| GAME 12 | No. 3 Notre Dame (9-2) vs Loyola MD (5-4) |
|---|---|
| WHEN: | Sunday, Dec. 22 | 12 p.m. |
| WHERE | South Bend, Ind. | Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center |
| WATCH: | ACCNX |
| LISTEN: | Notre Dame Radio Network |
| SOCIAL: | @NDWBB | #GOIRISH |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — If you’re planning to watch Sunday’s game between No. 12 Notre Dame (17-5, 7-4) and Florida State (17-7, 8-4), prepare for a track meet.
The Seminoles, who are receiving votes in the AP Poll, are set to host the Irish for a Super Bowl Sunday matinee. Notre Dame’s scoring offense leads the league (82.3), and Florida State ranks second (81.0).
Irish freshman Hannah Hidalgo is coming off of a fifth 30-point game this year. The single-season Notre Dame record in that category is seven. When Hidalgo dropped 30 in a loss at Louisville on Thursday, she broke the single-season freshman scoring record which stood since 1979-80. The 5-6 guard continues to lead the ACC with 25 points per game.
Hidalgo has arguably been the nation’s top defensive player this year, too, as the rookie leads the country with 113 steals. But she won’t be able to single-handedly stop this Seminoles offense; Maddy Westbeld, Sonia Citron and Kylee Watson will be critical to that operation as well. Westbeld and Watson each had 2 blocks at Louisville, and Watson ranks fourth in the ACC with 1.8 blocks per game in league play. She has 30 blocks this season after finishing last season with 28. Watson has also been holding opposing 5s well below their season averages. Louisville forward Olivia Cochran went just 3-9 from the floor on Thursday and ended with 7 points.
Additionally, transition defense will be crucial for Notre Dame on Sunday. The Seminoles score often and quickly. They have three-level scorers all over the court, and any number of them are capable of dropping 20 points on any given night. Five players have led Florida State in single-game scoring this year.
Reigning ACC Rookie of the Year Ta’Niya Latson is one of the nation’s best scorers and ranks fourth in the ACC with 20.2 points per game. She is frequently dishing to forward Mikayla Timpson, who is one of just four ACC players averaging at least 13 points and 9 rebounds per game. The scoring doesn’t stop with those two; O’Mariah Gordan is posting 13.5 points per contest, and Sara Bejedi sits at 12.1. Both Latson and Bejedi have been named ACC Player of the Week this year.
Of note, Sunday is Florida State’s “Paint It Pink” game, and the contest is of particular importance given Seminoles head coach Brooke Wyckoff is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Notre Dame is 12-1 all-time against Florida State and 4-1 on the road. Sunday’s game will tip off at noon on the ACC Network.