North Carolina St @ Notre Dame - 2/25/18

[Shades]

Notre Dame, IN - 2:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN2 (Tiffany Greene, LaChina Robinson)

Video:
#21 NC State vs. #5 Notre Dame (W Basketball) (tvp)

Audio:
Listen to Pulse FM Live

Live stats:
http://www.und.com/gametracker/laun...hool=nd&sport=wbaskbl&camefrom=&startschool=&

 

[LETTERL]

Oh boy...so much at stake with this game. For Notre Dame, still an outside shot at capturing the ACC regular season title if Louisville stumbles. For NC State, a top 4 finish in the ACC, a double-bye in the ACCT, and a glimmer of hope at possibly getting a top 4 seed and a chance to host games in the NCAAT with a second victory over a top-10 team. Our last trip to South Bend was an 82-46 blowout loss. I'm hoping the Wolfpack Women come out hungry, ready to play and can withstand the early punches by the Irish.

 

[Dillon77]

Oh boy...so much at stake with this game. For Notre Dame, still an outside shot at capturing the ACC regular season title if Louisville stumbles. For NC State, a top 4 finish in the ACC, a double-bye in the ACCT, and a glimmer of hope at possibly getting a top 4 seed and a chance to host games in the NCAAT with a second victory over a top-10 team. Our last trip to South Bend was an 82-46 blowout loss. I'm hoping the Wolfpack Women come out hungry, ready to play and can withstand the early punches by the Irish.

Hey LETTERL: I'm actually more concerned about the Irish withstanding the Wolfpack clamping down early on. Why?

This is senior day for the Irish and two of the team's emotional rocks -- Kat Westbeld and Koko Nelson -- will be honored before the festivities. If they're shaky in the beginning, it could affect the team. Given the Wolfpack's ability to rebound, we'll need both of these two, plus Jessica Shepard to hit the boards and/or box out. Plus, our guards (particularly Jackie Young) will need to hit the fray. MM is hoping the underclassmen can make up for whatever emotions come into play early on. Hopefully, Marina Mabrey will keep things under control and Arike Ogunbowale will be streaky good (not the other way )

I'm really impressed with the job Wes Moore has done since he's come over from Chattanooga. Are the Wolfpack fans?

Should be a good one with...as you said...big implications in the ACC.

 

[LETTERL]

I'm really impressed with the job Wes Moore has done since he's come over from Chattanooga. Are the Wolfpack fans?

The Wolfpack fans, even casual ones, are very happy with how the program has experienced a resurgence. The program was downtrodden when Moore took over. Recruiting has definitely improved; we have an outstanding class coming in next year, including a 6'5" center who has dunked the ball several times in hig school...I'm really excited at seeing what she can do in the Red and White...and she'll be put in the firing line right away to replace the graduating Akela Maize. Attendance has increased...but with renovations to Reynolds, maximum attendance has been reduced to 5500, down from 12,400 in the Kay Yow years. But Reynolds can still truly rock when the arena is full and the fans cheering loudly.

I would say this is Wes Moore's best coaching job ever. We lost so much from last year...yet here we are again, with another successful season, a top 25 ranking and perhaps a dark horse to make some noise in the NCAAT.

 

[LETTERL]

Hey LETTERL: I'm actually more concerned about the Irish withstanding the Wolfpack clamping down early on. Why?

This is senior day for the Irish and two of the team's emotional rocks -- Kat Westbeld and Koko Nelson -- will be honored before the festivities. If they're shaky in the beginning, it could affect the team. Given the Wolfpack's ability to rebound, we'll need both of these two, plus Jessica Shepard to hit the boards and/or box out. Plus, our guards (particularly Jackie Young) will need to hit the fray.

If there is an Achille's Heel with this year's Wolfpack squad, it is that they do go through spells where they just don't shoot well. Against Miami, the five starters were 5 of 42 from the field. We had low FG percentage in losses to Duke and Virginia...and against Louisville, we missed our first 26 shots and were down 26-1 in the 2nd quarter...but eventually cut the lead to 4 points in the 4th quarter. We can't have that kind of performance today or we're going to get blown right out of South Bend.

If Ace Konig isn't hitting her THREEs, it will be a long day for NC State.

 

[Orangutan]

Oh boy...so much at stake with this game. For Notre Dame, still an outside shot at capturing the ACC regular season title if Louisville stumbles.

Not 100% on this, but I believe it goes down as a shared regular season title regardless of the head-to-head result. But Louisville gets the #1 seed in the ACC tournament.

 

[Orangutan]

Hey LETTERL: I'm actually more concerned about the Irish withstanding the Wolfpack clamping down early on. Why?

