(MCT) — SOUTH BEND, Ind. — At one timeout, Cam Biedscheid and Zach Auguste bounced into the air and off one another in celebration, two wiry and previously dormant freshmen who were jumper cables in a granular late January conference win.

During another break, trainers worked to stanch the bleeding on Tom Knight’s knee because Notre Dame couldn’t do without a senior who was an afterthought two games ago. In a 65-60 victory over Villanova on Wednesday, this was the new reality setting in for the Irish, only faintly resembling the old one.