Notre Dame @ Delaware preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 7, 2013 ) Delaware 75, Notre Dame 80

Eighth-ranked Notre Dame is making a visit to Delaware on Saturday night as the Fighting Irish's Mike Brey returns to coach at the school for the first time since leaving for South Bend, Ind. following the 1999-2000 season. Brey will coach against Martin Ingelsby, a former player and assistant coach at Notre Dame under Brey.

Ingelsby is in his second season as Blue Hens' coach and Brey promised he would play a home-and-home series upon Ingelsby's departure to Delaware. "I'm certainly glad to come back and bring my team," Brey, who went 99-52 in five seasons with the Blue Hens, told reporters. "I know it will be good for Martin and the Delaware program as it's building. I'm thrilled that we worked it out." It might not be the best time for Ingelsby to see his former boss as the Fighting Irish have dropped two of three games since a 6-0 start, including Tuesday's final-second 80-77 setback against Ball State. Things also aren't going well for Delaware, which has dropped its last three games - to Yale, Navy and Buffalo.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (7-2): Senior All-American forward Bonzie Colson, who averages 19.6 points and 9.3 rebounds, is perplexed at the recent drop in performance after the squad won the Maui Invitational to achieve the strong six-game start. "Another reality check of who we are," Colson said after scoring 26 points in the stunning loss to Ball State. "We've been praised so it's good to be knocked down and continue to grow and search for who we are." Senior guard Matt Farrell is chipping in 15.7 points per outing while sophomore guard TJ Gibbs (13.6) has three 20-point outings.

ABOUT DELAWARE (4-5): Ingelsby is putting his friendship with Brey on hold for a couple hours on Saturday but touched on what a big occasion it is to have the Fighting Irish on the school's campus. "It's going to be a great opportunity and a surreal moment to have Notre Dame in the building and to celebrate everything that Mike has meant to this program," Ingelsby told reporters. "It'll be a special moment for us. We're both competitors and we're going to do everything we can to put our best team forward." Sophomore guard Ryan Daly leads the Blue Hens with a 17-point scoring average while Delaware has leading rebounder Eric Carter (9.5 points, 8.5 rebounds) back from an ankle injury and he collected 11 boards in Wednesday's loss to Buffalo.

TIP-INS

1. The Fighting Irish won the lone previous meeting, 80-75 on Dec. 7, 2013.

2. Blue Hens junior G Darian Bryant (concussion) will likely miss his second consecutive game.

3. Colson has recorded four 20-point outings this season and 18 in his career.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 83, Delaware 72