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Crunch Time 

 

Men’s basketball

 

The 11th-seeded men’s basketball team came close to earning a Sweet 16 berth, ultimately falling 59-53 to No. 3 seed Texas Tech in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. 

 

It marked the end of a March Madness run that began with a double-overtime First Four win over Rutgers — a thrilling victory that came shortly after midnight on St. Patrick’s Day. Notre Dame’s momentum continued with a 78-64 upset of No. 6 seed Alabama in the Round of 64.

 

The Irish put up a fight against third-seeded Texas Tech in the second round but faltered down the stretch. But regardless of its disappointing finish, the season will likely be remembered by many fans for highlights such as the regular-season upset of No. 10 Kentucky and the two NCAA Tournament victories. 

 

Women’s basketball

 

Dancing through the tournament! The fifth-seeded women’s basketball team is headed to the Sweet 16 after routing No. 4 seed Oklahoma, 108-64, in Norman, Okla. Dara Mabrey scored 29 points, followed by Sonia Citron with 25 and Maya Dodson with 20.

 

After securing a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Notre Dame beat 12th-seeded UMass on March 19 behind a triple-double from freshman Olivia Miles. The Irish will meet NC State in Bridgeport, Conn., on Saturday, to vie for a spot in the Elite Eight. 

 

Baseball

 

Last week brought the latest installment of a beloved Irish tradition: the green No. 1 on the top of Grace Hall in honor of a top-ranking team. It was the first time since 2001 that the honor belonged to Notre Dame baseball.

 

The top ranking came after the Irish swept No. 17 NC State on the road on March 11 and 13. They kicked off their home slate with a 12-1 win over Valparaiso, but they fell to Louisville in three consecutive road games this weekend.

 

They will host Virginia Tech for a three-game series this weekend. 

 

Softball

 

The softball team leapt out to a strong start to the season, winning its opening five games. The Irish went on to beat two ranked opponents, No. 21 LSU and No. 11 Texas, in the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational. They opened home play with a dominant 18-0 win over Detroit Mercy on March 15 and followed it up with a 7-2 victory over Western Michigan. 

 

The Irish notched three more wins with a road sweep of Pittsburgh. They host Duke, another ACC opponent, in a series this weekend. 

 

Fencing

 

On the topic of lighting up Grace Hall… the fencing team has once again done just that — and is heading into the NCAA Championships in good position to bring home another national title. The Irish will send 12 fencers to championship events, filling the maximum roster allowed for the eighth year in a row.