Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1463147
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM APRIL 2022 11 UNDER THE DOME 1 Freshman in the country in men's college basketball had compiled at least 500 points, 125 rebounds, 80 assists, 50 three-pointers made and 40 steals as of March 23: Notre Dame's BLAKE WESLEY. With the Sweet 16, Elite Eight and Final Four still to be played, he was the only rookie to reach those marks with 504 points (a team-best 14.4 per game), 129 re- bounds (3.7), 84 assists (2.4), 54 threes (1.5) and 44 steals (1.3). Last year, only one player — Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft — achieved that all-around excellence. 3 Notre Dame women's basketball players have earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors since the Fighting Irish joined the league in 2013-14, with current rookie guard Sonia Citron becoming the latest this year. Forward Maddy Westbeld took home that honor last year and forward Brianna Turner won it in 2015. The Blue Ribbon Panel tabbed Citron after she led the conference and tied a program record with six ACC Freshman of the Week accolades. She started 11 of 28 games and averaged 11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game during the regular season. 4 Notre Dame players were rated by Pro Football Focus as among the top 10 returning performers at their respective positions in college football for the 2022 season: Jarrett Patterson was the No. 1 center, Michael Mayer was the No. 2 tight end, Brandon Joseph was the No. 4 safety and Isaiah Foskey was the No. 8 edge defender. In addition, Blake Fisher was tabbed as a "sleeper to watch" at offensive tackle. 6 Players have now earned back-to-back Ms. Ohio Basketball titles, with Notre Dame signee KK Bransford becoming the latest to do it this sea- son. The 5-foot-10 guard from Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati averaged 21.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game during her senior campaign. 11 Notre Dame sports teams that were competing in March were ranked among the top 25 nationally at the start of the month: No. 1 men's fencing, No. 2 women's fencing, No. 3 baseball, No. 7 men's lacrosse, No. 7 hockey, No. 15 men's golf, No. 16 women's lacrosse, No. 20 women's basketball, No. 23 rowing, No. 23 women's swimming and diving, and No. 24 softball. 12 Points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for freshman point guard Olivia Miles in Notre Dame's 89-78 win over Massachusetts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament March 19. In the process, she became the first freshman in NCAA Tournament history — men's or women's — to post a triple-double. It also marked the second career triple-double of Miles' career, tying her with Skylar Diggins and Jackie Young for the most in program history. Miles' 23 assists after the opening two rounds were the most by a women's player through her first two career NCAA games since 2000. 12/1 Odds at the start of the season per BetOnline for Notre Dame baseball to win the 2022 College World Series, third best in the country behind only Texas (15/2) and Vanderbilt (10/1). Arkansas and LSU joined the Fighting Irish at 12/1. After a 12-1 start, the Fighting Irish ascended to No. 1 in Baseball America's rankings March 14. 15 Victories in ACC play for the Notre Dame men's basketball team during a 20-game league schedule this season, the most ever in league action in school history. The Irish won 14 during an 18-game ACC slate in 2014-15 and also tallied 14 victories in Big East play in both 2007-8 and 2010-11. Their second-place finish also was an all-time best, surpassing the 2014-15 squad's third-place showing. Notre Dame (24-11 in 2021-22) also posted its 16th season with at least 20 wins during head coach Mike Brey's 22-year tenure. The Irish have now achieved that feat in six of their nine seasons in the ACC. In addition, Brey led the Irish to their 14th (89-87 in double overtime over Rutgers) and 15th (78-64 over Alabama) victories in NCAA Tournament play, matching Digger Phelps for the most in program history. 108 Points for the No. 5-seeded Notre Dame women's basketball team in its 44-point victory over No. 4 seed Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Tournament March 21 in Norman, Okla. It marked the first time ever the Fighting Irish reached triple digits in the scoring column in an NCAA Tournament contest. In addition, according to Stats by STATS, Notre Dame became the first team in NCAA Tournament history — men's and women's — to defeat a better-seeded team by more than 40 points. ✦ BY THE NUMBERS PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS