve at Pittsburgh.Who are we going to be as a team? wondered junior captain Bonzie Colson. Im tired of saying its a learning experience, but we just gotta toughen up and battle a little bit more and see who were going to be right now.Right now, nobody really knows. The Irish dont. Coach Mike Brey doesnt. He wondered late Saturday afternoon back in Indianapolis what button might be the next to push.How can a team that looked so good, so fluid, so together in the first halves of its two biggest games look so uncertain, so lost in the second half?We got comfortable at halftime, just like the Villanova game, said junior guard Matt Farrell, coming off career highs for points (22) and assists (10) for his first career double-double. We cant get comfortable, man. You just gotta want it more.Weve got to take peoples hearts.Notre Dame is 0-2 against ranked teams. Breys fine with that -- for now.Were not in the league of the two high-level teams weve played, Brey admitted. Weve got a nice team. I love our team.But ... were not in their league right now. Air Max 270 Sale Uk . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Air Max 270 Wholesale Uk . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. http://www.airmax270cheapuk.com/ .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Air Max 270 Cheap Wholesale . PAUL, Minn. Air Max 270 Discount Uk . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen has gone from the hot seat to leading West Virginia to a sizzling start to the season.No. 12 West Virginia (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) is a surprising early contender in the conference after being tapped in the preseason to finish seventh.Im excited where were at, Holgorsen said. But its just five games. Weve got seven more important ones coming up.Faced with plenty of questions about his own job security entering 2016, Holgorsen has put together strong performances -- and had some good luck along the way.Kansas State missed a late field goal in a tight game earlier this month, and BYU nearly rallied from 16 points down in the fourth quarter but turned the ball over on its final drive near West Virginias end zone.A confidence boost came with West Virginias 48-17 dismantling of high-scoring Texas Tech on the road last Saturday. The celebration was limited to the two-plus hour plane ride home before preparations started for Saturdays home game with TCU (4-2, 2-1).You get over it real quick, Holgorsen said. Its pretty much you settle in and get back to work. This is our hardest game yet.To be determined: Whether his players heed his word about staying focused.It didnt work in 2012, when West Virginia started 5-0 and rose to No. 5 before its first full Big 12 season took a toll. West Virginia lost the next five games.I dont think anybody truly knows that answer until we go through it. And you all are thinking 2012. I know you all are, Holgorsen said. This is a totally different team.I think this team is a good group of kids that like each other and like playing the game. And they didnt listen when everybody was saying we sucked, and theyre not going to listen when everybody is saying were good. Its pretty much as simple as that.Win or lose, his players say Holgorsen has remained consistent with his perfectionist approach.Hes always going to be fired up, linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton said. Hes allways going to be one of those guys that will get in your face if you arent doing exactly what you need to do.dddddddddddd From the first game to the last game, he wont let up. He just wants to see you getting better and better each week.Holgorsens schemes certainly have changed.Holgorsen comes from the Air Raid coaching tree that included Hal Mumme at Iowa Wesleyan and later under Mike Leach at Texas Tech. But rather than relying on a passing attack, Holgorsen understood the need to evolve his running game, too.Wendell Smallwood was the Big 12 rushing champion a year ago. West Virginia now runs the ball 54 percent of the time. Quarterback Skyler Howard has shown hes dangerous with both his arm and his feet.On defense, Holgorsen has made it a greater priority to recruit junior college players and other transfers who can step right away. Despite having nine new starters this season, most of them are seniors.Holgorsen went 10-3 and won the Orange Bowl in his first season in 2011, then signed a six-year contract extension -- his last one -- in August 2012. But Holgorsen went 26-25 the next four seasons.Athletic director Shane Lyons told Holgorsen last December he could keep his job. Lyons later said no further contract discussions would be held until after the 2016 season.Lyons reiterated that point again this week. He did say the Texas Tech win accelerated the teams momentum.Thats what you want, you want to build your confidence, Lyons said. Thats what Dana and his staff have done.TCU coach Gary Patterson said hes noticed the Mountaineers have got a lot of energy and theyve got a lot of positive on their side right now.Its been fun watching them. Dana has done a great job. The kids are playing hard, Patterson said. Youve got to be able to go match that.---AP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '