On March 21st, 2021, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament will pit the Notre Dame Fighting Irish against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the 1st Round. This game will be an exciting one and will feature some of the top college basketball talent in the nation.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the teams, a preview of the match-up and a prediction for the winner. So, let’s dive in and see who will come out on top!
NCAA Tournament Notre Dame Women’s Basketball vs. NC State
This year’s matchup between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina State Wolfpack promises to be an exciting one. Both teams have had strong seasons and the potential to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
Notre Dame is a perennial contender having made 9 NCAA tournament appearances since 2000 and reaching 4 Sweet Sixteen or better within that span. This year, they are coming off of a 21-13 season in which they won their second consecutive ACC tournament title, reached their third straight Elite 8 and were named AP preseason national champions. Notre Dame typically relies on a balanced attack of both inside scoring by Zach Auguste (14.6 ppg) and outside shooting from noted sharpshooter Demetrius Jackson (12.7 ppg).
The Wolfpack has been making waves over the past few years, making 3 NCAA tournament appearances since 2010 including back-to-back Sweet Sixteen runs in ‘11 and ‘12. Coming into this season NC State was unranked yet still makes noise with a 21-10 regular season record that included wins over ranked opponents like Duke, Virginia, Florida State, Louisville and Syracuse (twice). Led by sharpshooting guards Cat Barber (19 ppg) and Trevor Lacey (14.5 ppg) as well as forward Abdul-Malik Abu (8 rpg), NC State favors an up tempo offense while utilizing their length on defense to force opposition turnovers. It will be quite the matchup when two of the nation’s best Shooting Guards clash!
Historical Match-Ups
Each time the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the Wolfpack of North Carolina State face off on the football field in one of the greatest rivalries in college sports, there is more than just a win or a loss at stake. The teams have met 24 times, with Notre Dame leading the series 15-9. This historic match-up dates back to 1902, when NC State joined forces with Trinity College (now Duke University). What began as a clash between two regional rivals has now become an eagerly anticipated annual tradition between two proud and storied programs. The series had some growing pains early on before gaining stability, as larger universities like Notre Dame and NC State began looking to schedule traditional rivals for their annual football slate. Following several years of competition as matches that did not count toward either team’s conference standings, the match-ups eventually graduated from non conference play to league contests in 1956 under then head coach Frank Leahy and current Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato. Since that time, three players have progressed from Rivals to coaching legends against one another within this historic rivalry—Leahy at Notre Dame (1941–43; 1946–53) parried against Amato at NC State (2002–09) and current Texas coach Charlie Strong (2005–13) who has held down both sides of the field.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame is a talented and experienced women’s basketball team. The Fighting Irish have a deep and talented roster and will be looking to repeat as NCAA champions. They have won seven of their last eight games, and are led by the dynamic duo of Arike Ogunbowale and Jackie Young, who have been instrumental in putting the Irish at the top of the NCAA rankings.
Let’s take a closer look at Notre Dame and see why they are considered one of the most formidable teams in the NCAA tournament.
Team Roster
When the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the NC State Wolfpack face off, you can be sure to see some great plays from both teams. Below is an overview of the Notre Dame roster for this upcoming match-up:
Offense:
Quarterback: Ian Book (Sr.), Phil Jurkovec (RFr.)
Running back: Kyren Williams (RFr.), Jahmir Smith (Jr.)
Wide receiver: Braden Lenzy (Jr.), Javon McKinley (Sr.)
Tight end: Michael Mayer (So.), George Takacs (Sr.)
Defense:
Defensive line: Daelin Hayes (Sr.), Kurt Hinish (Sr.)
Linebackers: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Jr.), Marist Liufau (So.)
Secondary: Shaun Crawford( Sr.), Houston Griffith Jr. Sr.
Specialists: Jonathan Doerer — Kicker; Jay Bramblett — Punter; Charles Tice — Long snapper; Joe Wilkins — Holder
Coaches: Head Coach Brian Kelly; Defensive Coordinator, Marcus Freeman; Offensive Coordinator Tommy Rees.
Key Players
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina State Wolfpack are two of the most competitive teams in college football. As both teams prepare for their big match-up on September 4th, one of the keys to deciding which team will come out victorious will be the performance of their star players.
