Six score in double figures as Irish topple Deacs, 100-64 – Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Official Athletics Website

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame offense continues to put up historic numbers as the Irish downed Wake Forest on Thursday night, 100-64. Through 15 games, Notre Dame has 1,337 total points, the most through the first 15 games of a season in program history. It is also the fourth time this season the team has posted 100 points, which has happened only three other times in program history.

It was a balanced effort with six players in double figures. Hannah Hidalgo led the way with 23 points followed by Liatu King (17), Sonia Citron (16), Maddy Westbeld (14), Olivia Miles (13) and Kate Koval (11). In addition, five players had at least 5 boards and Miles led the way with 9 assists. Hidalgo finished a season with 6 steals.

“Having a lot of depth and options for rotations and matchups, I was really happy with this win,” Karen and Kevin Keyes family coach Niele Ivey said after the game. “With the physicality and long stretch of the season, it will only help us to have more bodies to be able to compete.”

In terms of game flow, Notre Dame built a 10-0 run out of the gate and held a 25-15 advantage after Q1. Seven different players scored and Hidalgo led with 6 points.

The All-American turned it up a notch in the second quarter, finishing the half with a team-leading 17 points after going 6-8 from the floor and 4-4 from the charity stripe. The ACC leader in steals also had 5 of them.

Notre Dame held a 53-31 advantage at halftime after a put-back jumper by Westbeld. She had her first 5 points of the season in the first 20 minutes.

“The way the crowd embraced her when she came into the game was amazing,” Ivey said. “It’s so hard as a senior to have to sit out that long, so I’m really happy for her.”

As a team in the first half, Notre Dame had 21 fastbreak points, shot 62.5 percent from the floor and went 5-8 from deep as the lethal Irish air attack continues this season. Notre Dame entered the game leading the nation with a 44.3 percent success rate from beyond the arc.

Wake Forest’s leading scorer, Rylie Theuerkauf, did not score until the half.

After trading buckets to open the third quarter, the Irish would go on an 8-0 run, sparked by 4 straight points from Citron, making it 62-33 heading into a Wake Forest timeout. The Demon Deacons went on a 10-0 run of their own, one that was capped by a Hidalgo free throw.

The Irish would close out the period with a jump shot from King and a layup from Koval to extend the Notre Dame lead to 24, making it 76-52 heading into the fourth.

The home team held the Demon Deacons to their lowest offensive quarter of the night to close it out as Wake Forest scored just 12 points in the final period. Notre Dame’s defense held them scoreless in the final 4:35.

The Irish were just as dominant on the offensive end of the floor in the final minutes as they closed the fourth period with an 11-0 run. A Westbeld trey sparked the double-digit run, followed by baskets from Miles, Karlen, Prosper and Koval to wrap up their fourth ACC win of the season.

“It’s super exciting to have everybody back,” King said. “Coach Ivey says it all the time, ‘pick your poison.’ Any of us can go out there and give opponents a hard time.”

The Irish head to Clemson on Sunday for a clash at Littlejohn Coliseum. The game airs on The CW and starts at 2 p.m