Notre Dame 2024-25 Season

[WBBTakeover]

An all around great team performance today against Virginia.

The Irish have more talent, but are a better coached team as well.

Truer words have rarely been spoken. I said before the season started that I believe Niele is the top coach in the ACC (and has been for a few seasons), and she's done nothing to suggest otherwise.

 

[DallasDomer]

Truer words have rarely been spoken. I said before the season started that I believe Niele is the top coach in the ACC (and has been for a few seasons), and she's done nothing to suggest otherwise.

This was Coach Ivey's one hundredth win and she seems to have gotten there pretty fast.

 

[JellyBean]

Olivia Miles with another nice triple double! Her draft stock is rising fast!!

 

[Frankus]

• Koval missed a few layups in bunches, but also hit a number of them. She's missed a few games and thought she rounded into form well. I like what Karlen brings, but like the team even more when Koval is manning the middle.

I like that with Westbeld's return we're going to have 15 fouls to give against teams with dominant bigs like Prince and Betts. Plus, Westbeld and Karlen can really run the court, which will be a challenge for bigs to keep up.

 

[Dillon77]

I like that with Westbeld's return we're going to have 15 fouls to give against teams with dominant bigs like Prince and Betts. Plus, Westbeld and Karlen can really run the court, which will be a challenge for bigs to keep up.

Geesh, I thought the one official who was calling most of the fouls on Kate -- Billy Smith? -- was having an issue with verticality, as much as Kate. Heck, she was straight up and down on three of those: she doesn't need to lean in. Hence, your three bigs to spread around such calls is a good solution.

 

[DallasDomer]

Geesh, I thought the one official who was calling most of the fouls on Kate -- Billy Smith? -- was having an issue with verticality, as much as Kate. Heck, she was straight up and down on three of those: she doesn't need to lean in. Hence, your three bigs to spread around such calls is a good solution.

Billy Smith is a shrimp so he thinks anyone taller than he is must be leaning over him. I wonder if ACC women's basketball will ever get decent refs.

 

[DallasDomer]

This was Coach Ivey's one hundredth win and she seems to have gotten there pretty fast.

A poster on the Bench figured out it took Ivey less than five years to get to 100 with 34 losses.
ND wins at Ivey's start
10
24
27
28
11

 

[HuskyNan]

Not Notre Dame, per se, but Niele Ivey’s son Jaden suffered a horrible ankle injury tonight. His Detroit Pistons team played my Orlando Magic and when Jaden Ivey and Cole Anthony both dove for a loose ball, Black landed in Ivey’s ankle which was at an awkward angle. Ivey had to be taken off the court on an EMT’s stretcher I hope he recovers soon

 

[VAUConnFan]

An all around great team performance today against Virginia.

The Irish have more talent, but are a better coached team as well. They beat the Hoos with great high low game passing between Karlen/King and Koval, quick cross court passes to Soni who was at her deadliest, a relentless team effort banging the boards for second shots, and a full court, in sync fast break team.

I was hoping for a King double double, but she missed free throws and a couple easy shots in the second half. That being said she was relentless competitor beating the Hoos on the boards and down the court.

Olivia's triple double came late, but the crowd gave her a standing ovation when it happened. Her passing was a reminder of how good we'd be even if we didn't have Hannah. Imo Hannah is the best pure ND shooter since Austin Carr, and that's saying something.

Liza Karlen is rounding into shape and has Liatu Kings intensity. She's got good hands, can convert down low and is tough.

Kovall blocked and disrupted a ton of shots. She missed a few bunny layups, and needs to convert those kind of shots. She'll have lots of opportunities going forward.

Maddy is like Christmas present waiting to be opened.

Good minutes for Prosper and Risch. It was good to see Risch get an assist as she often just shoots. Prosper played tough D and rebounded, and had some good and bad plays offensively which is par for the course.

Bring on the Tar Heels!

Go back a ways do you?

