Newsstand: ESPN experts make picks for Notre Dame vs. TCU in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Seven ESPN experts picked Saturday’s Sweet 16 showdown between (2) TCU (33-3) and (3) Notre Dame (28-5). Five of the seven are rolling with the Fighting Irish.
Here’s the breakdown.
Andrea Adelson: TCU 79, Fighting Irish 77
Kendra Andrews: Fighting Irish 82, TCU 78
Katie Barnes: TCU 72, Fighting Irish 69
Charlie Creme: Fighting Irish 81, TCU 72
Kevin Pelton: Fighting Irish 73, TCU 67
Alexa Philippou: Fighting Irish 73, TCU 70
Michael Voepel: Fighting Irish 77, TCU 71
Here is Creme’s explanation for why the Irish will win…
Hannah Hidalgo will be the best player on the court. TCU has big-time players in Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince, but the Notre Dame sophomore is on a different level. More importantly, she seems to have regained the passion and energy that is so vital to her game. A fiery Hidalgo produces the best results. She also no doubt remembers two things heading into Saturday: the loss to TCU in November, in which Notre Dame blew a 14-point lead and she was outplayed by Van Lith in the fourth quarter, and last year’s Sweet 16 game, in which she scored a season-low 10 points on 4-of-17 shooting in the loss to Oregon State.
Notre Dame tweets of the day
Hidalgo has an opportunity over the next two weeks to make her own Arike Ogunbowale moment.
The Irish picked up a big midweek home win over Michigan State.
Riley Leonard is back in town for his Pro Day workout.
Fighting Irish quote of the day
“You think about why we coach. What wakes us up? It is seeing young men reach their potential, overcome whatever’s in their way. That’s why we do what we do. So, to see that and to be there and witness his resilience and his love of team — all of that was awesome.”
Blue & Gold headlines of the day
• Highly ranked transfer target emerging for Notre Dame men’s basketball
• What they’re saying: Notre Dame has a head start with many future five-stars in the 2027 class
• Fourth but not forgotten: Inside the mentality of Notre Dame freshman quarterback Blake Hebert
• Three burning questions for massive football recruiting week at Notre Dame
• Behind the scenes of five-star EDGE Rodney Dunham Jr.’s commitment date, Notre Dame visit
• Notre Dame sees star potential in newly offered Texas defender Jordan Davis
• Notre Dame football spring practice No. 4 offense observations: Jeremiyah Love at wide receiver?
• Notre Dame football 2025 spring practice No. 4 observations: Defense
• Charles Jagusah at guard? Why Irish OL coach believes he could be ‘as good as anyone in the country’
