Sweet Sixteen Preview: Notre Dame vs Vanderbilt
- Erich Pilcher
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
For the fifth consecutive year, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women’s Basketball Team has made it to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Standing in the way of their first Elite Eight appearance since 2019 (and the first under Head Coach Niele Ivey) is a well-rounded and dangerous Vanderbilt Commodores squad.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish:
The Irish upset the region's three-seed, the Ohio State Buckeyes, on Monday afternoon. Impressive was the fact that it was on the Ohio State campus. Even more impressive was the performance by Junior Guard Hannah Hidalgo with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and eight steals. Over the first two games of the tournament, Hidalgo has averaged a double-double with 24.5 Points Per Game (PPG) and 11 Rebounds Per Game (RPG). She has also chipped in with eight steals per game (setting a new single-game tournament record for the Irish in the first round against Farfield). Â Senior Guard Cassandre Prosper continued her strong contributions with 17 points against the Buckeyes.
Vanderbilt Commodores:
Vanderbilt is led by Sophomore Guard Mikayla Blakes (recently named one of four finalists for the Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Award), who leads the nation in scoring, averaging 27 PPG while shooting a touch over 46 percent from the field. She is not alone in the backcourt. Freshman Guard Aubrey Galvan (averaging 13.2 PPG) provides the Commodores with one of the best backcourts in the country. This allows them to average an eye-raising 84.9 PPG (good for eighth nationally). They play at a frantic pace on both ends of the floor, which allows them to get out in transition and disrupt their opponents' game plan.
Notre Dame Keys to Victory:
Playing a team with four players who average double-digit points per game is going to be a difficult task for the Irish. Couple that with the dynamic pace Vanderbilt plays at, and one would think that the Irish would be at a significant disadvantage. However, Teams that can disrupt the high-powered guard tandem of the Commodores with strong defensive guard play and keep it a half-court game have had great success against them. This plays right into the Irish's hands, with Hidalgo and Prosper being very active on the defensive end and the ability to slow the game down because of this. If the Irish can do this against the potent Commodores, they have more than a puncher's chance.
Vanderbilt Keys to Victory:
The Commodores have thrived this season with a pick-your-poison philosophy. Does a team try to limit Blakes, or do they take away her supporting cast? That is going to be a decision that they are going to want to impose on the Irish. By doing this, they will spread Notre Dame out and make them defend one-on-one and not rely on the defensive backcourt to control the game. Eventually, this would force a thin Irish lineup to play at the up-tempo pace Vanderbilt wants, and that would be a death sentence in hopes of Notre Dame advancing.
Prediction:
Notre Dame has been on a roll since a loss to Virginia over a month ago. A key to that has been others finding ways to contribute and taking pressure off of Hidalgo; this makes her able to play freer, and the stats show what this can do for the Irish. Vanderbilt presents the very challenges that have been kryptonite for Notre Dame this season. However, Hidalgo is playing at another level, and her supporting cast has found ways to be there when they are needed most. I think the Irish can do just enough defensively to shut down the explosive backcourt of the Commodores. Give me the Irish in another upset.
Final Score: Notre Dame 79, Vanderbilt 75
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