 

[DallasDomer]

Not Notre Dame, per se, but Niele Ivey’s son Jaden suffered a horrible ankle injury tonight. His Detroit Pistons team played my Orlando Magic and when Jaden Ivey and Anthony Black both dove for a loose ball, Black landed in Ivey’s ankle which was at an awkward angle. Ivey had to be taken off the court on an EMT’s stretcher I hope he recovers soon

This is the video of his injury, it is very gruesome and it looks awful.

 

[Frankus]

Go back a ways do you?

Yep. First live home games for both fb and bb were 1965. It was Johnny Dee at the old fieldhouse back then. A dirt track around the bb court.

I remember being inside the ACC/Joyce/Purcell when they were building it, and was there when the ( then) Lew Alcindor and UCLA christened it first in 1968. In those days the football stadium was always open ( now they charge people ) and I and many others routinely ran the stadium steps.

 

[DallasDomer]

Yep. First live home games for both fb and bb were 1965. It was Johnny Dee at the old fieldhouse back then. A dirt track around the bb court.

I remember being inside the ACC/Joyce/Purcell when they were building it, and was there when the ( then) Lew Alcindor and UCLA christened it first in 1968. In those days the football stadium was always open ( now they charge people ) and I and many others routinely ran the stadium steps.

So you were the class of 1969? I was just arriving in 1970. Sorry I didn't wave goodbye.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Yep. First live home games for both fb and bb were 1965. It was Johnny Dee at the old fieldhouse back then. A dirt track around the bb court.

I remember being inside the ACC/Joyce/Purcell when they were building it, and was there when the ( then) Lew Alcindor and UCLA christened it first in 1968. In those days the football stadium was always open ( now they charge people ) and I and many others routinely ran the stadium steps.

So, you were there when Ara Parseghian played for the tie against Michigan State? And, when Leroy Keyes went both ways for Purdue and shut down Jim Seymour?

I was a huge St John's basketball fan back in the day and fondly remember Johnny Dee bringing his Notre Dame Squad to what is now Carnesecca Hall; It was Austin Carr's sophomore year with guys like Bob Whitmore, Arnzen, Collis Jones, Sid Catlett, and Dwight Murphy; a great game. However, I am convinced Dwight Murphy cheated(got away with it) in the final minute of the game. Somehow, Murphy was able to steal the ball from behind John Warren in the backcourt as Warren was bringing the ball up the court. How was he able to do that?
No one saw him until the last second - too late. He had to be hiding on the bench when the ball was whistled into play.

A guy from my neighborhood, Joe DePre, was on that St John's squad and chose that game to shoot 0-11; his 11th shot a right baseline buzzer beater from 15 feet that sailed over the rim without drawing iron; a shot that was almost automatic for Joe, but not that night.

 

[DallasDomer]

So, you were there when Ara Parseghian played for the tie against Michigan State? And, when Leroy Keyes went both ways for Purdue and shut down Jim Seymour?

I was a huge St John's basketball fan back in the day and fondly remember Johnny Dee bringing his Notre Dame Squad to what is now Carnesecca Hall; It was Austin Carr's sophomore year with guys like Bob Whitmore, Arnzen, Collis Jones, Sid Catlett, and Dwight Murphy; a great game. However, I am convinced Dwight Murphy cheated(got away with it) in the final minute of the game. Somehow, Murphy was able to steal the ball from behind John Warren in the backcourt as Warren was bringing the ball up the court. How was he able to do that?
No one saw him until the last second - too late. He had to be hiding on the bench when the ball was whistled into play.

A guy from my neighborhood, Joe DePre, was on that St John's squad and chose that game to shoot 0-11; his 11th shot a right baseline buzzer beater from 15 feet that sailed over the rim without drawing iron; a shot that was almost automatic for Joe, but not that night.

That's true but Frankus might have been gone before the real fun in January 1974. First ND beat Alabama for the football national championship then John Wooden, Bill Walton, and their 88 game winning streak came to what was then called the Athletic and Convocation Center.

There Digger Phelps introduced them to John Shumate, Dwight Cay, Adrian Dantley and company who ended UCLA's 88 game win streak 71-70 and the students rushed the court, I among them.

 

[Frankus]

So, you were there when Ara Parseghian played for the tie against Michigan State? And, when Leroy Keyes went both ways for Purdue and shut down Jim Seymour?

