President’s Day presented a marquee matchup on the calendar, with No. 1 Notre Dame hosting No. 11 Duke. The Fighting Irish outscored the Blue Devils 21-8 in the third quarter to take command of the game and win, 64-49.
Hannah Hidalgo had 19 points and four assists in the win. Sonia Citron also had a good game, ending the night with 15 points and seven rebounds. Maddy Westbeld played well, scoring 11 points in the victory.
Duke struggled to put points on the board, but Taina Mair did her best to help the cause, leading the Blue Devils with 15 points in the defeat.
How Notre Dame proved why they’re No. 1
Reigan Richardson started this game off with an and-one basket for Duke. Westbeld responded with a 3-pointer for Notre Dame as both teams exchanged baskets. Midway through the opening quarter, the Blue Devils were leading 11-10. Duke maintained their narrow lead and entered the second quarter ahead 19-16.
Even when the Blue Devils were leading, they struggled with the Fighting Irish’s different defensive looks. Notre Dame often played in zone to challenge Duke to convert their jumpers or try to break up their defense. The results were mixed for the Blue Devils, but the Fighting Irish couldn’t take advantage early on in the second quarter. They didn’t have a made…
