How much can you read into four routs?
Tough question, even more so when the lineups keep changing, but they are “fun to watch,’’ Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey acknowledged following another one by her team on Sunday afternoon, a 91-55 victory over a 1-3 Lafayette team.
After another week passed without the 4-0, No. 6-ranked Irish facing a challenge of any significance, attempts to define the club’s true standing amid the country’s best are probably best put on hold.
The Irish again were back to playing with seven healthy players as grad student forward Liatu King, an 18-point scorer through the first three games, sat out following a fall in last week’s win over James Madison. Ivey didn’t address her status for next Saturday’s clash against No. 3 Southern Cal (1 p.m. EST; NBC) in the postgame news conference.
“We’ve had a lot of changes, and so our rhythm is basically what we have available,” Ivey said. “So being down another player, we had to adjust. And I think our rhythm is growing. But again, we're basically pivoting and adjusting to our lineup.
“... But a credit to the character of this group. They've done a great job of adjusting and pivoting. Everybody's stepping up, doing a little bit more.”
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The talent level is such that seven is plenty against a team like Lafayette, a school with an enrollment of about 2,500, which already has losses to Boston College by 30 and to Marist by 32.
But there was another good reason to be in Easton, Pa., Sunday afternoon.
It’s just a few minutes from the home of ND’s star senior guard, Olivia Miles, in Phillipsburg, N.J., whose friends and family totaling around 70 helped fill the 2,600-seat Kirby Sports Center that usually features around 300 fans.
“It was really good, very blessed,” Miles said of the afternoon. “You know this place is five minutes from my house, so a lot of hometown friends, a lot of middle school, high school, even elementary school friends came out.”
She did her thing, steering an impressive Irish transition game while contributing a few highlight cross-court and no-look passes.
She had 20 points — she hit four 3 in nine attempts — and passed up a few easy shots to get easier shots for teammates. She finished with seven assists, 11 rebounds and just one turnover in 35 minutes.
“An amazing homecoming for Liv,” Ivey said. “We've been trying to bring her back home for the last four years. And so, a really special moment to see how so many people came out to support our team, but also support Liv.”
Notre Dame’s ball movement was quick and sharp most of the afternoon. The Irish finished with only nine turnovers, six below their average, and the passes led to wide-open opportunities on the perimeter.
The Irish set a club record with 15 3s, dropping in 11 in the first half, including 6-for-8 sharpshooting in the second quarter.
For the game, the Irish were 34-for-73 from the field for 46.6% and 15-for-33 on 3 (45.5%) after averaging a little over six 3s a game and shooting at a 35% clip coming in.
“Some of their size and transition ability just overtook us,” said Lafayette coach Kia Damon-Olson.
The Leopards tried to pack it in down low defensively and still had no answer for 6-5 freshman Kate Koval.
She finished with 11 points, a season-high 19 rebounds, and seven blocks, the latter the best number put up by an Irish big since Brianna Turner in 2017. Her 19 boards were within three of tying the ND record.
“Well, she is just a dominant post with a ton of confidence,” Ivey said. “She has an incredible skill set, and she's just learning in the fire …. I mean, she's watching film scrimmage as a freshman, and that speaks volumes to me, that she understands. She has a high IQ.
“These numbers are incredible, but I'm not shocked by them because of her work ethic and her preparation. So she's definitely not playing like a freshman.”
ND’s leading scorer, Hannah Hidalgo, came in averaging almost 24 points a game and had 29 Sunday on 9-for-14 shooting, including 5-for-6 on 3s. She added five assists and five steals and also had just one turnover.
Other help on the perimeter came from Emma Risch (12 points, 4-for-7 on 3s) and Cass Prosper (9 points, 2-for-4 on 3s).
Imagine what this team can be if it ever gets healthy and Sonia Citron relocates her shot.
The 6-1 senior missed the opener with a balky ankle and has yet to get in shooting rhythm. She came in shooting 36.8% from the field, including 37.5% on 3s.
It didn’t go up after a 5-for-17 outing (29.4%) from the field and 0-7 from the arc.
She had been at 46% or better from the field her junior and sophomore seasons. And the track record suggests it’s likely just a matter of time before she gets locked in.
“We have such incredible potential, but you have to bring that potential every night,” Ivey said. “...They're so talented, they're so gifted. And, you know, I'm fortunate to work with this type of a group. We have a really great chance to do something special this year. This is a special group, and again, once we get healthy, we'll just continue getting better every day.”
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