It was a late night in Purcell Pavilion as Notre Dame women’s basketball hosted Central Michigan on Monday, Nov. 24. The matchup against the Chippewas was a much needed breath of fresh air after the Irish’s gritty win over Southern California on Friday, Nov. 21, where the Irish beat their longtime rival in the final three seconds of the game thanks to a jump shot by junior guard Hannah Hidalgo, sealing their 61-59 victory.
The Irish were aggressive early against the Chippewas, with graduate student guard Vanessa de Jesus opening up scoring with a three from the corner to get Notre Dame on the board first. The Chippewas scored soon after, and the teams played a close game all throughout the first quarter. The Irish struggled getting offensive rebounds, relying on the shots from distance going in despite missing most shots. To rectify mistakes early on, Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey put in senior guard KK Bransford to give the Irish the physicality and advantage in the paint they needed to establish a padded lead. With Hidalgo and senior guard de Jesus leading the Irish at the top of the key, Notre Dame finished 20-15 at the end of the first quarter.
As the second quarter started, Notre Dame was noticeably more confident and had their strategies in order for the Chippewas. Senior guard Cassandre Prosper came in for the Irish, attacking the ball on defense and increasing the offensive and defensive rebounds Notre Dame needed to get more points on the board. Because Central Michigan was dominating in the paint, Notre Dame subbed in graduate student forward Malaya Cowles to give the Irish a physical advantage under the basket. In seven minutes, Cowles gave the Irish four rebounds and limited Central Michigan’s dominance.
Central Michigan’s strategy was to drive to the left side of the basket, and they were successful until graduate student forward Gisela Sanchez replaced Cowles. Sanchez used her 6-foot-4 height to provide clean blocks and intimidate the Chippewas’ offense, limiting their scoring and forcing them to take contested shots they were less confident in. With smart, on-the-spot corrections by the Irish coaching staff, Notre Dame was able to limit the advances of Central Michigan and secure a 40-29 lead at the end of the half.
As the teams stepped onto the court after halftime, Central Michigan was hungry and on the prowl for more offensive chances. Although Notre Dame had the height advantage, Central Michigan was more aggressive and assertive in getting possession. The Chippewas tried to maximize opportunity on turnovers, but the Irish combated their strategy by anticipating passes and getting steals.
The first half was not ideal for Notre Dame’s scoring, with most of their shots falling just flat. The form and precision were there, but in their urgency to get down the court, the follow-through lessened the accuracy of the shots from distance. Notre Dame found their rhythm and their patience in the paint as the team cooperated to open up wider shooting lanes to score. In the third quarter, the Irish racked up 19 points, going three for four on 3-pointers and getting eight rebounds to limit the Chippewas in the third quarter.
In the final 10 minutes of play, the Irish continued the success that had been working for them, employing a steady rotation of players on the court. Ivey was conscious of fouls, and her confidence in her bench allowed for 10 of 12 players to take the court.
“Just having the experience this season getting some foul trouble, I think the second or third game of the season,” Ivey said after the game, “we try to calm them down and to adjust to how the game is being officiated.”
Notre Dame emerged victorious with an 83-51 win over Central Michigan, with Hidalgo racking up 25 points for the Irish. Cowles supported the Irish from the back end, leading the team with seven rebounds. When the Irish tuned in to the Chippewas style, they were able to anticipate passes and break up plays to score 35 points from Central Michigan turnovers and 28 points from fastbreaks.
Following their win, the Irish have a week and a half of preparation before they face Ole Miss on Thursday, Dec. 4 in Mississippi for the ACC/SEC Challenge. As Notre Dame moves forward, the Irish must prioritize strong passing and consistency in adapting to plays to repeat the success they have found all season, especially when playing powerhouses down South.
