GM 16 Preview: #21/18 North Carolina

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Purcell Pavilion will be a sight for sore eyes when it comes to the No. 20/19 Notre Dame women’s basketball team (12-3, 3-1), who hasn’t played a home game since December 19. The Fighting Irish will finally get to see the green glowsticks once again and feel the hometown support when No. 21/18 North Carolina rolls into town on Sunday, Jan. 16. Tip inside Purcell is set for 1 p.m. ET. The game will air on RSN – which will be Marquee Network locally.

For a complete list of local networks carrying the game, click here.

The Irish lead the all-time series 9-3, with a 4-0 record at home. Notre Dame will be looking to avenge a loss from last season, dropping a 78-73 decision in Chapel Hill.

HONORING THE PAST

At halftime on Sunday, Notre Dame will be honoring several faculty/staff members who made continuous efforts to help make campus a more welcoming and inclusive community. They represent a wide range of departments and employee resource groups. Each honoree has gone above and beyond to help foster an environment where all are celebrated and supported.

In addition, the women’s basketball team will be honoring the past in its own special way, by donning a throwback jersey to 1985. And not just anyone’s jersey, Trena Keys – the first black student-athlete to earn a scholarship with the program in 1982. Keys was a two-time North Star Conference Player of the Year and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. She still ranks in the top-15 in the program’s all-time scoring list. 

NANCY LIEBERMAN AWARD WATCH LIST?

To all Nancy Lieberman Award committee members – you probably should be paying attention to someone who wasn’t on your preseason watch list and most definitely should be on your midseason one – introducing Olivia Miles. Notre Dame’s freshman point guard leads the ENTIRE NATION in assists per game, averaging 7.8. However, Miles is more than just stylish assists.

She is also averaging double-digit points (12.8) and reeling in 6.6 boards/game – 2nd best on team behind Dodson. 

Thus, Miles and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark are the only players in the country averaging at least 12 points / 6 rebounds / 7 assists.

And by the way, she’s piling up double-doubles, already earning 6 on the year, which ranks 4th in the ACC and ranks 2nd among all Division I freshmen. And of those 6, one of them is a triple-double, as Miles became just the 2nd Irish freshman in program history to do so. 

FRESHMEN DUO SENSATION

Notre Dame doesn’t just have one, but two super freshmen in Citron and Miles who will be the building blocks for years to come. In fact, Notre Dame is the only Power-Five school with two freshmen averaging double figures. Furthermore, there’s only one other school in Division I with 2 freshmen averaging at least 11 ppg – Pacific – Anaya James and Elizabeth Elliot. 

A 6-1 versatile guard, Citron has been everywhere on the court for Coach Ivey, ranking in the top-4 on the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Not only is Citron making early waves for ACC Freshman of the Year but 6th Woman as well. She’s averaging an impressive 10.9 points off the bench – 4th most on the team. 

Rare numbers off the bench –> there are only 2 players in the entire country (of any class) who are putting up those numbers off the bench: Citron and NC State’s Diamond Johnson (12.8p / 5.2r / 2.6a / 1.8s)

In addition, there are only 3 freshmen in the entire country averaging at least 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists and 1 steal, and 2 belong to ND. The other is Arkansas State’s Lauryn Pendleton.  

Then there’s Olivia Miles, who has already been pretty detailed above. Ultimately, Miles ranks in the top-15 in the ACC in a whopping 7 different stat categories: Rebounds, Assists, Steals, FG%, A/TO Ratio, Defensive Rebounds and Minutes — best of any Irish player.

Lastly, these two are not just offensive threats, they also lead the team defensively with the top-two steal averages. Miles leads all Irish with 1.9/game which ranks 8th in the ACC. Citron follows right behind with 1.6/game.

WHO’S HOT

Miles –> double-digit points in 6 straight games, including 2 20-point performances. 53 assists to 16 turnovers in last 6 games as well aka a 3.31 A/TO ratio.  

Dara Mabrey is coming off a season high 22-point performance at Wake Forest. It marked her second 20-point effort on the season.

Maya Dodson is currently enjoying the best stretch of her collegiate career – 3 straight games in double figures, including two 20-point performances. She’s averaging 21.3 points in said stretch on 31-of-55 shooting. Thus she’s shooting 56.7 percent compared to her season average of 43.8 percent. 

Dodson scored a career high 28 points, including 12 in the 4th quarter at (RV) DePaul on Dec. 22, resulting in her being named ACC Player of the Week. In fact, she scored 10 straight points from 4:46-0:26 in the 4th, helping lift the Irish to a 91-86 road win.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE DELIGHTS

The notes have previously mentioned how Olivia’s 6 double-doubles rank 4th in the ACC, but now we’ll go a little more in depth. Her 6 also rank 2nd among all Division I freshmen, behind DePaul’s Aneesah Morrow (11).

At Valpo on Dec. 8, Miles notched a triple-double (11p/13r/13a) – 9th ever in program history – 7th different Irish player to do so – 2nd ever Irish freshman, joining Marina Mabrey. 

Against Pitt on Dec. 19, Miles became the 4th Irish player ever to record a 20+ point, 10+ assist double-double – the other 3 were Skylar Diggins-Smith, Marina Mabrey and Jackie Young. Miles had 21 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds and a career high 6 steals. 

Now where do Miles’ 6 double-doubles stack up at ND and what is she chasing: 

– Most by a guard in a season – Jackie Young (2018-19) – 12
– Most by a guard in her career – Jackie Young and Lindsay Schrader – 17
– Most by a freshman in a season – Shari Matvey (1979-80) – 15
– Most in a season – 19 – Jess Shepard and Natalie Achonwa

SHARING THE WEALTH AND EXECUTING

The Irish currently have 5 players averaging double-figures, showcasing the depth of this year’s team. In terms of all Power-Five schools, only Syracuse and Maryland have at least 5 averaging double figures as well. 

Notre Dame has done a great job spreading the wealth, leading the ACC and ranking 11th in the nation in assists/game (18.7). They have twice this season dished out 30+. 

Notre Dame is also ranked 17th in the nation in A/TO ratio (1.22), 21st in blocks/game (5.3), 19th in FG% with .459, 20th in rebound margin (9.1), 29th in rebounds/game (42.93), 28th in scoring margin (15.9) and 24th in scoring offense (77.3).

— ND —