For Notre Dame, senior quarterback Ian Book is a veteran leader on offense, having thrown away 166 touchdowns and 32 interceptions during his college career. And although Book has been forced to miss some practices due to a rib injury, he looks to be in good shape for the upcoming game. On defense, junior safety Kyle Hamilton has established himself as an elite athlete and playmaker that helps lead the Irish back line when facing off against NC State’s explosive offense.
NC State’s program is led by junior quarterback Devin Leary, who threw 360 yards and five touchdowns last season alone. On defense, dominating defensive lineman Alim McNeill will be tasked with disrupting Notre Dame’s offensive plays from his position on the line of scrimmage. McNeill was named Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Rookie of The Year in December after recording seven sacks for NC State last season.
This match-up between Notre Dame and NC State features some great players battling it out on both sides of the ball; making it sure to be a thrilling game to watch!
Season Record
The University of Notre Dame enters this match-up with an impressive 8-1 record. They began the season with a 44-23 win over the Navay Blue Raiders, followed by victories over seven Top 25 opponents and their only loss coming at the hands of rival Clemson. The Fighting Irish have continued their success throughout the season and are currently looking to stay unbeaten in Atlantic Coast Conference play, especially ahead of this game. Notre Dame has an impressive roster of skillful players which include quarterback Ian Book, running back Jafar Armstrong, wide receiver Chase Claypool, and offensive lineman Robert Hainsey. The Irish defense is led by talented linebackers Asmar Bilal and Drue Tranquill. On the offensive side of things, Notre Dame also boasts big playmakers such as receiver Miles Boykin and tight end Alizé Mack who both can stretch the field when given opportunity. NC State enters this match-up with a 6-3 record going into November 10th’s matchup against Louisville in Raleigh, North Carolina. Though they have had struggles early in the season against ranked opponents Wake Forest and Virginia Tech, the Wolfpack put up an impressive showing against those same teams when given another chance later on in the year. NC State is led by veteran quarterback Ryan Finley who is looking to add his name to a list on all-time great Wolfpack signal callers with an unforgettable performance towards his last year with college football He’s also joined by talented running backs Reggie Gallaspy II and Jakobe Waller as well as outstanding receivers Emeka Emezie and Kelvin Harmon make what could be a lethal air attack come Saturday night’s showdown against Notre Dame.
NC State
As we look towards the NCAA Tournament, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the upcoming match-up between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the NC State Wolfpack. NC State has been on a roll lately, and they are looking to continue their momentum into the tournament. Let’s take a closer look at the Wolfpack and what they bring to the table in this highly anticipated match-up.
Team Roster
The North Carolina State Wolfpack field a team composed of 30 student-athletes in 2019. These talented individuals make up the roster, which is listed below.
Offense:
Quarterbacks: Bailey Hockman, Devin Leary
Running Backs: Zonovan Knight, Jordan Houston
Fullbacks: Jordan Fieulleteau
Wide Receivers: Emeka Emezie, Dylan Parham, C.J. Riley
Tight Ends: Cary Angeline, Dylan Autenrieth
Offensive Line: Avery Jones, Joe Sculthorpe, Tyler Barkley
Defense:
Defensive Linemen: Larrell Murchison, Alim McNeill; Justin Witt; Daniel Joseph
Linebackers: Louis Acceus; Isaiah Moore; Avery James; Charles Abrams; Drake Thomas
Defensive Backs: Patrick Kearney; Jermaine Waller; Nick McCloud; Chris Ingram
Specialists: Chris Dunn (Kicker); A.J. Cole III (Punter)
Key Players
Notre Dame and NC State have contrasting styles of play, but both have talented players that will be making impacts on the field. Below we highlight five key players to watch for during the match-up. For Notre Dame, junior tight end Cole Kmet may be a deciding factor in the tight-knit game as he leads the team in receptions and yards as an attacking threat downfield. Also on offense, quarterback Ian Book who has thrown for over 900 yards leads this Irish squad to victory. On defense, linebackers Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Asmar Bilal look to thwart any Wolfpack attacks by shutting down the passing game and clogging up railroads all game long. On the other side of the ball, NC State will be anchored by strong defensive leaders Steven Orr and Tanner Ingle who are proven veterans in their respective roles on defense. While their offense can rely heavily on senior running back Reggie Gallaspy II to bring some spark up front with his experience carrying the ball out of the backfield. With two distinguished rosters facing off in South Bend this weekend it’s sure to be an epic game that both teams’ fans won’t want to miss!
