The Sweet 16 began on Thursday, and the opening day did not disappoint, with top-seeded North Carolina and second-seeded Arizona both eliminated. As the women’s tournament returns to form, could another upset day be in store?
Four games are scheduled for Friday for both the men’s and women’s teams. Undefeated South Carolina will stake a perfect record in her one of her four major matchups in the women’s bracket. On the men’s side, top seeds Purdue and Houston face tough challenges from No. 5 Gonzaga and No. 4 Duke.
Strap in for a fun day of college.
Sweet 16 Friday Schedule
women’s schedule (always eastern):
2:30 p.m. — No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Oregon State (ESPN)
5 p.m. — No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 4 Indiana (ESPN)
7:30 p.m. — No. 2 Stanford vs. No. 3 North Carolina State (ESPN)
10 p.m. — No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Gonzaga (ESPN)
Men’s schedule:
7:09 p.m. — No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 11 North Carolina State (CBS)
The bright spot for Fighting Irish fans is that Notre Dame should be more dangerous next season. Associated Press All-American Olivia Miles will return this year after redshirting with her knee injury. She will join Hannah Hidalgo and Sonia Citron in one of the best fullback courts in the country. Several more players should return from injury, but this issue complicates Notre Dame’s season. Considering that fact alone, the ACC tournament champions overperformed.
Notre Dame is the clear favorite in the ACC, at least before transfer portal activity begins. Regular-season champion Virginia Tech enters the 2024-25 season in flux, without center Elizabeth Kitley, point guard Georgia Amoore and head coach Kenny Brooks.
Hannah Hidalgo scored 10 points on her final bucket, which wasn’t the lowest of her career. She has scored 10 points twice so far, against North Carolina State (a 59-43 loss) and against Clemson, which finished in the bottom four of the ACC standings.
It was a bad time to be cold. She went 4-of-17 from the field, also near a career low, but Notre Dame head coach Neale Ivey didn’t have anyone else to turn to for minutes with just six players. In her fifth year as a senior transfer, Anna DeWolf has scored at least 12 points in just seven games this season. But her 12 points today weren’t enough to fill Hidalgo’s scoring hole in a close game.
Final: Oregon State 70, Notre Dame 65
The Beavers survive and move forward. What are their rewards? Probably a date with undefeated South Carolina. OSU’s Timea Gardiner led the way with 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Regan Beers added 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Sonia Cintron’s 3-point shot was blocked and Oregon State headed to the final line. Barring a miracle, this is over.
Reagan Beers gave OSU a four-point lead with less than 30 seconds left. Notre Dame’s defense hasn’t been able to get the critical stops they need in this game.
On days when Hannah Hidalgo is struggling on the floor, Anna DeWolf is playing a big game at Notre Dame. Expect her to keep Notre Dame coming back for clutch buckets.
This is coming down to the power lines. Sonia Cintron led the Irish with 21 points. It’s currently under 5 minutes.
This game lives up to expectations in every aspect. Oregon State is dominated in the paint by Regan Beers and Timea Gardiner (34-22 in paint points, 31-17 in rebounds), while Notre Dame relies on its guards and defense. The Irish are 18-4 on turnovers and 15-0 on fast breaks.
Reagan Beers had just stuffed Hannah Hidalgo on a take to the rim, but Oregon State was still in control of this game towards the end of the third quarter.
The Beavers continued to shoot hot and opened up a 10-point lead in the third quarter.
End of 2Q: Oregon State 32, Notre Dame 31
The Beavers enter halftime with a one-point lead. Reagan Beers, as usual, led the way with 12 points and 7 rebounds. OSU has the edge on the boards (19-8), while Notre Dame struggles on the field (12-of-33).
Sonia Cintron found her mark and Notre Dame took the lead late in the second quarter.
ND’s Maddie Westveld caught her third foul, an unlucky break for an already thin Irish team.
End of 1st quarter: Oregon State 17, Notre Dame 15
The Beavers ended the first quarter on a 9-3 run.
The Irish led 10-8 entering the timeout break with just over three minutes left in the first quarter. ND’s Hannah Hidalgo and Maddie Westveld each had four points, while Timea Gardiner scored six of OSU’s eight points.
There will be a commercial break just 32 seconds into this match while we work out an obvious clock issue. The women’s Sweet 16 got off to a strange start.
Checking in here from Albany. Here, No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 Oregon State preview action in the Albany 1 District. A few fans were still outside MVP Arena enjoying a pregame meal at a food truck, and the surrounding streets featured schools such as Notre Dame, South Carolina, Syracuse, UW, Oregon State and local Siena. Fans dressed in college program costumes are scattered around.
The Notre Dame vs. Oregon State game is underway!
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