SOUTH BEND, Ind, — The scariest part of what No. 3 Notre Dame is beginning to impose on the teams staring up at it in the ACC women’s basketball standings is more subtle than stark.
Not that those elements won’t necessarily evolve into the latter as well.
And make no mistake, the Irish aren’t yet a finished product — despite 16 straight wins by an average of 27.9 points, including Sunday’s 91-52 evisceration of 21st-ranked California at sold-out Purcell Pavilion.
That goes into the archives as the most lopsided win over a ranked conference foe by Notre Dame (21-2, 12-0 ACC) in at least a quarter of a century. And combined with the 96-47 romp over Stanford on Thursday night, the 88 points is the largest two-game margin in back-to-back conference games since 2012, when Muffet McGraw’s NCAA runners-up were putting up those kinds of wins in the Big East.
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“Everything shifted for us,” Irish coach Niele Ivey, McGraw's successor, said of the late-November two-game losing streak and the emphatic turnaround that followed. “I think it was a mentality, a mindset that shifted for this team.
“We knew our goals coming in, and then for me as a coach, I know things that they need to hear. I know things I need to do in the in-game scenarios, adjustments, and also just preparing them for games.
“And we are prepared. This group, they want to win. They have a winning mindset, and they're very unselfish. And so, I think we learned a lot about each other, and I think we're still growing and learning from each other.”
Sunday also happened to be the annual Think Pink game, in which breast cancer survivors were honored at halftime and led out onto the court by members of the Irish football team.
Before and after the touching halftime celebration on Sunday, yes, there were the typical markings of recent Irish wins — 24 points from the nation’s second-leading scorer Hannah Hidalgo, and her 83rd steal of the season. That ties her with Coquese Washington for the most ever by an Irish sophomore.
And spectacular passing by Olivia Miles in 16-point, six-assist, seven-rebound performance. And 13 more rebounds by Liatu King, protective mask and all. And 16 points and smothering defense by Sonia Citron that included four steals.
Pick your poison?
Sometimes, apparently, the poison picks you.
That was the case Sunday for Cal (19-6, 7-5) in the 17 minutes freshman Kate Koval faced the Bears off the Irish bench in an impressive growth spurt when it comes to the 6-foot-5 center’s game.
Her stat line showed six points, four rebounds and a block, but her defensive presence coaxed Cal to push the ball back to the perimeter when it came inside with nowhere to go.
“I feel like I'm just taking it step by step and learning,” the Ukraine native said. “I'm like a sponge. I'm trying every single game. I'm trying to learn something new, and just honestly, taking on any role that the team needs me to do.”
Early in the season, Koval had to be a starter. But with grad seniors Maddy Westbeld and Liza Karlin back from injuries now, she can grow her game at a more deliberate pace, without the growing pains. And the Irish can flex their depth when needed and even when it’s not.
“We had some foul trouble with our posts, and I thought she had one of her best games, really physical,” Ivey said of Koval. “Did a great job down low, great blocks. Did a great job finding position offensively and setting great screens.
“She's somebody that is just going to continue, just to get better and better. And I'm really proud of her, because she puts in so much work.”
Collectively, the nation’s third-best shooting team (.502 coming in), shot better than 55% for the third game in a row (.557). That included a 71% showing in the third quarter when Notre Dame landed a TKO with a 15-2 burst to end that period with a 72-35 lead.
The nation’s No. 1 shooting team from the 3-point arc (.412) was at 50% on Sunday and held the Bears to 32 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point line. Also notable was the Irish command in both second-chance points (21-4) and fastbreak points (18-4), with Notre Dame now holding a season advantage collectively on their opponents of 467-113 in the latter category.
“I just think it's our mentality and our preparation,” Citron said of the Irish escalating domination in so many areas. “We're not looking ahead. We're not looking forward. It's just game by game, and we're just preparing like the biggest game of the season is the one that we're playing right now.”
Cal came in with wins over ranked teams NC State (14th), Florida State (22nd) and Alabama (23rd) on its résumé. And so, it was a big game.
The 8,864 who filled Purcell Pavilion made it seem even more so like it, even if the final score did not.
“We feel their energy, and I feel like it's just been an increase of new faces,” Ivey said. “They're younger. Different generations are coming out. Younger generations are coming out. We obviously honor those that have been supporting us for decades, but you just feel it.
“The electricity of the arena is different, and we felt it last year — the last couple games in the NCAA Tournament. And it has increased and elevated. And it means a lot to us.
“It really gives us life. This group feeds off of the energy of the crowd, especially when we know, like every seat is filled. … I always just love seeing the young girls that are lining up in the tunnels. They're more every game. I feel like there's more young girls that are looking — high schools, grade schools, that are coming to just want to be a part of this and are inspired by our team and that means a lot to me.”
Notre Dame next plays at Pittsburgh, King’s former team, on Thursday night (8 EST; ACC Network) before a rare Monday night showdown, on Feb. 17 at home, against No. 10 Duke (6 EST; ESPN).
The Irish might even be in an elevated poll position for the Pitt game, given No. 2 South Carolina's 66-62, loss at No. 4 Texas on Sunday. It was an 80-70 Irish overtime victory over Texas on Dec. 5, incidentally, that touched off the current 16-game win streak.
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