| 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. – Just when the No. 19 Notre Dame women’s basketball team (13-3, 4-1) enjoyed its first home game in a month, the Fighting Irish will now have to gear up for a three-game road swing played out over a six-day span. Up first in the road gauntlet is Boston College (12-5, 3-3) on Thursday, Jan. 20. Tip inside Conte Forum is set for 6 p.m. ET on RSN. For those in the South Bend area, the game will air on Marquee Network. For a full list of clearances, click here.
The Irish lead the all-time series against the Eagles, 25-8, with a 10-6 record in Chestnut Hill. However, the Irish will be looking for some revenge, having dropped two straight inside Conte Forum by a combined margin of four.
For those fans planning on coming to the game, please note the following from BC: “Aligning with the City of Boston’s “B Together” vaccine mandate for indoor events, all guests over the age of 12 will be required to show proof of vaccination status prior to entry into BC athletic events.”
FIVE WEAPONS – ANY GIVEN DAY
The Irish currently have five players averaging double-figures, all between 14 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 five averaging double figures as well – Syracuse.
Notre Dame has done a great job spreading the wealth, leading the ACC and ranking 10th in the nation in assists/game (18.7). They have twice this season dished out 30+. The Irish also lead the league and rank 14th in the country in A/TO Ratio (1.23).
Other notable national rankings for the Irish include: 14th in blocks/game (5.6), 23rd in FG% with .454, 30th in rebound margin (8.0), 31st in rebounds/game (42.56), 26th in scoring margin (15.2), 23rd in scoring offense (76.9) and 13th in Fouls/Game (12.9).
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. She’s also leading the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.23.
She is also averaging double-digit points (12.4), reeling in 6.6 boards/game (2nd best on team behind Dodson) and collecting a team best 2.0 steals/game.
Miles is the only player in the country averaging at least 12 points / 6 rebounds / 7 assists / 2 steals. She simply does it all.
And by the way, she’s piling up double-doubles, already earning 6 on the year, which ranks 4th in the ACC and 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.
ACC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR RACE
True both Citron and Boston College’s Gakdeng have each won Freshman of the Week four times, but let’s dive in. Citron has higher averages in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals than her. In fact, Citron has the highest PTS+REB+AST/Game of any freshman in the league not named Miles.
PTS+REB+AST/GAME Among ACC Freshman
1. Olivia Miles – 26.8
2. Sonia Citron – 19.0
3. Shayeann Day-Wilson – 18.0
4. Maria Gakdeng – 16.2
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 in fact 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 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 11.0 points off the bench while ranking 4th on the team in rebounds (5.9), 3rd in assists (2.1) and 3rd in steals (1.5).
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 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.
WHO’S HOT
No one is hotter than Dara Mabrey right now, coming off back-to-back 20-plus point performances to be named both ACC and Naismith Trophy Player of the Week. Mabrey averaged 23.0 ppg and converted nine treys in the wins over Wake Forest and No. 21 North Carolina.
Miles has produced double-digit points in six of the last seven games, including two 20-point performances. Over the last seven games: 61 assists to 21 turnovers aka a 2.9 A/TO ratio.
Maya Dodson is currently enjoying the best stretch of her collegiate career – four straight games in double figures, including two 20-point performances. She’s averaging 18.5 points in said stretch on 34-of-65 shooting.
Both Dodson and Citron are coming off of double-double performances against North Carolina.
DARA HEAT CHECK
Since Dara’s unfortunate 0-for-9 showing from three at DePaul before the Christmas holiday, she’s been on an absolute tear from deep upon her return. Over the last three games, she’s 10-for-22, converting 45.5 percent. Mabrey is coming off a season-high six 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.
IN THE NET
In the updated NET rankings, ND currently sits at No. 15, which ranks as the 4th best in the ACC behind No. 2 NC State, No. 5 Louisville and No. 13 Virginia Tech. Against the NET top-25, the Irish are 1-2. Against the top-50, they are 2-3. Zero losses then outside the top-50. In fact all of ND’s 3 losses are against teams currently ranked in the AP top-25.
M&Ms
You’ve heard of the Killer B’s in a baseball lineup but the Irish are rolling with Team M&Ms this season.
Maya – averages 11.9 points and a team best 7.3 rebounds. Her 2.6 blocks/game rank 2nd in the ACC and 14th in the nation, while her 3.8 offensive rebounds/game leads all players in the ACC and ranks 25th in the country. An ACC Player of the Week for her career high 28-point performance at DePaul, Dodson was also a Second All-Daytona Beach Invitational Team honoree.
Maddy – leads the Irish in scoring with 13.1 ppg. She’s been the team’s most pure shooter, converting 52.4 percent from the floor, which ranks 4th in the ACC.
Miles – averages double-digit points (12.4), leads the NATION in assists (7.8), leads the team in steals (2.0) and just so happens to reel in 6.6 boards/game as a point guard.
Mabrey – averaging the 4th most points (11.6), 2nd most assists (2.9) and 2nd most steals (1.7) on the team. Mabrey is averaging the most three’s with her 2.4 per game, which ranks 4th in the league. Percentage-wise, she’s knocked down 39.0 percent from three, which ranks 5th in the ACC. Mabrey might possibly achieve her best assist season – she produced 92 as a freshman at Virginia Tech – she sits at 47 right now.
— ND —