Game info:
Indiana Hoosiers (21-11, 12-6 Big Ten) vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish (32-1, 16-0 ACC)
Where: Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Indiana
When: Monday, March 21 at 6:30 pm ET on ESPN2
Line: Notre Dame -19.5
The story of this Indiana women’s Basketball team is already remarkable. With the scenario Teri Moren found herself in to start the year, the mere fact that this team is in the NCAA Tournament is overwhelmingly exceptional. In fact, if you had told me at the beginning of the year that Indiana would win its first tournament game in 33 years, I would have called you ludicrous.
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With those low expectations, there are more than a few reasons to be satisfied with Saturday’s win against Georgia.
Again along those lines however, no one should at all be upset with a loss to the #2 team in the country, Notre Dame.
Indiana is quite simply in a nearly impossible situation. Coach Moren acknowledges that by stating, “We know we’re going to have to play an almost perfect game to be in the game. Our message is, ‘We can have that moment. We’ve just got to play great for one night. Anything can happen.'”
Of course anything can happen, but it’s going to be remarkably difficult for the Hoosiers to pull off the upset.
Notre Dame is coming off a 95-61 victory over North Carolina A&T on Saturday where Notre Dame shot an absurd 58.6 percent from the field and had a season high 29 assists. Notre Dame also had six players in double figures including Brianna Turner with 16 and Madison Cable with 15 points and seven rebounds.
Notre Dame’s ability to move the ball around effectively and maintain a balanced attack is most likely going to be a huge problem for IU. Indiana has its good isolated defenders in Alexis Gassion and Jenn Anderson, but the question is whether the team can string together stops and contain this potent Notre Dame offense.
Notre Dame also has great depth on its squad which should also cause problems for Teri Moren’s limited 10 player roster. Notre Dame averages 29.8 points per game from its bench and that alone should be incredibly intimidating for this Hoosier basketball team.
Notre Dame is second in the country in three point percentage (41%), 3rd in field-goal percentage (49.4%), and 8th in assists per game (18.2). They can flat out run you over on offense and if Indiana doesn’t bring the pressure on defense this game is going to be over before the 3rd quarter.
Now, don’t completely rule out the Hoosiers either. There has been something quite magical surrounding this team, and if anyone is going to pull off the upset against Notre Dame, it should be IU. In order to get the win, Indiana needs to be feeling it in every part of its game. Specifically Indiana has to close out on the perimeter and force Notre Dame to look inside. If it can do that, then a lot of the pressure will reside on Jenn Anderson’s ability to control the boards and defend the post. On offense, Tyra Buss is going to have to do it all and be aggressive. If she doesn’t get to the free throw line at least eight or nine times, this game is over.
Ultimately, Indiana is completely over matched but can definitely put up a fight.
Prediction: Notre Dame 74, Indiana 58