| 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 Notes | Michigan Notes
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s basketball squad will get an early-season test when they battle No. 24 Michigan on Thursday, Dec. 3, inside Purcell Pavilion. The Irish will tip against the ranked Wolverines at 6 p.m. EST on ACC Network.
WALKER’S SUCCESS VS MICHIGAN
Just a season ago, the Irish traveled up to Ann Arbor and earned their first ranked win of the season, downing No. 21 Michigan, 76-72. Destinee Walker exploded with a season-high 27 points, tying her career-high of made three-pointers with a 5-for-8 day from beyond the arc.
Ultimately, the Irish lead the overall series against the Wolverines, 13-7, with an 8-1 record at home. Notre Dame has won four straight.
NOTRE DAME AGAINST THE B1G
From the 2009-10 season thru the 2018-19 season, the Irish went a perfect 22-0 against Big Ten member schools. The streak came to an end last season when the Irish went 1-2 against Big Ten opposition. Thus, over the past decade, Notre Dame is 23-2.
PEOPLES IN RARE GUARD COMPANY
Two games, two double-doubles for Anaya Peoples. If she were to obtain three straight, she would become the first Irish guard to ever do so.
Peoples is 1-of-3 guards in all of Division I with two double-doubles. She’s 1-of-6 guards in the country averaging 11 rebounds or more and has played in at least two games.
The most double-doubles by a guard in a season is 12 from Jackie Young in 2018-19. The hottest double-double start to a season, regardless of position, belongs to Natalie Achonwa, who recorded four in her first five, then later five in her first seven, during her junior 2012-13 campaign.
WESTBELD MAKING IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Two games, two double-digit scoring performances for ACC Newcomer Watch List honoree Maddy Westbeld. The freshman nearly earned a double-double in the home-opener vs Miami (OH) with 19 points and nine rebounds.
Westbeld’s 15.0 ppg ranked fourth among freshmen in the ACC over the holiday weekend, while her 7.0 rpg ranked second.
”She’s been the most dominant player I’ve seen coming in as a freshman, outside of Arike and Skylar. She has a college body. Her work ethic is incredible. I knew she would make an immediate impact with this team,” Karen & Kevin Keyes Head Coach Niele Ivey said.
WALKER’S STREAK CONTINUES
Walker ended last season with 10 straight double-digit scoring efforts and has now picked up right where she left, scoring 16 at Ohio and 24 vs. Miami (OH). She’ll take her active streak of 12 into Michigan on Thursday.
In fact, Walker recorded the fifth-best scoring average in February last season among ACC players with her 18.1 ppg.
MORE ON WALKER’S 20+ POINT GAME
Speaking of her 24-point effort vs. Miami (OH), Walker led the Irish in 20+ scoring performances last year with eight, which also tied for the eighth most in the ACC. Her previous career-best was four set her sophomore year at UNC (2016-17).
Walker boasts the top shooting percentage on the team at the moment (minimum of 10 attempts), converting 12-of-21 aka 57.1 percent from the floor. She’s also getting it done at the free-throw line, connecting on 14-of-16, aka 87.5 percent.
QUICK STRIKE OFFENSE
Coach Ivey told media she wants her squad to play a fast up-tempo game and they delivered against Miami (OH), recording 26 fast-break points. It marked the most since the 2019 NCAA Semifinal win over UConn.
— ND —