| NCAA Bridgeport Regional: | #5 Seed Notre Dame |
|---|---|
| Where: | Bridgeport, CT | Total Mortgage Arena |
| Listen: | 99.9 WQLQ-FM | ND Radio Network |
| Notes: | ND Notes |
| Social: | @NDWBB |
| Sweet 16: | #1 seed NC State |
| When: | Saturday, March 26 | 11:30 am ET |
| Watch: | ESPN |
| Elite 8: | #2 seed UConn or #3 seed Indiana |
| When: | Monday, March 28 | TBD |
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The first of a four-game homestand was checked off Notre Dame women’s basketball’s list and now game two looms this Sunday. The challenge – a rematch and revenge game against Boston College, whom the Irish lost to by one possession just over a week ago. The Fighting Irish (15-4, 6-2) will tip off against the Eagles (14-6, 5-4) at 2 p.m. ET inside Purcell Pavilion, airing live on ACC Network.
REVENGE GAME
The Irish will have revenge on their mind when Boston College comes to South Bend on Sunday. Notre Dame boasted a 14-point lead with 2:53 remaining in the third quarter before surrendering a 13-0 run to end the period. The Irish also had the ball twice with under 10 seconds left to play to either tie or take the lead but couldn’t convert, ultimately falling 73-71. Conte Forum has been a house of horrors for the Irish as of late, losing three straight there by a combined margin of six points.
Over the first 29 games in the series, Notre Dame owned a 24-5 advantage and had won 14 straight heading into the 2019-20 season. However, the Eagles have won four of the past five.
5 WEAPONS – ANY GIVEN DAY
The Irish currently have five players averaging double-figures, all between 13 and 11, really showcasing the depth of this year’s team. In terms of all Power-Five schools, only one other program can claim that they have 5 averaging double figures as well – Syracuse.
Also look no further than the last three games (BC, Pitt and Syracuse) – Notre Dame had at least five players finish in double figures in each of them. They’ll look to make it four in a row against BC on Sunday.
Notre Dame has done a great job spreading the wealth, leading the ACC and ranking 11th in the nation in assists/game (18.3). They have twice this season dished out 30+.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
The Irish played a home game against Pitt on Dec. 19, not knowing that they would play only one more at home over the course of the next 5.5 weeks. At long last, the Irish finally return to Purcell for a pivotal four-game homestand.
After the win over Syracuse, Notre Dame improved to 8-0 at home – it’s best start since the 2017-18 national championship season (they went 15-0 at home).
In terms of undefeated ACC teams at home, it’s just Notre Dame, Louisville (11-0) and North Carolina (9-0).
In terms of other P5’s: Baylor in the Big 12, Michigan in the B1G, South Carolina in the SEC, UCLA and Arizona in the Pac-12.
NANCY LIEBERMAN AWARD WATCH LIST?
To all Nancy Lieberman Award committee members – you probably should be paying attention to Olivia Miles. Notre Dame’s point guard ranks second in the NATION in assists per game as a FRESHMAN, averaging 7.7. She’s also leading the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.1. However, Miles is more than just stylish assists and great vision, she’s a dynamic playmaker.
Miles is now leading the team in scoring (12.6), leading the team in steals (1.9) and reeling in 6.5 boards/game as well (2nd best on the team).
Miles and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark are the only players in the country averaging at least 12 points / 6 rebounds / 7 assists. She simply does it all.
And by the way, she boasts 7 double-doubles on the year, which is tied for 2nd in the ACC and 2nd among all Division I freshmen. And of those 7, one of them is a triple-double, as Miles became just the 2nd Irish freshman in program history to do so.
ACC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR RACE
When it comes to Freshman-Only ACC rankings — Citron ranks 2nd in scoring (by less than a point), 1st in rebounding and 3rd in assists. No other freshman in the league ranks in the top-3 in all 3 categories. In fact, Citron has the highest PTS+REB+AST/Game of any ACC freshman.
PTS+REB+AST/GAME Among ACC Freshman
1. Sonia Citron – 19.7
2. Shayeann Day-Wilson – 18.2
3. Maria Gakdeng – 15.7
FRESHMEN DUO SENSATION
Therefore, 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.
