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SOUTH BEND – Drama around the No. 8 Notre Dame women’s basketball program was dominant late in the season.
Ranked No. 1 as February barreled toward March, the Irish suddenly couldn’t win on the road (North Carolina State), couldn’t win at home (Florida State) and couldn’t win on a neutral court (Duke in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament) as a once seemingly invincible team limped toward Selection Sunday losing three of five.
Drama was everywhere. What was wrong with the Irish? Where was the swagger that that team showed ripping off 19 consecutive victories, which included wins over ranked teams in No. 3 Connecticut, No. 4 USC and No. 5 Texas?
Why have the Irish looked so un-Irish?
Noie: Why has this season entered a danger zone for No. 6 Notre Dame women's basketball?
Noie: Did Notre Dame women's basketball advance to ACC tournament semifinals on Friday?
Drama.
On the one day of the college basketball calendar when drama is most dominant — Selection Sunday — none surrounds Notre Dame (26-5). The Irish know they’ll be one of the top 16 teams and will host the first two rounds of the NCAA Women’s Tournament. They’ll play in front of their loyal fan base with the green Glow Sticks and T-shirts. They’ll play in a place (Purcell Pavilion) where they went 14-1 this season.
For the eighth time since 2015, the tournament's first weekend will mean two home games for Notre Dame. Two home games and likely two home wins.
Then it will get interesting.
For the longest time during its extended win streak, Notre Dame seemed a lock for one of the four No. 1 seeds for the first time since 2019. Sent to either Birmingham, Alabama or Spokane, Washington for the tournament’s second weekend, Notre Dame would travel confidently with that No. 1 next to its name.
Then those last five games and those three losses happened, and the plans for one of those No. 1 seeds evaporated. Notre Dame likely needed to win the ACC tournament to remain in the mix for a No. 1 seed. It didn’t even make it to Championship Sunday in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Where does that leave Notre Dame? Certainly, the Irish, given their body of work, are no worse than a No. 2 seed. But where? Will eight wins over ranked teams and a 16-2 record in the ACC that earned Notre Dame a share of the regular-season championship be enough to keep it relatively close to home? Or does a long trip to the Inland Northwest and a possible date with UCLA, which could be the No. 1 overall seed, await in the Elite Eight?
According to the latest ESPN Bracketology, that’s exactly where Notre Dame will go and who it might eventually meet – No. 1 overall seed and No. 1 ranked UCLA (30-2), winners of the Big Ten tournament with designs on its first Final Four.
Notre Dame is targeted as a No. 2 seed along with Connecticut, North Carolina State and TCU. The Irish played each this season, finishing 1-2. USA Today also has Notre Dame slotted on the No. 2 line.
Playing in an Elite Eight for the first time since 2019 won’t be easy for Notre Dame. ESPN’s Bracketology has the Irish meeting No. 3 seed (No. 10 in USA Today poll) LSU (28-5). There’s nothing sweet about that potential Sweet 16 matchup.
Last time Notre Dame faced a team coached by Kim Mulkey, it lost to Baylor in the 2019 national championship game. Spokane has been kind to Notre Dame. Last time it was sent there was 2018 when it won its second national championship.
Notre Dame believes it’s better than the team that has lost three of five. Better than the team that lost on the road and lost at home and lost at a neutral site. Better than a No. 2 seed.
It can prove that starting this week.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame women's basketball March Madness bracket predictions for 2025 NCAA Tournament
Continue reading...
Ranked No. 1 as February barreled toward March, the Irish suddenly couldn’t win on the road (North Carolina State), couldn’t win at home (Florida State) and couldn’t win on a neutral court (Duke in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament) as a once seemingly invincible team limped toward Selection Sunday losing three of five.
Drama was everywhere. What was wrong with the Irish? Where was the swagger that that team showed ripping off 19 consecutive victories, which included wins over ranked teams in No. 3 Connecticut, No. 4 USC and No. 5 Texas?
Why have the Irish looked so un-Irish?
Noie: Why has this season entered a danger zone for No. 6 Notre Dame women's basketball?
Noie: Did Notre Dame women's basketball advance to ACC tournament semifinals on Friday?
Drama.
On the one day of the college basketball calendar when drama is most dominant — Selection Sunday — none surrounds Notre Dame (26-5). The Irish know they’ll be one of the top 16 teams and will host the first two rounds of the NCAA Women’s Tournament. They’ll play in front of their loyal fan base with the green Glow Sticks and T-shirts. They’ll play in a place (Purcell Pavilion) where they went 14-1 this season.
For the eighth time since 2015, the tournament's first weekend will mean two home games for Notre Dame. Two home games and likely two home wins.
Then it will get interesting.
For the longest time during its extended win streak, Notre Dame seemed a lock for one of the four No. 1 seeds for the first time since 2019. Sent to either Birmingham, Alabama or Spokane, Washington for the tournament’s second weekend, Notre Dame would travel confidently with that No. 1 next to its name.
Then those last five games and those three losses happened, and the plans for one of those No. 1 seeds evaporated. Notre Dame likely needed to win the ACC tournament to remain in the mix for a No. 1 seed. It didn’t even make it to Championship Sunday in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Where does that leave Notre Dame? Certainly, the Irish, given their body of work, are no worse than a No. 2 seed. But where? Will eight wins over ranked teams and a 16-2 record in the ACC that earned Notre Dame a share of the regular-season championship be enough to keep it relatively close to home? Or does a long trip to the Inland Northwest and a possible date with UCLA, which could be the No. 1 overall seed, await in the Elite Eight?
According to the latest ESPN Bracketology, that’s exactly where Notre Dame will go and who it might eventually meet – No. 1 overall seed and No. 1 ranked UCLA (30-2), winners of the Big Ten tournament with designs on its first Final Four.
Notre Dame is targeted as a No. 2 seed along with Connecticut, North Carolina State and TCU. The Irish played each this season, finishing 1-2. USA Today also has Notre Dame slotted on the No. 2 line.
Playing in an Elite Eight for the first time since 2019 won’t be easy for Notre Dame. ESPN’s Bracketology has the Irish meeting No. 3 seed (No. 10 in USA Today poll) LSU (28-5). There’s nothing sweet about that potential Sweet 16 matchup.
Last time Notre Dame faced a team coached by Kim Mulkey, it lost to Baylor in the 2019 national championship game. Spokane has been kind to Notre Dame. Last time it was sent there was 2018 when it won its second national championship.
Notre Dame believes it’s better than the team that has lost three of five. Better than the team that lost on the road and lost at home and lost at a neutral site. Better than a No. 2 seed.
It can prove that starting this week.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame women's basketball March Madness bracket predictions for 2025 NCAA Tournament
Continue reading...
