| 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 red-hot (RV/RV) Notre Dame women’s basketball squad (5-0) will put its undefeated record to the test this week at the Daytona Beach Invitational. The Irish will play two formidable foes on back-to-back days starting Friday, Nov. 26, at the Ocean Center. Up first, Notre Dame will look to take down (RV/#21) Georgia on Friday at 4:30 p.m. ET, then follow that up with #16/19 Oregon State on Saturday at 7 p.m. Both contests will be streamed on FloHoops TV, with the radio call on the Notre Dame Radio Network (99.9 FM locally).
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DELIGHTS
Notre Dame is the only school in the ACC with three different players with double-double performances. Olivia Miles leads the way with two and she’s done it two different ways. First Miles secured career highs in points (16) & rebounds (11) vs Western Illinois. Then against Bryant, Miles dished out a career high 14 assists, to go with her 14 points. It was the first Irish points/assists double-double since Marina Mabrey (12p/12a) vs UConn in the 2019 National Semifinal.
Fellow freshman Sonia Citron earned her first double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Fordham on Nov. 18.
Citron and Miles are 2 of just 14 freshman guards in the country who have produced at least one double-double, and just 2-of-3 from a power-five conference (other being Shyanne Sellers from Maryland). However, Miles and Niagara’s Aaliyah Parker are the only two freshmen guards with at least 2 double-doubles.
Overall Miles’ 2 double-doubles rank 25th in the country.
Lastly, there’s Maddy Westbeld, who notched a 15-point, 18-rebound double-double in game two win over Western Illinois. The 18 rebounds were not only a career high, but also tied the Purcell Pavilion single-game rebounding record.
A PAIR OF SUPER FRESHMEN
The future of the program is bright with freshmen Sonia Citron and Olivia Miles and both their versatile skill sets.
After 2 weeks of play, Citron is a 2-time ACC Freshman of the Week award winner. A 6-1 guard, Citron has been everywhere on the court for Coach Ivey, ranking in the top-3 on the team in rebounds, assists and steals, while averaging double figures at 10.2 ppg.
Citron is the only Power-Five freshman guard to average at least 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Furthermore, she’s just 1-of-4 freshmen guards overall.
Meanwhile, Miles is nearly averaging a double-double with her 10.0 points and 8.2 assists, and also just happens to average 5.8 rebounds as well. That makes her the only player in the country to average at least 10p/5r/8a.
And we are certainly not skipping over the fact Miles is averaging 8.2 assists/game, which ranks 2nd in the entire country.
WHO’S HOT
The obvious answer first – Maddy Westbeld. She started her freshman season with six straight games in double figures and she’s off to five straight this year. Maddy is nearly averaging a double-double here in November with her 16.8 ppg and 9.0 rpg. In addition, both averages rank in the top-6 in the ACC.
The sophomore has had the hot hand to start, converting 61.0 percent from the floor, which ranks 3rd in the ACC and 38th in the country. Last season she shot 46.9 percent for reference.
Next, there’s Dara Mabrey, who is riding a current three-game hot streak – amassing 50 points on 17-of-26 shooting, including 9-of-15 from three. She’s also recorded 13 assists and 6 steals in that span.
Lastly, there’s Miles, who is fresh off a 14-point, 14-assist effort against Bryant. If she dishes out double-digit assists vs. Georgia, she’d be the first Irish player to do so in back-to-back games since Niele Ivey in 2000.
TEAM 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 – averaging 11.8 points and 8.8 rebounds. She has produced back-to-back games reeling in career highs in rebounds, grabbing 11 vs Fordham, then 12 vs Bryant.
Her now 8.8 rebounds/game ranks 5th in the ACC, but her 4.6 offensive boards/game leads the league (and ranks 19th in the country). She’s also an intimidating defensive presence, as her 2.6 blocks/game ranks 2nd in the ACC and 21st in the nation.
Maddy – 5 straight games in double figures (career high is 8) and nearly averaging a double-double. She leads the Irish in both scoring (16.8) and rebounding (9.0). In addition, both those averages rank in the top-6 in the ACC. She’s also proving she’s a deep threat as well, making at least one trey in all 5 games (her career high streak is six).
Maddy is just 1-of-6 players in the country averaging at least 16 points and 9 rebounds, while shooting over 60 percent.
Miles – averaging 10.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists, as the latter ranks 2nd in the entire country. Not only that, she’s leading the team in double-doubles with two.
Mabrey – averaging the second most points (14.2) and assists (4.0), while leading the team in steals (1.6). Mabrey ranks in the top-15 in the ACC in an impressive 8 categories – best of any Irish player. Categories include: Scoring, FG%, Assists, 3PT FG, 3PT FG%, Steals, A/TO Ratio and Minutes.
SHARING THE WEALTH AND EXECUTING
Six Irish averaging double-figures is one thing but then you look at the assist and field goal percentage numbers. The Irish are ranked 3rd in the country with their 22.0 assists/game. They have twice this season dished out 30+.
Notre Dame is also ranked sixth in the nation in shooting percentage, converting 51.2 percent. Both stats lead the ACC as well.
Lastly, ND boasts one more ranking in the top-10 and that’s defensive rebounds/game. Their 33.4 defensive boards check in at 8th.
— ND —