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 wins over Syracuse, Boston College and No. 3 NC State, Notre Dame is looking to make it a perfect 4-0 sweep. The Irish currently sit at 10-0 at home – its 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 and Louisville (11-0).
In terms of other P5’s: None in the Big 12, Michigan in the B1G, South Carolina in the SEC and Arizona in the Pac-12.
COACH IVEY’S FIRST SIGNATURE WIN
With a 69-66 win over No. 3 NC State on Feb. 1, Notre Dame earned its 24th ever win against a top-5 program, improving to 24-64 all-time. Versus the top-10, the Irish are now 67-95.
It marked Coach Ivey’s third-ranked win on the season, previously knocking off Oregon State and North Carolina. In addition, it marked Ivey’s first top-five win of her young head coaching career.
More satisfactorily, the Irish earned the upset by battling the season narrative of fourth-quarter adversity.
The last time the Irish knocked off a top-five team at home – No. 2 Louisville, 82-68. The last top-five team in general – UConn in the 2019 National Semifinal.
5 WEAPONS – ANY GIVEN DAY
The Irish currently have five players averaging double-figures, all between 14 and 10, 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 five averaging double figures as well – Syracuse.
Notre Dame has done a great job spreading the wealth, leading the ACC and ranking 14th in the nation in assists/game (17.7).
DODSON MVP AFTER UPSET WIN
Her teammates might joke she’s the grandma of the team but the emphasis was on the first half of the word – Grand. Dodson was the MVP in the win over No. 3 NC State on Feb. 1 – recording a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, while keeping All-American Elissa Cunane in check with 13 points.
Dodson got emotional in post-game presser, “I lead by example, so every time I go out there, every time I’m in front of these fans, I want to show how much passion and hard work and appreciation we have for them. Last year I wasn’t able to play. No matter how much I’m hurting, I got to go out there and play. This means so much for me.”
CLEAN SWEEP
For the fifth time in program history, Notre Dame swept a conference’s player and freshman weekly honors. On Jan. 31, the ACC named Olivia Miles its Player of the Week and Sonia Citron its Freshman of the Week. It marked the second time ever Notre Dame swept the weekly honors in the ACC. In addition, Citron earned her fifth ACC freshman award this season, the most of any player thus far.
Miles averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 assists and 7.0 rebounds to help lead Notre Dame to a 2-0 week. She narrowly missed tallying her second triple double of the season in last Thursday’s 83-62 victory against Syracuse. Miles scored 17 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists to chart her seventh double-double of the season, which is tied for the third most in the conference.
Meanwhile, Citron averaged 13.5 points and 8.0 rebounds to help Notre Dame improve to 16-4 overall and 7-2 in ACC play. Citron notched 13 points and pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds against Syracuse and scored 10 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter. Citron then logged her fifth straight double-digit scoring game against BC with 14 points and four rebounds.
30-PIECE -ELITE COMPANY
Olivia Miles took over the game vs Boston College on Jan. 30, pouring in a career high 30 points while dishing out six assists. She also hit a career high 4-for-8 from three.
Miles became the fifth different Irish freshman to score 30 or more points in a game, with Alicia Ratay holding the high mark of 32 set back on Dec. 4, 1999. The full list includes: Arike Ogunbowale (30 vs Central Michigan on 11/11/16), Skylar Diggins-Smith (31 vs Vermont on 3/23/10), Sam Brunelle (31 vs Depaul on 12/11/19) and Alicia Ratay (32 vs UNC on 12/4/99).
Miles became the fourth Irish player to record 30 points and five-plus assists in a single game, joining Diggins-Smith, Ogunbowale and Jewell Loyd.
Furthermore, it marked the fourth time a freshman has posted a 30-point, five-plus assist performance in the ACC since ND joined in 2013 – list is now Miles, Elizabeth Balogun, Tiana Mangakahia and Lexie Brown.
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 7.5. However, Miles is more than just stylish assists and great vision, she’s a dynamic playmaker.
Miles leads the team in scoring (13.6), leads the team in steals (1.9) and just so happens to reel in 6.3 boards/game.
Miles and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark are the only players in the country averaging at least 13 points / 6 rebounds / 7 assists. She simply does it all.
And by the way, she boasts seven double-doubles on the year, which is tied for 3rd in the ACC and 2nd among all Division I freshmen. And of those seven, one of them is a triple-double, as Miles became just the 2nd Irish freshman in program history to do so.
In ACC play, Miles is shooting an impressive 48.4 percent while averaging 15.2 ppg – which ranks 6th in the league.
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 – 18.9
3. Maria Gakdeng – 15.1
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 is arguably the toughest player on the team. She’s averaging an impressive 11.0 points while ranking 2nd on the team in rebounds (6.4), 3rd in assists (2.0) 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.
Then there’s Olivia Miles, who has already been detailed above. Ultimately, Miles ranks in the top-15 in the ACC in 7 different stat categories: Scoring, Rebounds, FG%, Assists, Steals, A/TO Ratio and Defensive Rebounds. Best of any Irish player.
ND’s 2 freshmen are its top two in Defensive-Rebounds/Game — Miles (5.7) & Citron (4.6). 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.
DODSON RIDING BEST STRETCH OF HER CAREER
Maya Dodson is showing up and showing off right now. The graduate student has recorded a career high nine straight games in double figures, including four 20-point performances. She’s averaging 17.2 points in said stretch on 69-of-126 shooting (.548). Not to mention, she’s earned four double-doubles on the season and they all have come in the last six games. More impressively, two have been 20-point, 10-rebound double-doubles.
DARA HEAT CHECK
No matter which way you look at it, Dara Mabrey has been on a tear from beyond the arc. In ACC play, she’s knocking down a blistering 44.1 percent from three in ACC play – ranks 2nd. In addition, she’s averaging 2.6 made three’s per game, which ranks 1st.
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 five double-digit scoring performances in the last seven games.
Sam is averaging 11.0 ppg in ACC play, shooting a blistering 51.1 percent from the field. The Virginia native continues to be extremely efficient from two-point range, converting 33-of-51 (.647) from two over the last 10 games. Furthermore, she’s 60.5 percent from two on the season, which leads all Irish players.
Sam had a gritty performance in win over No. 3 State, tallying eight points before taking a nasty bump in the 2nd quarter in which she hurt both her head and leg. She later came back in the 2nd half and still found a way to finish in double figures.
Against Syracuse on Jan. 27, Sam produced 15 points, a season best 6 rebounds and tied her season highs in assists (3) and blocks (3).
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 467-334. In points per quarter, it’s 22.2-15.9.
IN THE NET
In the updated NET rankings, ND currently sits at No. 16, which ranks as the 3rd best in the ACC behind No. 2 NC State and No. 4 Louisville. Against the NET top-25, the Irish are 2-2. Against the top-50 they are 4-4 and against the top-100 they are 13-4. Thus no losses outside the NET top-50.
— ND —
