Maddy Westbeld scored a game high 20 points as No. 2 seed Notre Dame defeated No. 7 seed Ole Miss 71-56 to punch its ticket to the Sweet 16 in Women’s NCAA Tournament Albany Region 1 play on Monday in South Bend, Ind.
It’s the third consecutive season that Notre Dame (28-6) has made the Sweet 16 under fourth-year coach Niele Ivey.
The Fighting Irish never trailed and dominated from the start, taking a 21-9 lead after the first period on the way to a 43-26 halftime advantage. Notre Dame will meet No. 3 Oregon State in a regional semifinal later this week in Albany, N.Y.
Sonia Citron added 17 points and game highs of 10 rebounds and six assists, and Hannah Hidalgo contributed 19 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Kennedy Todd-Williams and Madison Scott each scored 15 for Ole Miss (24-9).
Ole Miss outrebounded Notre Dame 33-27 and got 12 points off the bench, compared to two for the Irish. But Notre Dame shot 50 percent from the field, including 4 of 9 from 3-point range, while the Bulldogs hit just 22 of their 57 shot attempts (38.6 percent).
–Field Level Media