Virginia Tech @ Notre Dame - 2/20/20

[eebmg]

Kitley saves the game. VT 68 ND 62. 19 pts 10 rebounds 8 blocks

 

[Alydar]

VT wins at N Dame. There are a lot of teams celebrating their 1st win in S Bend this year.

 

[Mulder]

Notre Dame went down shooting, 28-15 in the 4th quarter.

 

[Plebe]

What?! My prediction of Notre Dame glory failed to materialize?
How ever will I contain my sadness?

 

[triaddukefan]

Freshman Center Kitley fantastic. FOY ACC?

Kitley and Cunane of NC State are from the same town (about five minutes from my city) They went to different high schools though.... both led their schools to multiple state titles. Kitley was ranked higher in her class than Cunane was... so I was curious to see how Kitley would do this year. Its good to see local kids do well at the next level.

 

[ConnecticutBB]

Has the press conference been posted yet?

 

[DefenseBB]

It was at Notre Dame so there was definitely a presser...my search mode is now on...

 

[DefenseBB]

@ndwbb | Post-Game Press Conference vs. Virginia Tech (2020)

und.com

 

[Shades]

 

[Shades]

 

[Mulder]

The fans still believe in the Fighting Irish. 7401 filled the Purcell Pavilion to provide them with a clear home court advantage.

 

[DefenseBB]

The fans still believe in the Fighting Irish. 7401 filled the Purcell Pavilion to provide them with a clear home court advantage.

That is very nice to see, their fans should turn out as it is 1 year out of 25 so MM has more than earned a blip on her resume. Now if she would only handle it better and behave more gracious, that would be the most positive experience she could gain from this. I still have worries they do not have a Point Guard on the team next year, which her offense is pretty dependent on. Is Kiana Williams eligible for Transfer?

 

[Dillon77]

Strong agree that it's good to see the Domers keeping the faith (so to speak) even in down times. If only every WCBB program could be so lucky.

Strong DISAGREE to the idea of Williams grad-transferring (which would be the only way she'd be eligible next season). MM has already poached two of our point guards - time to look elsewhere!

Besides giving the South Bend faithful a good product to support (save this year), MM, her staff and team do a lot of outreach in South Bend, both with tickets holders and the community at large. Strong bond that helps keep things tight in a (hopefully singular) down year like this.

I would also like to see MM shy away from looking at Stanford -- or anywhere -- for a grad transfer point guard. Save for Destinee Walker and Mik Vaughn, ND will have a team comprised of players with three- and four-years worth of eligibility. In my mind, having (yet) another one and done PG will break whatever continuity she's hoping to build among the team as a whole.

While incoming combo guard Alasia Hayes will learn the point controls, I'd think MM will give a look at currernt freshmen (in eligibility) Kaitlyn Gilbert and Anaya Peoples to be the lead guard. Both played the position on and off in high school and in AAU, when they played with each other. My gut is with Gilbert. She's got a good enough handle and has an adept mid-range jumper, which can keep defenses honest.
Peoples, while she's got a good handle, has not demonstrated range on her jumper but she is a force underneath with her drives, rebounds and willingness to muck it up. She plays larger than her 5'10".

Hopefully a Gilbert/Hayes tag team can get it done in 20-21 while MM and Mike Mabrey recruit a leading point guard. Benchers have been looking at Olivia Miles from NJ and Ari Wiggins who, coincidentally, plays at Gilbert's HS alma mater, Heritage Christian in Indianapolis.

Stay tuned.