The higher seeds advanced from the two women’s NCAA Tournament first-round games at the Schottenstein Center on March 21, setting up No. 3 Ohio State against No. 6 Notre Dame for a trip to the Sweet 16.
The Buckeyes faced No. 14 seed Howard and recorded a 75-54 victory behind 21 points from sophomore point guard Jaloni Cambridge. Ohio State’s defense forced the Bison into 17 turnovers, which were converted into 20 points.
It was a similar performance from the Fighting Irish, who were led to a 79-60 victory over No. 11 seed Fairfield by junior point guard Hannah Hidalgo. Along with scoring 23 points, Hidalgo grabbed eight of Notre Dame’s 11 steals.
While Ohio State is entering the second-round matchup attempting to reach its first Sweet 16 since 2023. Notre Dame has a streak of four straight Sweet 16 appearances.
Here are four predictions for the upcoming game:
Hidalgo’s similarities to Cambridge should prepare Ohio State for the tough matchup
While Ohio State this season has matched up with some of the nation’s top post players, such as Lauren Betts and Sarah Strong, Hidalgo is the highest-rated point guard the Buckeyes have faced.
Hidalgo plays at a pace similar to Ohio State lead-scorer Jaloni Cambridge, but Hidalgo averages more points (25.2 to 22.8), assists (5.3 to 4.6) and steals (5.4 to 1.9). The only stat Cambridge has the upper hand in is field-goal percentage, shooting 49% from the field compared to Hidalgo’s 48.1%.
However, with the point guards being so alike, the rest of the Buckeyes should have a strong idea of how to defend Hidalgo.
Ohio State’s Elsa Lemmila could be a key factor
There have been very few games this season that Ohio State has entered as the better rebounding team, but the Buckeyes have the edge on the boards against the Fighting Irish, averaging 36.8 per game compared to Notre Dame’s 34.2.
Ohio State 6-foot-6 center Elsa Lemmila will be at the center of the action as the tallest player on the court.
After averaging 9.9 rebounds in the last 10 games, Lemmila has proven to be a threat down low, and could be a key factor in Ohio State getting out of Columbus – especially if she records a double-double, as she has six times this season.
Notre Dame can capitalize on having slightly more depth than Ohio State
Both Ohio State and Notre Dame have fairly short benches, as the Buckeyes have 15 players who average over six minutes, and the Fighting Irish have seven.
Outside of Hidalgo, all the Notre Dame players who are regularly on the court are seniors, while Chance Gray is the only senior to figure prominently in the Buckeyes’ rotation. Ohio State’s regulars are mostly freshmen and sophomores.
Notre Dame’s experience and maturity could make all the difference if the game goes to the wire.
Ohio State vs Notre Dame prediction: March Madness second round
Despite having a young team, the Buckeyes have hung around in games late this season where they are clearly outmatched, specifically against UCLA in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, falling by just 10 points.
With Notre Dame being a very similar team, if the Buckeyes can capitalize on its rebounding advantage and shut down either Hidalgo or the players around her, they can do what nine other teams have done this season – defeat the Fighting Irish.
bmackay@dispatch.com
@brimackay15
This story was updated for an inaccuracy.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OSU women vs Notre Dame prediction for 2026 NCAA bracket second round
Reporting by Brianna Mac Kay, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
