Can Notre Dame women reach Final Four in March Madness? Our prediction
Well before Notre Dame tipped off the 2024-25 season, most people believed it would be a national championship contender. For most of the season, the Irish rewarded that faith by beating some of women's basketball's best teams in nonconference play, winning 19 straight games and ascending to the top ranking in the country.
Everything changed as the Irish lost three of their final five games before the NCAA Tournament. That relegated them to a No. 3 seed, an unfathomable proposition only a short time ago.
That's what happens when other teams looking for high seeds succeed more in conference tournaments than you. The selection committee take everything that's happened during the season into account, especially at the very end.
Despite the recent difficulty, there are reasons the Irish still can get to the Final Four and reasons they can't. Here are two arguments for both sides and what we think will happen:
Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles are lethal together
As long as the Irish have arguably the best backcourt duo in the country in Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, they can win any game. Both previously had seasons without the other in which they contended for national player of the year. Together, they are contenders for that award again, and all one has to do is watch how well they both play on both ends.
Liatu King and Liza Karlen have been key transfers
Liatu King and Liza Karlen, previously the best players at Pittsburgh and Marquette respectively, opted to spend their final years of college eligibility with the Irish. Their additions helped form the Irish's reputation as a national title contender, and both have lived up to the hype. While Karlen has sacrificed her statistics to become the player who does the undesirable but necessary dirty things, King has continued to put up points and also currently has the best field-goal percentage of her career.
Productive opposing guards can make the Irish vulnerable
The one thing all of the Irish's recent losses have in common is that guards paced their teams in scoring, often with totals the Irish weren't used to seeing from opposing players. Also, if they or their teammates were able to contain at least one of Hidalgo or Miles enough, they had a very good chance of emerging victorious. As we get deeper into the tournament, the possibility of that increases, and one bad game from either Irish star could mean an earlier elimination.
The Irish have not been to advance past the Sweet 16 lately
As worthy a successor as Niele Ivey has been to Muffet McGraw, the biggest knock on her has to be that she hasn't won more than two tournament games at one time. The Irish have gone out in the Sweet 16 in each of the past three years, and they have yet to prove they can weather any adversity thrown their way once they've gotten to that point in the tournament. Until they prove otherwise, especially given recent events, they can't be given the benefit of the doubt.
This will be the year the Irish get back to the Final Four
This is the most talented group Ivey has coached during her time leading the Irish. The extended break between the ACC Tournament and now has allowed to heal and mentally reset. Add in the fact that they've drawn a regional with teams they have proven they can handle for the most part, and there is little reason to think this team won't be playing during the final weekend.
This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Can Notre Dame women reach Final Four in March Madness? Our prediction
Topics
-
Can Tennessee basketball reach Final Four in March Madness bracket? Our prediction
Can Tennessee basketball reach NCAA bracket’s Final Four? Our 2025 March Madness predictions show how Vols can make run in tournament.Yahoo Sports - 14h -
Can Oregon basketball reach Final Four in March Madness bracket? Our prediction
Can Oregon basketball reach NCAA bracket’s Final Four? Our 2025 March Madness predictions show how Ducks can make run in tournament.Yahoo Sports - 2h -
Why Louisville can make a deep run in our 2025 March Madness bracket predictions
Can Louisville basketball reach the Final Four? Our 2025 March Madness bracket predictions show how the Cards can make a run in the NCAA Tournament.Yahoo Sports - 11h -
Women’s March Madness Final Four predictions 2025: Who will win NCAA Tournament
Who will win 2025 NCAA Women’s Tournament? Our best March Madness Final Four predictions and picks are in.Yahoo Sports - 5h -
Can Vanderbilt reach Sweet 16 in Women’s March Madness? Predictions for why and why not
Can the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team reach the Sweet 16? Our 2025 March Madness bracket predictions show how it can make an NCAA Tournament run.Yahoo Sports - 11h -
Can Vanderbilt basketball reach Sweet 16 in March Madness bracket? Our prediction
Can Vanderbilt basketball reach NCAA bracket’s Sweet 16? Our 2025 March Madness predictions show how Commodores can make run in tournament.Yahoo Sports - 13h -
Notre Dame women's basketball vs Stephen F. Austin prediction: Our pick for 2025 NCAA Tournament first round
It's Notre Dame women's basketball vs. Stephen F. Austin in March Madness first round. Here's our prediction for the 2025 NCAA Tournament basketball game.Yahoo Sports - 14h -
Can Missouri basketball reach Sweet 16 in March Madness bracket? Our prediction
Can Missouri basketball reach the NCAA bracket’s Sweet 16? Our 2025 March Madness predictions show how MU can break 16-year second weekend absence.Yahoo Sports - 53m -
Notre Dame’s path to the Final Four won’t be easy as a No. 3 seed
Because Notre Dame lost three of its final five games entering the 2025 NCAA Tournament, nothing was guaranteed for the Irish when the field of 68 was revealed. But the Irish’s draw was made ...Yahoo Sports - 11h
More from Yahoo Sports
-
2025 Post-Free Agency NFL Mock Draft
With free agency winding down, let's go through the first round of the NFL draft and see how teams might fill any needs they still have.Yahoo Sports - 7m -
Falcons add key piece to secondary in new 2025 NFL mock draft
The Falcons add a new starting safety in PFF's 2025 NFL mock draftYahoo Sports - 8m -
Pine Forest hires former South View lineman Kevin Inman as football program leader
After the retirement of Coach Sochovka, Pine Forest has found their new football leader. Here's the former South View football player that they hired.Yahoo Sports - 9m -
Duck baseball claims second straight Big Ten series
Oregon beats Minnesota twice to win seriesYahoo Sports - 9m -
Soccer Star Vows He ‘Will Play Again’ After Being Found ‘Close to Dying’ in ‘Horrendous’ Car Crash
The English Premier League star was involved in a near-fatal car crash in early DecemberYahoo Sports - 11m
More in Sports
-
2025 Post-Free Agency NFL Mock Draft
With free agency winding down, let's go through the first round of the NFL draft and see how teams might fill any needs they still have.Yahoo Sports - 7m -
Falcons add key piece to secondary in new 2025 NFL mock draft
The Falcons add a new starting safety in PFF's 2025 NFL mock draftYahoo Sports - 8m -
Lunardi: The one big thing the selection committee got wrong
The decision to include both Texas and North Carolina has stumped our resident Bracketologist.ESPN - 9m -
Pine Forest hires former South View lineman Kevin Inman as football program leader
After the retirement of Coach Sochovka, Pine Forest has found their new football leader. Here's the former South View football player that they hired.Yahoo Sports - 9m -
Duck baseball claims second straight Big Ten series
Oregon beats Minnesota twice to win seriesYahoo Sports - 9m