Notre Dame beats Michigan in NCAA Tournament to advance to Sweet 16
Notre Dame beats Michigan in NCAA Tournament to advance to Sweet 16
Ask anyone before the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and they likely would have guessed Notre Dame would have trailed second-round opponent Michigan instead of first-round opponent Stephen F. Austin at some point.
But unlike the Ladyjacks, who held an 8-2 advantage over the Irish before getting blown out, the Wolverines never led. The Irish are in the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight year after winning, 76-55.
The Irish (28-5) were in control against the Wolverines (23-11) from the opening tip. They were up 20 at the end of the first quarter, and everyone could see where this game was headed already.
The Wolverines might have outscored the Irish in every other quarter, but those advantages were marginal. Their 15-1 run to close the game made it seem much closer than it actually was. If anyone watching on ABC opted to change the channel early, it was hard to blame them:
Hannah Hidalgo led all scorers with 21 points. Liatu King made all seven of her field-goal attempts en route to a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Sonia Citron scored 16 points in her final game at Purcell Pavilion. Also singing their South Bend swan songs were Olivia Miles (eight points, five assists) and Maddy Westbeld (four points).
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More: Notre Dame fans spread powerful, uplifting message during tournament tilt
More: Notre Dame crushes Stephen F. Austin in first game of NCAA Tournament
More: Notre Dame alum has the perfect bracket for March Madness 2025
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Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Brothers bring boxing back to Fenway after 70 years and hope to revitalize the sport in Boston
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Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
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Promoters Mark and Matt Nolan want 'Fight Night at Fenway,' scheduled for Saturday, to be both a time capsule and time machine, taking spectators back to boxing's glory days and what the sport can be for the city in the future. The Nolans got their license to organize fights last year with the goal of bringing boxing back to Boston. After Fenway, 'That's mission accomplished," Matt Nolan said. 'It's not just like our dream, it's everybody's dream — every boxer on planet Earth,' he said. 'Just the idea that some kid can fight his way to Fenway Park. It's like hitting the lottery. You can't you can't beat it. There's nothing comparable." A rich history Boston has played a long and impressive role in American boxing history and the development of the sport itself, said Johnson, author of 'Field of Our Fathers, An Illustrated History of Fenway Park." The city was home to 'Boston's Strong Boy,' John L. 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After success hosting events at other venues, Mark Nolan said Fenway Sports Group connected to their 'everyman' appeal and decided to give them a shot. The brothers fell in love with boxing while accompanying their father, a boat captain, to the gym as kids. When they expanded from coaching amateur boxers to professionals five years ago, they were dismayed by what they found: shows full of uneven fights set up to make the promoters as much money as possible, with established amateurs fighting people who 'have no right putting gloves on in any capacity whatsoever' in venues like high school gymnasiums. Fighters weren't being paid fairly and contracts weren't transparent. They came up with a simple business plan: pick good venues, pay fighters well and only host matches in Boston proper. They said a lot of promoters sell fighters, but they're focused on selling fights fans want to see. 'They're making sure that every fight is well-matched," said Thomas "The Kid" O'Toole, a fighter from rural Galway, Ireland, who has lived in Boston for the past two years, 'Nobody wants to see someone go in and just knock their opponent out right away and beat them up for four, six, eight rounds. They want to see a competitive fight.' O'Toole went professional in 2021 and is undefeated with 13 fights. He said his fight against St. Louis-born Vaughn 'Da Animal' Alexander at Fenway will be "the biggest test of his career." Massachusetts-born Lexi 'Lil Savage" Bolduc will compete in her fourth professional fight. She faces Sarah Couillard in a rematch after coming out on the losing end of a majority draw at the Royale. 'Fighting at Fenway, I think adds a little bit of pressure because I'm local, I grew up in Mass and idolized a lot of players as I was growing up. ... But at the same time, I'm trying to use it just as a huge opportunity and really soak in the moment," she said. 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