Sweet Home Alabama in the Sweet 16?
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It will be Saturday afternoon for someone when No. 3 seed Notre Dame (28-5) women’s basketball aims to push past its March Madness/Sweet 16 obstacle against No. 2 seed TCU (33-3) at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
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These teams met earlier in late November in the Cayman Islands, a 76-68 TCU win in a game that Notre Dame dominated, leading for more than 33 minutes and by as many as 14 points. Notre Dame lost the next day to Utah before running off 19 consecutive victories.
TCU was an automatic tournament qualifier after winning the Big 12. Three seasons after only eight wins, the Horned Frogs have a program-record 33.
TCU has never ventured this deep in the tournament, while Notre Dame is tired of getting this far – and going no further. The Irish look to win a Sweet 16 game for the first time since getting to the national championship game in 2019.
What time does Notre Dame women’s game vs TCU start?
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Start time: 1 p.m. (South Bend time)
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Site: Legacy Arena (17,654), Birmingham, Alabama
What channel is Notre Dame women’s game vs TCU on?
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Radio: 96.1 WSBT-FM in South Bend
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Livestream: Fubo, which offers a free trial for new customers.
What is the history between Notre Dame and TCU?
Saturday is the fourth meeting between the teams and the first in the NCAA Tournament. Notre Dame is 3-0 against TCU.
The teams last met on November 26, 2016, in South Bend, a 92-59 victory by then-No. 1 Notre Dame. Six Irish scored double figures, led by guard Arike Ogunbowale’s 19 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Brianna Turner added 18 points. TCU led for all over 11 seconds.
All three Irish wins (also in 1990 and 2015) have been by double digits.
What players should we watch for …
Notre Dame (28-5)
If there’s one game that freshman forward Kate Koval (5.5 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 18.5 mpg.) would like to have back this season, it’s likely that one against TCU.
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Koval started and played 29 minutes in that Cayman Islands contest. She missed all nine of her shots from the field with six rebounds, two assists, and two turnovers.
TCU scored 34 points in the paint in the eight-point win.
Notre Dame has as good of a collection of guards as anyone in the country, which will always give the Irish a chance. When Koval can carve out enough space at the rim to flirt with a double-double for points and rebounds, it gives the Irish an added dimension. And weapon.
Will Irish coach Niele Ivey stick with her core five for heavy minutes or trust Koval to offer something of substance?
TCU (33-3)
There’s another TCU guard who has some history with Notre Dame besides former Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith.
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Last March up in Albany, New York, TCU sophomore guard Donovyn Hunter was a Pac-12 all-freshman selection at Oregon State. She went for 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 31 minutes to help beat Notre Dame, 85-70, in a Sweet 16 showdown.
The 6-foot Hunter (5.9 ppg., 2.7 rpg., 2.7 apg.) is coming off season highs for points (18), minutes (39), field goals (6) and 3-pointers (4) in the second-round win over Louisville. High-leverage games seem to suit her.
How about a prediction between Notre Dame women and TCU?
Notre Dame 86, TCU 85 (overtime): TCU looks to extend the best season in school history for another round while Notre Dame MUST get past this stopping point in each of the previous three NCAA Tournaments. This is a TCU team that may be playing with house money; this is an Irish team that was built at the very least to get to an Elite Eight.
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Falling one game shy of that again – and two wins shy of the Final Four – with this core isn’t an option.
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: When Notre Dame basketball plays next in NCAA tournament: Time, players to watch
