A Thankful Week In Notre Dame Athletics
The Notre Dame athletic department has at least four reasons for thanksgiving today.
The four most visible programs in their operation — football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and hockey — all are ranked among the top 15 nationally in their respective fields, making it the lone major school in the country to achieve that feat. Only one other school, Ohio State, has as many as three.
Here’s a synopsis of “The Big 4.”
Hockey — No. 4 in USCHO.com (10-3-1)
On the heels of a third Final Four appearance under head coach Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame has put together a seven-game winning streak, its longest run of consecutive victories since 2009 when the squad won 10 in a row from Feb. 13 to March 21. Highlighting the run is a 4-0 mark in their new Big Ten setting with consecutive sweeps of Ohio State and Penn State.
Senior forward Jake Evans ranks No. 1 nationally in assists (17) and is tied for No. 2 in scoring (22). Senior Jordan Gross and junior Bobby Nardella are among the top three scorers nationally for defensemen, junior center Andrew Oglevie remains a mainstay, and sophomore forward Cam Morrison is building off a stellar freshman year.
The top surprise has been superb goal-tending from sophomore Cale Morris replacing Cal Petersen, who left last spring for the NHL. Morris ranks fourth nationally in save percentage (.945) and seventh in goals allowed per game (1.7453) while going 9-1.
This Friday/Saturday the Irish host No. 6 Minnesota, who they upset in the NCAA Tournament last year (3-2) when the Golden Gophers were a No. 1 seed. The games will be telecast on NBCSN.
Women’s Basketball — No. 6 in Associated Press (3-0)
The perennial Final Four contender is on a current seven-game road swing with the Gulf Coast Showcase that will be played Friday through Sunday in Estero, Fla.
Their mettle already has been tested in front of huge audiences at Western Kentucky, which had already upset No. 16 Missouri, and No. 18 Oregon State, which was in the Final Four two years ago and a No. 2 seed last year. The Irish posted a 78-65 victory versus the Hilltoppers, and then rallied from an 11-point second half deficit to emerge with a 72-67 victory at OSU, which is 62-5 at home since 2013-14 against everyone else, but 0-2 versus the Irish.
Four players averaging double figures is generally the norm under head coach Muffet McGraw, and through the first three games this season the Irish had five: junior Arike Ogunbowale (19.0 points per game), sophomore Jackie Young (16.3), junior Jessica Shepard (14.0), freshman Mikayla Vaughn (11.3) and junior Marina Mabrey (10.3).
Fifth-year senior point guard Lili Thompson is at 8.3, while handing out a team-high 19 assists and committing only six turnovers. Freshman forward Danielle Patterson is averaging 6.5 points per game off the bench.
Shepard paced the rebounding with a 10.7 average — 5.7 on offense, which was 10th in the country as of Nov. 22 — with Young next at 7.7. Overall, Notre Dame ranked fifth nationally in offensive rebounds with 21.7 per contest.
Senior Kathryn Westbeld’s time is being managed judiciously by McGraw because of the ankle injury that continues to inhibit the 6-2 forward’s play. McGraw is trying to keep it at about eight minutes per half for who she refers to as the glue of the team.
“When she’s in the game, everything looks better,” McGraw said. “She facilitates, she’s great against the press, and she’s going to rebound.”
Football — No. 8 in College Football Playoff Ranking (9-2)
Opportunity for at least a Big Six bowl berth awaits head coach Brian Kelly’s troops this weekend at No. 21 Stanford, which owns a four-game winning streak at home versus the Fighting Irish.
A victory by Notre Dame would make it the second-best turnaround season in wins — from 4-8 to 10-2 — in school history. At the top is the seven from 2-7 in 1963 to 9-1 the next season under first-year head coach Ara Parseghian. How fitting it would be that with a win at Stanford and then a victory in a major bowl — which would be a first in 24 years — the turnaround would tie the standard of Parseghian, who passed away on Aug. 2.
Since 1994, Notre Dame has had only one season with less than three losses (12-1 in 2012) and only two in which it finished in the top 10: No. 4 in 2012 and No. 9 in 2005. Achieving both to go with snapping the major bowl victory drought would be quite the triple play in 2017.
Men’s Basketball — No. 13 In Associated Press (6-0)
Head coach Mike Brey in his 18th season with the Irish is in his prime with the momentum built the previous three seasons that include an ACC title, two advancements to the Elite Eight and the best consistent recruiting success at the school in 40 years.
That wave continued Wednesday night by capturing the Maui Invitational with a 67-66 victory versus No. 6 Wichita State, rallying from 15 points down to achieve the feat. The senior trio of Bonzie Colson (25 points, 11 rebounds), Matt Farrell (15 points, four assists) and Martinas Geben (12 points and the game winning free throws in the closing seconds) continue to keep the Irish old, yet hungry as ever.
The Irish, who should also crack the top 10 next week, play at No. 4 Michigan State next Thursday in the Big 10/ACC Challenge.
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