SOUTH BEND, Ind. — For the 21st time in program history and fourth time in as many years, Notre Dame is headed to the Sweet 16.
The No. 3 Irish (28-5) downed No. 6 Michigan on Sunday, 76-55, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Notre Dame built a 20-point lead by the end of the first quarter and didn’t look back, stifling a Michigan offense that entered Sunday averaging 78 points per game. It was the Wolverines lowest-scoring game of the year.
Hannah Hidalgo led Notre Dame with 21 points, and Liatu King stole the show with 18 points and 15 rebounds. King just is the sixth Notre Dame player to ever notch 15 or more rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game and the fourth with 15 points and 15 rebounds. She also went 7-7 from the floor, becoming the second player in program history to go 7-7 or better in the Big Dance.
The Irish set the tone defensively from the jump. Michigan started 0-4 from the floor, while Notre Dame got out in transition and took a 6-0 lead forcing a Wolverines timeout at 7:25. The masterclass continued for an Irish squad that put together a 13-0 run with 54 seconds to go. Michigan freshman Syla Swords notched a layup, but Notre Dame had the last laugh on a dish from Hidalgo to Liza Karlen with a second left.
The Irish shot 75 percent from the floor in the opening quarter (12-6) and three players finished the frame with 8 points — Sonia Citron, Hidalgo and King. Michigan went 4-15 from the floor and was outrebounded 13-5.
King hit a long jumper to open scoring in second for Notre Dame, becoming the first player to reach double-figures. It would be the final bucket for more than 4 minutes before Hidalgo found King in the paint again.
Citron (11) and Hidalgo (10) found double-figures before the half as well, and Notre Dame took an 18-point lead into the locker room despite a 16-14 advantage from Michigan in Q2. King and Michigan’s Olivia Olson led all players with 12 points, and King led with 7 boards.
A slow offensive start for Notre Dame in the second half quickly turned into a 12-0 Irish run started by a Karlen reverse layup and a quick steal and score from Hidalgo. The Irish stretched the lead back to 20 at 52-32. The Wolverines went cold, missing seven consecutive shots and three consecutive free throws. Notre Dame had a 61-36 lead with a quarter to play after an 8-point Michigan showing in Q3.
Notre Dame will next face the winner of Sunday night’s clash between TCU and Louisville in Birmingham, Ala. The Irish have seen both foes this year already, falling to the Horned Frogs but beating the Cardinals twice.
