Notre Dame Fighting Irish
ACC (31-1, 16-0)
The beat goes on for Notre Dame. They just continue to roll along, like UCONN, as an elite program in women’s college basketball on an annual basis. This season has provided some fiercely tough battles against the likes of UCLA, Oregon State, Louisville, and Florida State, but at the end day, depth has won out for the Fighting Irish over and over again. Barring major injury, Notre Dame will be very difficult to beat in the NCAA Tournament.
Big Wins: 11/28 vs UCLA (92-84), 12/2 Ohio State (75-72), 2/7 at Louisville (66-61)
Bad Losses: 12/5 at Connecticut (81-91)
Coach: Muffet McGraw
Why They Can Surprise:
Notre Dame’s ability to win games at just about any type of tempo is one big overriding reason why the Irish can potentially knock off UCONN in a Final Four. In the first matchup against the Huskies, Notre Dame shot the ball very well and kept themselves in the game, going into the second half trailing by two points, and that was without sophomore forward Brianna Turner in that game. If the backcourt of Lindsay Allen, Madison Cable, and Michaela Mabrey can take care of the basketball against UCONN, then they can get the game into the fourth quarter with a chance to win. It also will be important for the Fighting Irish throughout the NCAA Tournament to pressure the basketball and create turnovers, which should result in easy baskets.
Why They Can Disappoint:
If Notre Dame runs into a team with more size and an elite shot blocker like a Ruth Hamblin of Oregon State, then things could get interesting in the NCAA Tournament. The Fighting Irish knocked off the Beavers 62-61 back on December 28; however, Hamblin and Devin Hunter propelled Oregon State to a 46-33 rebounding advantage in that contest. Another potential issue is if Notre Dame struggles from behind the three-point line like they did in a close win over a very good Louisville team. Teams will not hesitate to sag back into the post and dare the Fighting Irish to beat them from behind the three-point line as Notre Dame advances deeper in the NCAA Tournament. Overall, it is going to take a team executing their game plan like Oregon State and UCONN did in order to eliminate Notre Dame.
Probable Starters:
Lindsey Allen, Junior, Guard, 8.9 ppg, 5.7 apg
Madison Cable, Graduate Senior, Guard, 13.7 ppg, 1.5 apg, 5.6 rpg
Michaela Mabrey, Senior, Guard, 7.0 ppg, 2.4 apg
Brianna Turner, Sophomore, Forward, 14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.2 bpg
Kathryn Westbeld, Sophomore, Forward, 8.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Arike Ogunbowale, Freshman, Guard, 11.7 ppg, 1.3 apg
Marina Mabrey, Freshman, Guard, 10.6 ppg, 1.9 apg
Hannah Huffman, Senior, Guard, 2.4 ppg, 1.4 apg
Mychal Johnson, Sophomore, Guard, 2.0 ppg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 79.5 (10th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 60.2 (101, 8)
Field-Goal Percentage: 49.5 (3, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 37.0 (61, 3)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.0 (125, 6)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 40.4 (4, 1)
Free-Throw Percentage: 70.3 (143, 7)
Rebound Margin: 5.1 (56, 5)
Assists Per Game: 18.1 (9, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 15.0 (101, 3)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
2015 NCAA First Round win over Montana
2015 NCAA Second Round win over DePaul
2015 NCAA Third Round win over Stanford
2015 NCAA Quarterfinal win over Baylor
2015 NCAA Semifinal win over South Carolina
2015 NCAA Final loss to Connecticut
2014 NCAA First Round win over Robert Morris
2014 NCAA Second Round win over Arizona State
2014 NCAA Third Round win over Oklahoma State
2014 NCAA Quarterfinal win over Baylor
2014 NCAA Semifinal win over Maryland
2014 NCAA National Final loss over Connecticut
2013 NCAA Round of 64 win over Tennessee Martin
2013 NCAA Round of 32 win over Iowa
2013 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Kansas
2013 NCAA Regional Final win over Duke
2013 NCAA National Semifinal loss to Connecticut
2012 NCAA Round of 64 win over Liberty
2012 NCAA Round of 32 win over California
2012 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over St. Bonaventure
2012 NCAA Regional Final win over Maryland
2012 NCAA National Semifinal win over Connecticut
2012 NCAA National Championship loss to Baylor
2011 NCAA Round of 64 win over Utah
2011 NCAA Round of 32 win over Temple
2011 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Oklahoma
2011 NCAA Regional Final win over Tennessee
2011 NCAA National Semifinal win over Connecticut
2011 NCAA National Final loss to Texas A&M
2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over Cleveland State
2010 NCAA Round of 32 win over Vermont
2010 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Oklahoma
*all team stats through 3/3
