On Sunday, No. 3 Notre Dame (21-2, 12-0) set the tone early and didn’t let up to down No. 21 California (19-6, 7-5), 91-52. For the first time since 2019, the Irish have won consecutive conference games by at least 35 points, and the group has won its last two contests by a combined 88 points, the largest combined point differential over a span of two conference games since January 2012 while in the Big East. Finally, the 39-point win is Notre Dame’s largest over a ranked conference foe since at least 1999.
Additionally, Notre Dame shot better than 55 percent for the third consecutive game, and the “Big Three” of Sonia Citron (16), Hannah Hidalgo (24) and Olivia Miles (16) combined for 56 points and seven triples. All three players also had at least 5 assists. Liatu King had 13 rebounds.
“I learned the resilience of this group,” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said of what she has learned since Notre Dame’s last lost, which came in November. “We obviously had to recenter everything that we were focusing on. Defensively, our mindset our preparation. We start games a lot better [now].
“Everything shifted for us.”
In true Notre Dame fashion, the first eight buckets were scored by eight different players, including 3-pointers from Hidalgo and Maddy Westbeld to start the game. Notre Dame put together an 8-0 run toward the end of the quarter but surrendered a 3-pointer on Cal’s last possession of Q1. The Irish took a 22-15 run into the second frame.
The home team put together multiple mini runs in the second quarter to build up a sizable lead that stretched as high as 23 with 1:09 to go. Multiple buckets came as second chance baskets, as the Irish outscored the Golden Bears 15-0 in that category in the first half. Notre Dame also had its way in the paint; 24 of the first 40 points were scored in the lane.
Golden Bears forward Marta Suarez picked up her second foul at the 5:19 mark and did not return before the half. Cal struggled to get anything going in the second half of the second quarter, going 1-10 on their final 10 attempts and turning the ball over four times.
The Irish had a 44-23 lead at the half. Four players had at least three baskets, and Westbeld led all players with 9 points.
It was more of the same for the Irish in the third quarter, as Notre Dame outscored Cal 28-12. The “Hannah and Olivia Show” really got going, as they assisted each other on back-to-back buckets with around 6 minutes to go. Miles had 10 points in the quarter with two treys, and Hidalgo had 7. The Irish went on an 18-2 run to close Q3.
Notre Dame was able to get its reserves in in the final minutes of the fourth. Graduate student and fan favorite Sarah Cernugel hit a jumper, her first basket in ACC play. Citron had 4 assists in the fourth quarter alone, and Notre Dame finished with 20 in the game.
Of note, Hidalgo recorded her 45th career 20-point game, tying Skylar Diggins for fourth in program history. She also recorded her 83rd steal of the year in the game, tying Coquese Washington for most ever by a sophomore.
Notre Dame now heads back on the road for a midweek road tilt at Pittsburgh. The ACC Network game tips off on Thursday at 8 p.m.