I was a huge St John's basketball fan back in the day and fondly remember Johnny Dee bringing his Notre Dame Squad to what is now Carnesecca Hall; It was Austin Carr's sophomore year with guys like Bob Whitmore, Arnzen, Collis Jones, Sid Catlett, and Dwight Murphy; a great game. However, I am convinced Dwight Murphy cheated(got away with it) in the final minute of the game. Somehow, Murphy was able to steal the ball from behind John Warren in the backcourt as Warren was bringing the ball up the court. How was he able to do that?
No one saw him until the last second - too late. He had to be hiding on the bench when the ball was whistled into play.

A guy from my neighborhood, Joe DePre, was on that St John's squad and chose that game to shoot 0-11; his 11th shot a right baseline buzzer beater from 15 feet that sailed over the rim without drawing iron; a shot that was almost automatic for Joe, but not that night.

Yeah, I was there when Ara Parseghian won the NC in 1966, should have won it in 1964, won it in 1973 and his players won it it in 1977. His son Mike played on my Little League team, and he lived a block away from me. Ara was very active in the community. He was an excellent golfer and played in the South Bend city golf tournament every year. A different time.

I don't recall the St John's game, but Austin Carr Bob Whitmore, Bob Arnzen, Collis Jones, Sid Catlett, and Dwight Murphy ( and Jackie Meehan) were all good players. Digger came in and upgraded the talent with John Shumate, Gary Brokaw, Bill Hanzlik, Dwight Clay, Adrian Dantley, Bill Laimbeer etc. Unfortunately, Digger never was able to capitalize on his talent during tourney time, but was able to stop UCLA's 88 game winning streak, beat Marguette and DePaul and beat #1USF. Lots of great games at home back then. The atmosphere was electric in the (then) ACC. Great times. The closest to that atmosphere now is during the women's games. Joy has returned. And being in the football semifinals is a treat after our long time in the wilderness. The NIL era is going to be good to us.

 

[DallasDomer]

Maddy Westbeld played 13 minutes in the Notre Dame win at North Carolina. She was pretty rusty and didn't attempt a shot but her presence influenced UNC shooters. It will take her a while to get back up to speed.

Meanwhile the ND quadrant 1 win was a Hidalgo (24 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds) and Miles (19 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds) show with a big dose of rebounding by King (15 rebounds, 9 points). ND shot 13-21 from three (61%) with both Miles and Hidalgo hitting 5 threes and 48.3% overall. UNC shot 42.9% and 28.6% from three.

It seems like Miles three point shooting is challenging Hidalgo to match her. It looked a little crazy with threes dropping from everywhere despite the UNC efforts to guard the line the kick outs and step backs were very effective.

ND returns home to play Wake Forest who allowed the game to start early so it wouldn't interfere with the CFP semifinal game at the Orange Bowl. Thanks.

 

[Dillon77]

Maddy Westbeld played 13 minutes in the Notre Dame win at North Carolina. She was pretty rusty and didn't attempt a shot but her presence influenced UNC shooters. It will take her a while to get back up to speed.

Meanwhile the ND quadrant 1 win was a Hidalgo (24 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds) and Miles (19 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds) show with a big dose of rebounding by King (15 rebounds, 9 points). ND shot 13-21 from three (61%) with both Miles and Hidalgo hitting 5 threes and 48.3% overall. UNC shot 42.9% and 28.6% from three.

It seems like Miles three point shooting is challenging Hidalgo to match her. It looked a little crazy with threes dropping from everywhere despite the UNC efforts to guard the line the kick outs and step backs were very effective.

ND returns home to play Wake Forest who allowed the game to start early so it wouldn't interfere with the CFP semifinal game at the Orange Bowl. Thanks.

