How two Notre Dame women’s basketball players overcame injuries in time for NCAA Tournament

Olivia Miles approached the Notre Dame coaching staff with three questions.

“Is Abby ready? Is she going to play? Can she go in?”

One word answered all three: No.

The Notre Dame freshman point guard proposed the query before the Fighting Irish’s ACC Tournament semifinal game against Miami two weeks ago. It marked senior guard Abby Prohaska’s ninth missed game in a row. The Fighting Irish lost 57-54. Maybe things would have been different had Prohaska played. The only player on the roster who appeared in Notre Dame’s 2019 NCAA Tournament run, Prohaska is surely worth three total points when factoring in offense and defense — right?

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Notre Dame has gotten used to playing without her. For better or worse. Prohaska hasn’t seen the floor since Feb. 1 — arguably the best day of the Notre Dame season, yet a day that had potential to have easily been the worst.

The Fighting Irish took down NC State 69-66 that night. Everyone knew then how monumental the victory was. It held up. The Wolfpack won the regular season and ACC Tournament titles and are a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Ironically, the Irish could face the Wolfpack again in the Sweet 16 should both teams advance that far in the Bridgeport Region.

Head coach Niele Ivey is equipped for that matchup if it occurs. Thankfully so. The Irish nearly lost two valuable assets who have helped the team get in a position to make a run in March. And it happened in a matter of minutes.

Junior forward Sam Brunelle crashed to the court, slammed her head on the floor and twisted her ankle. She gingerly limped to the locker room with assistance. Prohaska got popped in the face fighting for a rebound moments later. She too left for the locker room and did not return. After missing nine games following surgery on a broken orbital bone, Prohaska is a full-go and ready to come back Saturday against UMass.

She’s a nice piece to have on the court when it’s do or die.

“It all comes back to wanting to win,” Prohaska said. “I want it so bad that sometimes I lose sight of if I should dive for that loose ball or if I shouldn’t. It’s a blessing and a curse sometimes. I definitely want to just show the younger ones what it takes.”

That’s why Miles was so concerned with whether Prohaska could play two weeks ago.

“She’s meant so much to our team as a leader,” Miles said. “Her experience is valuable beyond words. I can’t describe it.”

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The Irish feel the same way about Brunelle, who has somehow played in 29 of 30 games this season despite always seeming to be a bit banged up. The head and ankle from Feb. 1 feel fine, but she’s been nursing a shoulder ailment since Feb. 13. She’s worn a fairly significant brace in each game she has played since then.

If she lost time to injury like Prohaska, Notre Dame would have been down to six healthy scholarship players. Knowing how much a number that low would hinder the Irish’s ability to win games down the stretch, she strapped the brace up and got back to it after missing just one day of practice.

“What’s pain?” Brunelle said. “That’s what I keep saying. What’s pain? When you love something so much, you play through whatever you have to — especially for your teammates. I just show up every day and give them everything that I have.”

The only times graduate senior center Maya Dodson has been taken off the court this season are when she gets into foul trouble and when Brunelle can spell her a bit by playing the five. If the latter was not possible, Dodson would be more susceptible to the former. Brunelle has contributed much more to the Irish than 7.2 points per game and timely jump shooting. She’s been as valuable a player off the bench as any.

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“It makes a difference having her out there, being able to stretch the floor,” Dodson said. “I’m happy she’s playing, and she gives us a spark off the bench.”

“She is such a Notre Dame kid that it’s fun to coach her,” Ivey added. “She’s been through so much. I’m proud that she’s fought through all the adversity. She’s never been one to not come in with a smile on her face no matter what she was going through. I feel like that resonates with the team. She’s a team player.”

Dodson battled injuries of her own at Stanford. She understands Brunelle and Prohaska’s plight. Ivey has been around the game for decades as a player, assistant coach and now head coach. She understands as well. If the Irish are to make a run, they’re going to need all eight scholarship players to contribute.

“I’m so happy to have Abby back,” Ivey said. “She brings that toughness we need. She’s always coming up with that 50-50 ball. She’s the heart and soul and glue of our defense. That’s really going to help.”