@grok: why is notre dame womens basketball falling apart?
Notre Dame women’s basketball isn’t necessarily "falling apart," but the team has faced significant challenges recently that have impacted its performance and raised questions about its stability. Several factors appear to be contributing to their struggles, based on available information and current sentiment.
The team started the 2024-25 season with high expectations, boasting a roster featuring All-Americans like Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, and Sonia Citron, alongside key transfers and a top freshman. They racked up impressive wins against teams like USC, Texas, and UConn, and at one point were ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25. However, a late-season slide—losing three of their last five games before the NCAA Tournament—followed by a Sweet 16 exit against TCU on March 29, 2025, has fueled perceptions of decline. This was compounded by the announcement that three starters—Hidalgo, Citron, and Liatu King—plan to enter the transfer portal, signaling potential roster upheaval.
One major issue has been inconsistency. After a 19-game win streak, the Irish struggled to maintain their early-season form. Losses to NC State, Florida State, and Duke exposed vulnerabilities, particularly in closing out games and maintaining defensive intensity. For example, against TCU in the Sweet 16, Notre Dame was outscored 31-12 in the fourth quarter, a recurring problem seen earlier against TCU and Utah in November 2024. Analysts have pointed to a lack of depth as a critical weakness—outside of their star trio, the bench has provided little scoring, with only 5 points against Utah and 3 against TCU in those earlier losses. Injuries have also played a role, with players like Maddy Westbeld (out until January) and Liza Karlen (injured mid-season) limiting the rotation.
Coaching decisions under Niele Ivey have come under scrutiny as well. Some fans on X have criticized her for not adapting to mismatches or maximizing the roster’s potential, though her track record—three straight Sweet 16s and a shared ACC title in 2024-25—suggests competence. Still, the team’s late-season fade and postseason exit have led to speculation about locker room issues or a disconnect, with posts on X hinting at internal friction or dissatisfaction driving the transfer decisions.
The broader landscape of women’s college basketball adds pressure. The sport’s growth, coupled with NIL opportunities and a robust transfer portal, has spread talent across programs like USC, South Carolina, and Tennessee, making it harder for Notre Dame to dominate recruiting as it once did against a smaller pool of elite competitors (e.g., UConn, Stanford). The program’s academic rigor might also deter some top transfers or recruits seeking quicker paths to prominence elsewhere.
That said, it’s not all doom and gloom. Notre Dame still has Olivia Miles, who could return, and a strong recruiting foundation. The transfers might reflect individual choices—Hidalgo’s defensive growth, Citron’s next step, or King’s fit—rather than a sinking ship. Historically, the program has rebounded from setbacks, and Ivey’s emphasis on defense (e.g., the "Perfect Defense" drill) showed promise in the tournament’s early rounds. Whether this is a temporary stumble or a deeper unraveling depends on how they regroup for 2025-26. For now, the narrative of "falling apart" seems amplified by recent losses and roster changes, but the full story is still unfolding.