A few points to bring up after stumbling on the Louisville-Wake Forest game yesterday evening and watching the ND and UNC press conferences this morning, with the stat sheet in front of me:

• Courtney Banghart, the UNC coach, thought her team was in this game, citing her team's defense (forcing ND into 20+ turnovers) and actually taking more shots than ND. "Usually, that's a good thing." Alas, ND shot 63% from three. "They had to play great to beat us." Commentator Deb Antonelli said pretty much the same thing, saying ND will raise their game accordingly whenever a team makes a run.
• Banghart pointed at transfers Liatu King and Liza Karlen -- giving their backgrounds in detail -- as difference makers. "King was the leading scorer at Pitt and now she's, what, the fourth option?"

- Ivey acknowledged UNC is a tough place to play and was pleased to get a win out of it. In her post-game interview with ESPN, Hidalgo noted it was the Irish's only game of the week and they had to ramp up to avoid being punched. ESPN's Andraya Carter was having nothing of that, saying Hannah Hidalgo is the punch in the mouth. "No one can prepare a team for just how fast and aggressive Hannah is. No one." Advantage: ND.

Looking forward:

• Banghart cited ND's guards' rebounding as a positive thing for the Irish, saying "it's not all height...look at Hidalgo." Twenty of UNC's 28 rebounds were by two players: Gakdeng and Ustby. As heroic as that is, UNC needs more people crashing the boards.
• Wake Forest eventually lost at home to Louisville, but it took OT for it to happen. Jayda Curry was either sleepwalking or wondering what she left California most of the game until she hit two treys in OT to help the Cards win. Tajianna Roberts and Nyla Harris kept Louisville hanging around.

The Deacs have no one averaging over 10 per game, but they shot 27-46 from the floor, led by guard Rylie Theuerdauf's collegiate high 17 pts (5-8 from three), center Malaya Cowe's 15 and Elise William's 12 off the bench. What killed the Deacs were 28 turnovers. What kept Lousivlle from pulling away? Twenty-one of their own.

 

[VAUConnFan]

That's true but Frankus might have been gone before the real fun in January 1974. First ND beat Alabama for the football national championship then John Wooden, Bill Walton, and their 88 game winning streak came to what was then called the Athletic and Convocation Center.

There Digger Phelps introduced them to John Shumate, Dwight Cay, Adrian Dantley and company who ended UCLA's 88 game win streak 71-70 and the students rushed the court, I among them.

It was a 12-0 run to end the game capped by Dwight Clay's baseline jumper. UCLA must have put up four shots in the final seconds, none of them fell.

 

[Frankus]

Thoughts about North Carolina.

It was one of those "pick your poison" type games. NC sagged too much on OM and HH and they made them pay with 3 point shooting. That being said, we seemed a bit disjointed in the half court game, particularly Soni. Perhaps she's getting the lay of the land with the new substitution patterns with Karlen and Maddy, but she wasn't in the flow of the offense as much as we need her to be.

Karlen had some nice outside shots and Prosper had the best game of her career against a good team. She hit her 3, and dribble drove and scored. A glimpse of what's to come? Hope so.

Liatu was her usual scrappy self, but she too didn't seem to get into the flow of the offense. Perhaps it was because of Gakdeng who controlled the paint. I would have liked to have seen Kovall/Karlen challenge her more offensively, but we were so hot shooting 3's and that's just how the game went.

NC's coach complained about the referees during her PC. I thought there were 3 absurd travelling calls on the Irish nowhere near the paint. So, I concur.

Maddy seemed content to just fit in. First game back. I'm looking forward to seeing her aggressiveness return.

 

[Dillon77]

Thoughts about North Carolina.

It was one of those "pick your poison" type games. NC sagged too much on OM and HH and they made them pay with 3 point shooting. That being said, we seemed a bit disjointed in the half court game, particularly Soni. Perhaps she's getting the lay of the land with the new substitution patterns with Karlen and Maddy, but she wasn't in the flow of the offense as much as we need her to be.

Karlen had some nice outside shots and Prosper had the best game of her career against a good team. She hit her 3, and dribble drove and scored. A glimpse of what's to come? Hope so.

Liatu was her usual scrappy self, but she too didn't seem to get into the flow of the offense. Perhaps it was because of Gakdeng who controlled the paint. I would have liked to have seen Kovall/Karlen challenge her more offensively, but we were so hot shooting 3's and that's just how the game went.