ESPN Women’s Hoops put both Miles and Citron on their midseason top-10 freshman list. Miles was ranked No. 2, while Citron checked in at No. 6. Notre Dame was the only program with two freshmen on the list.
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 does it all for Coach Ivey and just has a nose for the ball. She’s averaging an impressive 11.3 points off the bench while ranking 3rd on the team in rebounds (6.4), 3rd in assists (2.1) and 2nd in steals (1.5).
In addition, there are only 3 freshmen in the entire country averaging at least 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists and 1 steal, and two belong to ND. The other is Harvard’s Harmoni Turner.
Rare numbers off the bench –> there are only 2 players in the entire country (of any class) who are putting up those averages off the bench: Citron and Georgia Southern’s Terren Ward.
Then there’s Olivia Miles, who has already been detailed above. Ultimately, Miles ranks in the top-15 in the ACC in 6 different stat categories: Rebounds, FG%, Assists, Steals, A/TO Ratio and Defensive Rebounds. Best of any Irish player.
ND’s two freshmen are its top two in Defensive-Rebounds/Game — Miles (5.8) & Citron (4.5). Both rank in the ACC in the top-12. The two are also the team’s top two steal getters as Miles averages 1.9 while Citron checks in with 1.5.
DARA HEAT CHECK
No matter which way you look at it, Dara Mabrey has been on a tear from beyond the arc. Let’s first look at ACC play, where she’s knocking down a blistering 50.0 percent (25-for-50) from three, which ranks 1st in the league. She’s also averaging 3.1 made three’s per game as well, which ranks 1st too.
With that said, Dara is averaging 13.8 ppg in ACC play only, which ranks 10th in the league.
Back to three-point land – since Dara’s unfortunate 0-for-9 showing from three at DePaul before the Christmas holiday, she’s been dynamic ever since. Over the last 6 games, she’s 18-for-38, converting 47.4 percent. Mabrey achieved a season high 6 made treys in the win over No. 21 UNC. The game prior at Wake, she started the game 3-for-3, which included a buzzer beater from the WF logo.
SPARKPLUG SAMMIE B
Coach Ivey called Sam Brunelle her sparkplug after the Syracuse win on Jan. 27 and she’s certainly not wrong. Brunelle has recorded 4 double-digit scoring performances in the last 5 games. Or in the case of her 3 straight games in double figures, she’s averaging 13.3 points on 17-of-27 (.630) shooting.
Further evidence to Sam’s hot hand – she now ranks 1st in ACC play only in shooting percentage, knocking down 53.2 percent.
HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS
Kudos to Coach Ivey and her staff and their ability to stress certain halftime adjustments. The third quarter has been Notre Dame’s best all year, outscoring its opposition by over 100 points! The gap currently sits at 423-306. In points per quarter, it’s 22.3-16.1.
WHO’S HOT
Let’s start with the player who is riding the best stretch of her collegiate career – Maya Dodson. The graduate student has recorded a career high 7 straight games in double figures, including three 20-point performances. She’s averaging 17.6 points in said stretch on 54-of-100 shooting (.540). She also now has 2 double-doubles on the season and they both have come in the last four games.
Dara Mabrey is currently riding the best stretch of her season with 5 straight games in double figures –> 78 points for a 15.6 ppg average. She’s knocked down 17-for-37 (.459) from beyond the arc in those five games.
Sonia Citron has achieved four straight games in double figures (also 9 of her last 12). In those 4 games, Soni averaged a near double-double with 12.5 points and 9.3 rebounds. With that said, she’s produced 2 double-doubles in that 4-game span. Lastly, she pulled in a career high 12 rebounds against Syracuse on Jan. 27.
IN THE NET
In the updated NET rankings, Notre Dame currently sits at No. 17, which ranks as the 4th best in the ACC behind No. 2 NC State, No. 4 Louisville and No. 16 Virginia Tech. Against the NET top-25, the Irish are 1-1. Against the top-50, they are 2-4. Against the top-100, they are 11-4.
Thus, zero losses then outside the top-50 NET. In fact, three of their four losses are against teams currently ranked in the A.P. Top-25.
— ND —