Notre Dame Looks to Advance in NCAA Tournament Against LadyJacks

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The No. 3 Notre Dame women’s basketball team (26-5) will kick off its 2025 NCAA Tournament campaign against No. 14 Stephen F. Austin (29-5) on Friday, March 23, at Purcell Pavilion. This marks the Irish’s first-ever matchup with the LadyJacks and their 30th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, tied for the ninth-most in women’s basketball history.

Notre Dame comes into the tournament after a mixed end to the season, dropping three of its last five games. Despite this, the team boasts significant offensive strength, highlighted by three players earning AP All-America accolades: Hannah Hidalgo (First Team), Olivia Miles (Second Team), and Sonia Citron (Honorable Mention). Hidalgo leads the Irish, averaging 24.2 points and 3.7 steals per game, which ranks fourth in the nation. Meanwhile, Miles is the only player nationwide averaging at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting above 40 percent from three-point range.

The LadyJacks return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022, having clinched an automatic bid after a 15-game winning streak. Under head coach Leonard Bishop, Stephen F. Austin combines a balanced scoring attack with five players averaging double-digit points. The team’s proficiency from beyond the arc is notable, averaging 9.4 three-pointers per game, ranking tenth nationally. Harmanie Dominguez leads the squad with 89 three-pointers made, and Avery VanSickle brings an impressive 44.3 percent success rate from deep, placing her twelfth in the nation.

Notre Dame holds a 73-27 record all-time in the NCAA Tournament and seeks to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019. Following a successful regular season, where they notched victories against ranked opponents like UConn and Texas, the Irish aim to keep their tournament hopes alive. Head coach Niele Ivey emphasized the importance of focusing on their upcoming games and maintaining their defensive strategies as they approach this matchup against the LadyJacks’ potent offense. “When we aren’t getting stops, that hurts our ability to get out and run. Controlling our pace has been vital for us in earlier matches,” Ivey stated.

Hidalgo echoed her coach’s sentiments, insisting on the need to remain focused and restore confidence after the team’s late-season slip. “We learned a lot about ourselves recently. We’re extremely hungry after how we ended the season, and it’s key for us to stay locked in for every game,” she remarked.

Tip-off for Friday’s game is set for 2 p.m. ET, with live coverage on ESPN as the stage is set for what many expect to be an exciting kickoff to their March Madness journey.