SOUTH BEND ― This was one of those.
One of those games that Notre Dame women’s basketball had to have to make sure that March means something around these parts besides waiting for the snow to melt and wondering about the spring football depth chart.
One of those that you weren’t sure whether to head to Purcell Pavilion for some Atlantic Coast Conference late-afternoon basketball or stay outside because, well, it was nearly 60 degrees in mid-February.
One of those where one team played like its postseason lives depended on it while the other played like it wanted to get back on the charter and get home ASAP.
One of those where, honestly, the second half wasn’t worth watching. Go get a hot pretzel or some hot chicken tenders and fries. The Irish (16-9 overall; 8-6 ACC) played like they could do what they wanted, however they wanted. They led by as many as 27, never trailed and seemingly never broke much of a sweat before a 79-67 victory over NC State Sunday, Feb. 15.
Full transparency: this column was 900 words deep before the end of the third quarter. You could see where this one was going long before halftime. How did Boston College steal North Carolina State’s unis? Whatever the case, it was an important NCAA Tournament résumé win.
North Carolina State is a Quad One win. Really.
“Great job from everybody,” said Irish coach Niele Ivey. “The focus and sense of urgency was here today.”
Here today, maybe gone tomorrow. And so it goes this season with this team.
If North Carolina State is top four in the ACC, what does that say about Notre Dame? It’s really Duke and Louisville and everyone else. Why Notre Dame? Why not? Hard to argue with any of it. This one matters only if the Irish build on it. No more steps back. Not now. Time to be past that.
Just when you begin to wonder about this group, we see some more Purcell Pavilion magic. Like in November against USC. Like in January against North Carolina. Another example of how it all should look for the Irish. Anytime you have Hannah Hidalgo doing what Hannah Hidalgo does, you have a chance.
All is right with both Notre Dame basketball programs, at least over one spring-like weekend.
It was nice to dismiss North Carolina State the way Notre Dame did. The Wolfpack have been the Irish Kryptonite of late. They had won three straight and seven of nine in the series. That included the last three at Purcell Pavilion, a rarity for a program that has been so good for so long at home.
Included in that run was last season’s memorable double-overtime win in Raleigh when Notre Dame was the No. 1 team in the country and seemingly on a collision course with another Final Four. How’d that go?
Everything about the Irish was derailed that day in Raleigh. Maybe everything the Irish can be this postseason started to show Sunday.
Notre Dame talked in the days leading up to this one about having its collective backs against the basketball wall. The Irish could have gone one of two ways ― played so tight that it made chewing gum and dribbling and/or shooting at the same time near impossible, or flush the recent run of five losses over the last eight and just play.
Desperation, at least on this day, fit these Irish. Corner these Irish and watch the claws come out.
They were out early. In the first 12-plus minutes, Notre Dame led by eight, nine, and 10 points. Just over halfway through the second quarter, the Irish were up 16 and rolling. The shots were falling. The defense was holding and everything about Notre Dame women’s basketball felt right.
A week off to work and focus on the near future helped.
“It’s a testament to how hard we worked in practice,” said guard Cass Prosper, who had 14 points, seven rebounds and five steals. “The game is about staying consistent. We’re a great team. We know that. We just have to bring it every single day.”
It’s been a minute since we could say that about this proverbial one step forward, one and a half steps back outfit this season when a short bench and limited big-game performances haven’t been nearly enough.
Hidalgo or not, the Irish need more from everyone as the regular season winds down. Only a handful of games remain. The conference tournament looms. March is coming which means it’s time to nudge the Irish back to a familiar place ― the NCAA Tournament.
There won’t be two tournament home games as usual in March, and that’s OK. Notre Dame hasn’t done enough to deserve that. It hasn’t done enough to be consistently ranked in the national polls.
Where does Notre Dame stand in terms of the NCAA Tournament? Eight seed? Nine? Play-in a possibility? Doesn’t matter. For this group, for this season, just get in and go from there. Bottle what you did Sunday and pour it out next month.
You get one more chance to watch these Irish in person at Purcell and that will be it until fall, when who knows how it’s all going to look.
Just when you seem to wonder what this team could be, something like Sunday happens.
This was one of those.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Didn’t think we’d see that from this Notre Dame women’s basketball team
Reporting by Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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