| ACC SEMINFINALS | NO. 1 NOTRE DAME VS NO. 4 LOUISVILLE |
|---|---|
| WHEN: | SATURDAY, MARCH 4 | NOON E.T. |
| WHERE: | GREENSBORO, NC | GREENSBORO COLISEUM |
| WATCH: | ACCN |
| LISTEN: | NOTRE DAME RADIO NETWORK | CLICK HERE |
| NOTES: | ND NOTES |
| SOCIAL: | @NDWBB | #GOIRISH |
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Notre Dame topped Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center just six days ago to win the ACC regular season title. Now, the Irish will have to get past the Cardinals once again if they want to earn a shot at the ACC Tournament title.
On Saturday, Notre Dame and Louisville will square off at the Greensboro Coliseum. The Irish topped NC State by a score of 66-60 to make the game, while the Cardinals blew out Wake Forest in the quarterfinals, 74-48. The semifinal matchup will be the first time the former Big East rivals will see each other for a third time in a single season.
The Irish will once again be without star point guard Olivia Miles. Sophomore Sonia Citron has stepped up in her absence, running the point for Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey for the last six quarters and change. Citron had a season-high 28 points against NC State on Friday, besting the 27 she had at Louisville last weekend. In doing so, she became the first Irish player since 2018 Arike Ogunbowale to post back-to-back games with at least 25 points.
But Citron can’t do it alone. She’s had help thus far from junior forward Maddy Westbeld, and freshmen guards KK Bransford and Cassandre Prosper have seen their minutes skyrocket in Miles’ absence. They posted 14 and 11 points, respectively, at Louisville last weekend, and a similar performance will likely be needed on Saturday on Notre Dame’s end of the floor.
If the group wants to make the title game for the first time since 2019, Notre Dame will need to contain All-ACC First Team guard Hailey Van Lith once again. She has been Louisville’s leading scorer in the last eight games, including posting 19 and 23 against the Irish this year. The junior had 26 points against the Demon Deacons on Friday, including five buckets from behind the arc.
The Irish and the Cardinals will tip off at noon ET on the ACC Network. Notre Dame leads the all-time series 18-12.