Observations from Notre Dame women's basketball win over Northwestern

When three Northwestern players were ejected late in the first half in Evanston late Wednesday night, you’d think the chippy nature of the Wildcats’ game vs. No. 9 Notre Dame was the result of a close contest against a formidable foe. It wasn’t. But it was still a costly occurrence for the Irish.

The three Cats, including starters Caileigh Walsh and Courtney Shaw, were thrown out as a result of stepping onto the court during an in-game tie-up between NU’s Paige Mott and ND’s Nat Marshall. Sophomore point guard Olivia Miles picked up a technical for intervening. In the third quarter, she took on another T for exchanging words with a Wildcat after a foul.

The initial scuffle, if it even qualified as one, and Miles’ ejection for two technical fouls were ultimately blips in another double-digit win for the Irish, their third in as many games to start the season. But it still wasn’t the way head coach Niele Ivey wanted to get in and out with a 92-58 victory in which all the talking was done with the Irish’s high level of play.

“I thought it was a very ugly game with the fouls and the techs,” Ivey said. “So I’m going to get that cleaned up.”

She continued, “I felt like we lost our composure. We have to do a better job of not letting circumstances take us out of our character. That’s what we represent at Notre Dame, making sure we do things the right way and play the right way. It’s a teaching moment.”

Here are some on-court observations from the Irish’s latest win.

PROMOTION: Join for only $10 to unlock premium access until the start of the 2023 football season

Sonia Citron delivers signature performance

Sophomore guard Sonia Citron could not miss in the first half. She connected on all 6 of her shot attempts, including three 3-pointers, for 17 first-half points. She finishes 8-of-10 for 24 points with 10 rebounds.

When Citron is an aggressive scorer, it opens up the offense for the rest of Notre Dame’s weapons. The Irish are at their best when Miles and Citron are in rhythm. Miles was in midseason form before her ejection with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. She was 9-of-9 from the free throw line.

“Making my first shot personally always helps get me going,” Citron said. “Honestly, if I’m just aggressive and I’m confident in my game, I put in the work to make the shots, so hopefully it works like that every game. That’s the goal.”

Lauren Ebo sets the tone

Before Citron exploded in the second quarter, Texas graduate transfer Lauren Ebo went 5-of-5 for 11 points in the first quarter. All 3 of her first-quarter rebounds were on the offensive glass. The 6-4 Ebo is as solid a center off the bench as any in the country. She cedes starting status to Oregon transfer Kylee Watson.

Ebo picked up two first-quarter fouls, though, and did not play in the second quarter as a result. She was tagged with her fourth foul before the five-minute mark of the third quarter. There was a point in which Ebo had 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 8 minutes while Watson had 4 points on 2-of-6 shooting in 18 minutes.

Ebo is too valuable to take herself out of the game. She had 19 points and 7 rebounds in 13 minutes.

“Right now the point of emphasis is post play and hand checks,” Ivey said. “We actually had Debbie Williamson from the ACC come in and speak to our group about it. You have to adjust to the point of emphasis this season. It’s those two. We watch film with her. We talk about it. We show her. It’s something she’s going to get better at.”

Dara Mabrey breaks sister’s Notre Dame three-point record

With her first of two makes from 3-point range, graduate student guar Dara Mabrey broke her sister’s career record with her 275th three-pointer between two years at Virginia Tech and three at Notre Dame. Mabrey went 2-of-9 from the floor, but she chipped in with 4 assists.

Notre Dame flexes its muscles

Games can get chippy when one team is clearly more dominant than the other physically. Notre Dame out-rebounded Northwestern 58-32. The Wildcats mustered 20 points in the paint in the first half to the Irish’s 24, Notre Dame stepped on the gas in that department with a 22-12 edge in the second half.

Notre Dame was out-rebounded in the season opener, 45-43, vs. Northern Illinois, but the Irish have responded with two clean-up jobs on the glass in out-rebounding California 42-26 followed up by Wednesday’s stellar performance.

The Irish host Ball State on Sunday at 4 p.m.