It is July, which means Notre Dame basketball is going somewhere. Very literally.

Mike Brey, for one, was in Washington on Sunday night to watch prized prospect Ryan Kelly at training camp for the Under-18 national team. The Irish coach then spent today in Akron, observing already-committed recruit Joey Brooks. On Tuesday, it's off to Cincinnati, followed by another peek at Kelly. In the harried, cross-country melee that is a college basketball summer, this qualifies as long-range planning.

"We're not looking past Wednesday," Brey said with a chuckle.

Notre Dame, however, is. Not simply because the school on Monday announced a two-year extension to Brey's current contract, meaning its men's basketball coach is locked up through the 2014-15 campaign.

There are also the desperately needed Joyce Center renovations for 2009-10. And add in embryonic plans to build a dedicated practice facility for both men's and women's hoops, yet another shiny bauble to dangle before recruits.

"It's in the very early stages, and we're fundraising for it," Brey said. "We've done some things that we need to do, quite frankly, if we're going to compete in this thing."

Still, it's not telescopic foresight that can define the Irish program under Brey. The chance for Notre Dame to redraw its own boundaries to rebrand itself as something more than the nice team with the relatively low ceiling is a matter of the immediate future.

Without conceding too much to the Notre-Dame-is-an-academic-meat-grinder bleating, it's fair to say Brey and Co. work with some limitations. Just not on the court this year.

The departed Rob Kurz, though a steadying force, is not irreplaceable. Everyone else returns, including Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody. Expectations won't be easier to hurdle than buried power cables. Notre Dame hasn't made a Sweet 16 since 2003, hasn't been to a regional final since 1979. Considering the talent and experience and camaraderie this team should boast, if not now, when, exactly?

"I look at it as a great opportunity," said Brey, who has had five 20-win seasons, "with the two years we've had of getting people's attention, to maybe getting into a whole new level with the program."

And Brey can argue that 2009-10, with transfers Scott Martin and Ben Hansbrough eligible and assuming Harangody sticks around, could be even more promising.. But the shape and texture of that future, how wide or limited its scope of possibility, could be determined by the next nine months.

"We've been good and very respected in the Big East," Brey said. "Shoot, I want more. "