Michigan basketball falls to Notre Dame in second round of NCAA tournament

No. 6 seed Michigan women’s basketball was no match for third-seeded Notre Dame Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Fighting Irish were out to a 32-12 lead after the first quarter and kept their foot on the gas pedal until the final whistle, winning 76-55.

The Wolverines finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 23-11, including a semifinal appearance in the Big Ten tournament and a win in March Madness.

Michigan overwhelmed by Notre Dame in NCAA tournament loss

Notre Dame got up 11-2 in the first four minutes of the game, and it was contesting every Michigan shot. Olivia Olson and Jordan Hobbs got the Wolverines back within two possessions (13-7) with two free throws and a three-pointer, respectively.

The Fighting Irish outscored Michigan 19-5 over the final 4:33 of the opening quarter. Sophomore Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo recorded eight points, two assists, a block and a steal in the first ten minutes of the game.

The Wolverines went on a 10-2 run to start the second quarter, but they were still down 34-22 with 4:52 left until halftime. From that point until the start of the fourth quarter, Notre Dame held Michigan to 14 points and ran away with it.

Hidalgo finished with a game-high 21 points to go with three assists, two steals and a block. Senior Notre Dame forward Liatu King added 18 points (7-of-7 from the field) and 15 rebounds, as she was unstoppable in the paint. Senior guard Sonia Citron ended the game with 16 points and six rebounds for the Fighting Irish.

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Star Michigan freshmen Olivia Olson and Syla Swords combined for nearly half of their team’s points Sunday. Olson (20) shot 8-of-20 from the field and Swords (17) was 3-for-5 from behind the arc. Senior guard Jordan Hobbs, coming off a career-high 28 points in the first round, was held to five points and four rebounds.

Given the Wolverines had one of the youngest teams in the country, and a starting five featuring three true freshmen, not many predicted them to be in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Michigan has won at least 20 games in 13 out of the past 14 seasons, with the exception being the shortened 2020 season, wherein it was 16-6 before COVID-19 cut it short.

With head coach Kim Barnes Arico at the helm and players like Olson, Swords and Mila Holloway coming back, the Wolverines will likely be one of the favorites to win the Big Ten next season.

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