New Reasons
Quick preamble: my editor for this site sent a request (actually many, many requests) after Selection Sunday asking me for five reasons why Notre Dame will win it all. Cool - did that and published a week ago right before round one tipoff. Well, one week later and ND is onto the Sweet Sixteen. This morning I got a new email asking for five reasons why Notre Dame will win it all. Ummm … is he ok? Busy week at CBT World Headquarters I am sure. And maybe he just needs content - so instead of a snarky “see above” here is what we will do: below are five reasons the Irish will get to the Final Four. Because if I understand how this all works, one needs to get to the Final Four to win the Natty. And I suspect should Notre Dame still be in this thing next week, I will get my third request for five reasons why Notre Dame will win it all. At which point I will call for a wellness check on said editor. Here you go:
1. The got momentum back. The team returned to its mid-season dominant form by crushing its first and second round opponents, Stephen F. Austin and Michigan, by a combined 73 points.
2. They got their revenge game (and will win it). The Irish now play TCU (and transfer portal frequent flyer Hailey Van Lith) who handed them them their first loss this season back in November in The Cayman Islands. They will flip that script.
3. They avoided a dreaded reverse double revenge game. TCU advanced by beating Louisville who Notre Dame had already beaten twice this year. Tough to beat a good opponent three times in one year.
4. Texas will get their revenge game (but will lose it). The Irish will likely face No. 1 seed Texas in the Elite Eight who they have already beaten this year. But after settling a score against TCU, ND will be ready for the Longhorns who will be looking to settle one of their own.
5. They are due. This program has a rich recent history including eight (!) Final Four appearances this century. However, they haven’t been there since 2019 and Niele Ivey has not been there as head coach. Now in her fifth year, it is time for her to get them back where they belong.
See you next week.
Original Reasons
The Notre Dame women last won the whole thing in 2018. Here are the five reasons why they are going to do it again this year.
1. They are tested: earlier this season, they took down three teams ranked in the top five in a two week stretch including Texas, USC, and UConn.
2. They are rested: hear me out - they lost three of their last five games and didn’t even make the ACC tournament final. This is classic rope-a-dope.
3. They will be doing the Texas Two (er, Three) Step: despite the slide, Notre Dame earned a three seed and the first two rounds are in South Bend. They will likely have to (really, get to) beat three Texas-based teams on their way to the final four; Stephen F. Austin (the programs have never met), TCU (revenge game for earlier loss in the Cayman Islands Classic), and No. 1 seed Texas (who they’ve already defeated once - see #1 above).
4. The Irish backcourt can ball: Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles are one of the best backcourt tandems in the country. They combined to average over 40 points per game and were both recently named semi-finalists for the Naismith Women’s Player of the Year.
5. Luck o’ the (Fighting) Irish: The tournament is kicking off in the same week as St. Patrick’s Day. So what if that sentence is true virtually every year? That good omen is coming through this year!
Let’s dance.
Rick Condon
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