SOUTH BEND – Devastatingly dominant.
We knew it was only a matter of time until the No. 3 seed Notre Dame women’s basketball team returned to its usual swaggering, scoring self. The Irish (27-5) are too good to let that slide of three losses over their previous five games affect their focus come NCAA Tournament time.
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If the Irish could get back on track playing at home, watch out.
We’re watching.
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Notre Dame delivered a sledgehammer-like effort in the first round against No. 14 Stephen F. Austin. The Irish hit the Ladyjacks with 106 points, including 62 points in the paint and 33 fastbreak points. They placed four in double figures and led by as many as 55. Stephen F. Austin led 6-0, then was knocked out with a 20-2 run that effectively ended that one.
Postseason play isn’t supposed to look that easy. It looked easy.
Next up, a date Sunday (1 p.m., ABC) with No. 6 seed Michigan (23-10), which finally shook free from No. 11 Iowa State in Friday’s first game. The winner advances to the Sweet 16 in the Birmingham, Alabama regional to face either Louisville or TCU on Friday.
Scouting the Michigan Wolverines
Coach Kim Barnes Arico’s crew is a guard-heavy group. Like, really guard heavy. All five starters are classified as guards, though a few, like Jordan Hobbs, who went for a career-high 28 points against Iowa State, are interchangeable. She guards guards. She guards forwards. She rebounds. She defends.
Michigan also does it with defense. It had many reasons to pack it in Friday when seemingly none of its shots fell. Not from distance (U-M started 1-of-10 from 3) or from in close or basically anywhere (6-of-20 to start). The Wolverines kept grinding, kept defending, kept believing until finding a rhythm. When they did, they erased a 10-point deficit.
Michigan’s game is predicated on defense (18 turnovers forced and 12 steals vs Iowa State), ball movement and shot making. It doesn’t get much in the paint so being efficient on the perimeter is key. The Wolverines are led by guard Olivia Olson (16.2 ppg., 5.4 rpg.). Guard Syla Swords (15.9 ppg., 6.2 rpg., 2.5 apg., 32.3 mpg.) is one of the most talented freshmen in the country.
The Wolverines lay a lot of heavy lifting on their starters. Like, all of it. All 80 points Michigan scored Friday came from the starting five. Michigan will go three deep on its bench, but it’s the starters who must drive the Wolverines to their first Sweet 16 since 2022. Two games in three days may be too quick a turnaround to win an NCAA game on Notre Dame’s home floor.
Notre Dame vs. Michigan prediction:
March Madness second round
One down, one to go for Notre Dame. It’s not nearly enough that the Irish were able to host the opening rounds for the third straight season. Getting to the tournament’s second weekend isn’t a goal – it’s a baseline expectation around Notre Dame.
Able to deliver such a dominant effort against SFA may have unlocked a new level of confidence for a Notre Dame team that won 19 straight over 85 days this season. The Irish don’t want to get off this postseason train just yet. They won’t.
Prediction: Notre Dame 85, Michigan 74
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame women’s basketball vs. Michigan prediction for March Madness second round