At the risk of creating some bad karma, it's hard for me to see ND losing at home to NC State. Especially as NC State will have Notre Dame's full attention after what happened last year.

If Koko starting throws ND out of rhythm, I don't think Muffet will hesitate to insert Shepard after just a couple of minutes. She knows what is at stake and is not sleeping on the Wolfpack

 

[Dillon77]

At the risk of creating some bad karma, it's hard for me to see ND losing at home to NC State. Especially as NC State will have Notre Dame's full attention after what happened last year.

If Koko starting throws ND out of rhythm, I don't think Muffet will hesitate to insert Shepard after just a couple of minutes. She knows what is at stake and is not sleeping on the Wolfpack

Agreed. That was obvious from her post-game presser against Va. Tech. She was happy to get Westbeld's 1,000-pt achievement noted, gave kudos to certain players and then ramped up the pressure around the NC State game.

 

[LETTERL]

Irish lead 9-8 at the first media timeout. I'm glad to see some outside shots going in for NC State.

 

[Shades]

17-16 ND end of first
Scoring all spread out.

 

[LETTERL]

End of 1st quarter...Notre Dame leads 17-16. Looks like both teams have settled in. I'm relieved State clamped down defensively early. Both teams with 10 rebounds so far. Marina Mabrey the top scorer so far with 5 points. Kiara Leslie and Chelsea Nelson each have 4 for NC State.

 

[Orangutan]

ND 6-16 FG in the 1st quarter. On one hand, NC State's D certainly has Notre Dame out of its offensive flow somewhat. On the other, some of those misses were pretty easy shots, including two missed layups by Mabrey.

 

[LETTERL]

Timeout NC State...7:22 left 2nd quarter. Notre Dame on a 9-1 run. 8 turnovers now for the Wolfpack Women.

 

[LETTERL]

Halftime...Notre Dame leads 39-31. Too much Arike Ogunbowale!!!

 

[Orangutan]

Shepard totally anonymous so far today and she had a poor outing last game, too. Wearing a sleeve on her leg, which is new, so maybe she's banged up. Played just 9 minutes of the 1st half and I don't think all of that was McGraw giving Koko Nelson a little extra run on Senior Day.

 

[Orangutan]

Super late whistle on Shepard defending Maize. It was like the referee thought "she can't have missed that badly without having been fouled" and decided to blow his whistle after the fact.

And now Shepard has dribbled off of her foot, gave up an easy jumper to Maize, and got blocked by Maize. I'm not try to dog Jess, but she is not herself today at all. Hope she gets it sorted quickly.

Jackie Young is very good today. She's got the mask off and she is as aggressive and assertive as I've ever seen her.

 

[Wbbfan1]

NC State, like Missouri is not a team many teams will want to face in the tournament. They are well coached. Both teams have the ability to win a couple of games in the tournament if they get the right seeding.

 

[LETTERL]

4:07 left 3rd quarter...Notre Dame leads 52-45. State can't stop Arike Ogunbowale. Meanwhile, Kayla Ealey having a great game for the Wolfpack Women, with 14 points, including 4 of 5 from THREE.

 

[Orangutan]

3 seconds on Chelsea Nelson. Cut to Wes Moore: "Chelsea, move! Didn't you hear me, Chelsea? Move! Get out!"

That was funny. Nelson having a solid game besides that.

 

[LETTERL]

3 seconds on Chelsea Nelson. Cut to Wes Moore: "Chelsea, move! Didn't you hear me, Chelsea? Move! Get out!"

That was funny. Nelson having a solid game besides that.

Like a toothache.

 

[LETTERL]

End of 3rd quarter...Ogunbowale hit a THREE at the buzzer to make it 66-49. State gave it a good run but making too many mistakes to beat Notre Dame. On to the ACCT.

 

[Orangutan]

Ogunbowale 21 pts, Young 15 pts, Westbeld 14 pts, Mabrey 12 pts. Patterson, Shepard, and Nelson 4 pts, combined. ND a 4-player team today, but they are 4 really good players.

(In fairness, Nelson has 4 assists and 2 steals.)

 

[Plebe]

Notre Dame seems to have been a bit under the radar since its loss to Louisville, but make no mistake: they are playing VERY well. Their starting five is playing cohesive and formidable basketball.

 

[LETTERL]

Irish on a 28-6 run, since NC State got within two at 45-43.

 

[LETTERL]

Final: Notre Dame breezes by NC State, 86-67. Notre Dame gets a share of the regular season ACC title. NC State falls to fifth place and plays Thursday in the ACCT.