Notre Dame Women's Basketball Takes Seven-Game Streak Into ACC Semifinal Against Duke
notre dame women's basketball has won seven straight games and will face top-seeded Duke (22-8) in the ACC Tournament semifinal at Gas South Arena, scheduled for 12 p. m. ET on Saturday, with a trip to the ACC title game on the line.
Notre Dame Women's Basketball headed to Gas South Arena
No. 5 Notre Dame enters the semifinal at 22-9 after reversing a midseason slide; the team went 5-7 from the middle of January through early February before winning seven straight. The game is set for a national broadcast on ESPN2 with Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli on the call, and the Irish are pushing to improve their position ahead of NCAA Tournament seeding.
In-game momentum: Irish rally, Duke's rebounding edge
The semifinal opened with Duke building a sizable advantage at halftime, but Notre Dame stormed back and held the lead going into the final quarter. Live play-by-play notes show the Blue Devils held a 16-5 edge on offensive rebounds, a factor that helped them to a comfortable halftime margin, while Notre Dame countered with defensive aggression that forced turnovers.
Key moments recorded during the game include Hannah Hidalgo opening the fourth quarter with a steal and layup, Taina Mair hitting a three-pointer to cut into the lead, and De Jesus sinking multiple threes during a third-quarter push. Malaya Cowles picked up her fourth foul in the third quarter, testing Notre Dame's depth late in the game, and with 7: 16 left in the contest Hidalgo was given a brief breather as coaches rotated players.
Notre Dame's stretch included an 8-0 run that produced their first lead of the game, while Duke answered with transition layups and a three-point play that checked the Irish surge. Play-by-play entries also note a reviewed basket by Hidalgo early in the game and several momentum swings tied to rebounding and free-throw opportunities.
With the win streak and a deeper run in the conference tournament at stake, Notre Dame has turned its season back toward the national picture after the 5-7 stretch earlier in the year, using improved defense and timely perimeter scoring to challenge Duke's frontcourt presence.
The winner of Saturday's semifinal will advance to the ACC Tournament title game; Notre Dame and Duke meet at 12 p. m. ET on ESPN2, and the outcome will determine who moves on to play for the conference crown.