NC's coach complained about the referees during her PC. I thought there were 3 absurd travelling calls on the Irish nowhere near the paint. So, I concur.

Maddy seemed content to just fit in. First game back. I'm looking forward to seeing her aggressiveness return.

I should've been aware that there was a minutes limit on Westbeld because there was one match-up that screamed for Maddy to be on if she was her "normal" self. Ustby was trying to launch from three and waaaay outside in the first half. King, appropriately, laid off her. However, Ustby moved it in to the elbow and she's efficient there. King didn't move out and AU hit a few. Emboldened by this, Ustby started taking King low. Ivey waited until just under four minutes remained, the brought in Westbeld, who has faced off with Ustby for years and has played with her on a U.S.A. 3x3 team. She knows AU's game. Westbeld, with her height, weight and ability to move her feet, effectlively took that option away.

As the season progresses, I think you'll see Westbeld and King splitting time, with Maddy playing against more traditional forwards.

Regarding Soni, she did look off on the offense. Some on The Bench wondered if she was off physically (that cold/flu is prevalent all over). However, in the half-court sets, she did fine on defense.

Next up: Wake Forest at home, then off to Clemson

 

[WBBTakeover]

I just came here to praise Olivia Miles. She's always been quite the talent, but this year is different. She is box office good.

 

[Dillon77]

I just came here to praise Olivia Miles. She's always been quite the talent, but this year is different. She is box office good.

Agree. Sabreena Merchant of The Athletic got a good chuckle out of me this morning: she asked when Miles and Hidalgo morphed into "the splash sisters?"

 

[Dillon77]

I like that with Westbeld's return we're going to have 15 fouls to give against teams with dominant bigs like Prince and Betts. Plus, Westbeld and Karlen can really run the court, which will be a challenge for bigs to keep up.

And both Karlen and Westbeld can extend their range, which is also difficult for most bigs to adjust to. Karlen demonstrated that against UNC, which both Coach Banghart and Alyssa Ustby commented on during the UNC post-game presser. Westbeld will start using and getting that distinctive stroke of hers shortly, I'm sure.

 

[sivad40]

And both Karlen and Westbeld can extend their range, which is also difficult for most bigs to adjust to. Karlen demonstrated that against UNC, which both Coach Banghart and Alyssa Ustby commented on during the UNC post-game presser. Westbeld will start using and getting that distinctive stroke of hers shortly, I'm sure.

You didn't feel slighted when Banghart pretty much said that ND had to shoot lights out to win and that ND has pretty great offensive team and she has a great defensive team. Notre Dame is ranked higher in most defensive categories that UNC is.

 

[Dillon77]

You didn't feel slighted when Banghart pretty much said that ND had to shoot lights out to win and that ND has pretty great offensive team and she has a great defensive team. Notre Dame is ranked higher in most defensive categories that UNC is.

Is there a question and/or an accusation in there?

Assuming it's a question: Did I take offense at Courtney Banghart's overall stance at her post-game press conference?
Several Benchers did, citing points you did and multiple others. A day or three removed from it:

• Banghart was obviously trying to pump up her team throughout the presser taking the "yes, we lost, but played really well" card throughout both her opening statement and in response to questions.
• As is her wont, for better or worse, her straight-forward answers can be both off-putting and/or confusing if you let them.
• She made a comment about telling her team to persevere despite the officials. Last anyone checked, ND had 12 fouls called on them and UNC 9. Plus, ND was called for some pretty strict traveling calls. Both teams probably had gripes.
• Also had a chuckle with a back-handed complement about ND's guards getting rebounds (Miles had 7), then slighting Hannah Hidalgo's physical play in getting them. HH only had 3 rebounds in that game (normally she gets 6).
• What I would've liked to have heard: some acknowledgement that both teams played hard and tip of the hat to ND for doing so and shooting well. Instead, the shooting almost seemed like an indictment. A brief show of graciousness can go a long way.

However, like Coach B, I'm more concerned about my team, ND. The Irish and Coach Ivey (who did give UNC credit as a very tough place to play), got another solid win for the resume. Time to play Wake Forest at home and Clemson on the road. Let's see how UNC and Duke do....