Season Record
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have had a successful start to their 2019-20 season, putting together a 13-3 record as they enter the match-up with NC State. The Irish have had an impressive start overall this season, including a 9-1 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Their two losses come from teams outside of the ACC, with one loss coming from Syracuse and the other from UConn. This is an important factor heading into the NC State game; the Irish have defeated virtually every team in their conference since their last experience against another ACC team. On the other side of the court stands NC State, who holds a 12-4 season record and are 5-3 in ACC play. The Wolfpack also defeated ranked Wake Forest in their last ACC game before facing Notre Dame, making this sure to be an intense battle between two upper echelon ACC teams. Out of their sixteen games so far, they have had three losses inside conference play and six wins over ranked opponents outside of conference play. Much like Notre Dame, they will seek to prove that their strong conference record can be translated onto national level competition against opposing ranked teams.
Match-Up Analysis
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and NC State Wolfpack will face off in the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament. As both teams approach the tournament with different styles of play and strengths, it’s important to analyze the match-up to determine which team has the best chance of succeeding. In this article, we’ll take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of both teams, and provide a detailed comparison of their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to the match-up.
Strengths And Weaknesses
Game day brings an array of strengths and weaknesses to the field that each team has the opportunity to take advantage of. In this duel between Notre Dame and NC State, strengths and weaknesses abound. For starters, Notre Dame holds a significant experience advantage as they have battled for national titles for decades whereas NC State is still in the early stages of building a football program that can contend. Notre Dame’s biggest strength lies in their offensive line. The Fighting Irish feature one of the best front fives in the nation and rely heavily on their dominant run game led by quarterback Ian Book, who was recently granted his sixth year of eligibility via an NCAA waiver. Another asset is their exceptional secondary which they’ll need with potential All-American Chaz Surratt leading NC State’s offense into season predictions with accurate passing and explosive runs to keep opponents guessing during Saturday Night Football bouts against top-tier opponents such as Notre Dame. The Wolfpack’s weaknesses include its young defense which lacks experience due to early departures due to COVID-19 opt-outs but this weakness is offset by its spritely offense that seems poised for wide open play calling from its sophomore bowl winner, former four-star recruit Surratt. Another major disadvantage is penalty yardage from sloppy play driven by lack of focus against powerful defensive fronts such as those found in South Bend Indiana where ND is notorious for intimidating marching bands and hard hitting linebackers able to quickly react when plays break down due to pressure output from big name rivals such as Alabama or Ohio State encountered annually on a regular basis throughout every season schedule cycle each year.
Predictions
As the Notre Dame vs. NC State match-up approaches, both teams are preparing for an intense battle on the field. While the matchup itself could swing either way, there is no denying that Notre Dame holds a significant lead in overall team statistics and performance. Notre Dame currently has a 8-0 record and is ranked second overall for total points scored by both sides this season. On the other hand, NC State holds a 5-3 record and ranks 24th in total points scored by both sides this season. Additionally, Notre Dame’s offensive unit is ranked 4th in total yards gained per game compared to NC State’s 26th rank. In terms of individual analysis of each team’s players, Notre Dame has the upper hand as they possess more reliable skillset veterans such as Ian Book and Kyren Williams who lead respective categories on offense and defense with their experience playing at such a highly competitive level. On defense, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah also continues to shine as he consistently makes big defensive plays across every game. He was recently ranked number one nationally for most defensive stops made this season with 32! These advantages put them in great position to capitalize against weaker performers from NC State such as Rasheed Walker and Payton Wilson who may struggle to adjust to competing at this level of competition given their inexperienced backgrounds. It appears that by looking at all these factors and stats, it seems that it will be a favorable match-up for Notre Dame as they should have little issue against their opponent come Saturday night’s rendezvous powerhouse!
Conclusion
The NC State Women’s Basketball team had a hard fought victory over Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament. Despite the Notre Dame team’s late surge, NC State was able to hold on for the win. In this article, we take a look back at the match-up, discussing the key matchups, strategies and final score. Let’s dive into the conclusion.
