WBB hosts Notre Dame at 6 PM Jan 30

The Ladies host #3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish today at 6 PM. The game will be broadcast on the ACC Network extra platform. The Irish are 17-2, 8-0 in conference. They have played 6 currently ranked teams and one team currently receiving votes. Their two losses were to back to back to #9 TCU and RV Utah in November. They have beaten #5 Texas, #6 UConn, #3 USC, #15 UNC and #20 Ga Tech. We also beat Ga Tech. Both teams also beat Wake Forest.

Notre Dame has two of the best guards in the NCAA in #3 sophomore 5'6 Hannah Hidalgo and #5 junior 5'10 Olivia Miles. The rest of the starting lineup are seniors: #11 6'1 guard Sonia Citron, #20 6''0 forward Liatu King and #21 6'3 Maddy Westbeld. I don't know who the Hokies have that can guard either Hidalgo or Miles out front or who can guard Westbeld down low. Last time I wrote about playing a team this good, I said the Hokies would have to get career games from several players to have a chance; and they did it. Against Notre Dame, I'm not sure career games by the whole starting lineup will be enough.

All the starters score in double digits led by Hidalgo at 25.4 and Miles at 16.4. King averages 12.6 ppg and 10.7 rpg. The starters except Westbeld average 32-35 min/game. Westbeld who started the season injured is only averaging 21 min/game.

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The Irish win the rebounding battle by 12 per game; average 19.1 assist to 14.9 TOs per game. They shoot 49.7% overall and 41.2% from three. Only King who does not shoot threes shoots less than 35% from three. Hidalgo and Miles average 43% and 43.6% from three; they average 49.2% and 53.6% overall. King and Westbeld average 56.4% and 59.1% overall and Westbeld shoots 38.9% from three. Notre Dame has a lot of strengths and not many weaknesses. They are picked to win this game by 18.5 points with the over/under at 151.5. I hope we an keep it that close.

LET'S GO HOKIES!