That sense of accountability and having each other\u2019s back is something that was instilled in this team by Ivey. She is always challenging all of her players to do better, especially given that she too once wore that uniform and was a part of the 2001 title team.<\/span><\/p>\nIvey knows what it\u2019s like to have a lot of pressure on her to succeed \u2013 especially since she succeeded McGraw. Ivey feels that she let the pressure get to her during her first season in 2020, at a time where there was not only a global pandemic as well as racial strife, but she also had to rebuild the team after the entire starting lineup declared for the 2019 WNBA draft.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI think I focused on mostly just trying to be the best that I could be, trying to be myself, not trying to be Muffet McGraw, but just to be myself, and then rely on my knowledge and also my passion and the experience that I had as an assistant coach,\u201d Ivey said.<\/span><\/p>\nAs a former assistant coach for both the Irish and the NBA\u2019s Memphis Grizzlies, Ivey learned how to help young players reach their fullest potential, and since she was in charge of recruiting when she was an assistant, she knows to recruit the right players and make sure that they are in the best position to thrive.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cYou don\u2019t try to handcuff them,\u201d McGraw said. \u201cYou don\u2019t try to slow them down. You let them be creative. You let them play to their strengths, and I think that\u2019s what they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nNotre Dame is definitely playing to their greatest strengths right now, as since their second loss of the season they have won four games in a row, and they are scoring an average of 73 points per game while allowing just 53 points.<\/span><\/p>\nIvey wanted her team to be more defensive-minded, and to shoot the ball better after that loss, and they have done both with a combined shooting percentage of 46 percent in all four of these wins, while only allowing their opponents to shoot a combined 34 percent from the field.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI think that when you\u2019re a really good offensive team like they are, I think sometimes, you can be a little relaxed on defense because your mentality is more of \u2018well, we\u2019re just gonna outscore them\u2019 and I think that when they learn that if they could stop people, it\u2019s going to help them on days when they don\u2019t shoot the ball well, and I don\u2019t think they\u2019ve learned that yet,\u201d McGraw said.<\/span><\/p>\nNo. 7 Notre Dame\u2019s defense will be tested tonight, as they face the top-scoring team in the league in No. 24 Florida State, which averages 85.8 points per game. They also feature the league\u2019s leading scorer, freshman Ta\u2019Niya Latson, who averages 23.6 points per game. Another test for the Irish defense in the season\u2019s second half will be against Louisville, as they must try to slow down 75-points-per-game sharpshooting guard Hailey Van Lith.<\/span><\/p>\nOther marquee matchups will be against No. 20 NC State and No. 16 Duke on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5, respectively. Both games have the potential to turn into defensive slugfests, as the Blue Devils allow opponents just 51 points per outing, and the Wolfpack, 60.7.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIn the ACC, this is in my opinion the hardest conference in the country,\u201d Miles said. \u201cPlaying in this league, it\u2019s amazing just for the experience, and just the preparedness we get for the (NCAA) Tournament is unmatched.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIvey has set a different goal in each season she has been Notre Dame\u2019s head coach. This year, the aim is to win a national championship, despite the loss of starting guard Dara Mabrey for the season last weekend, with an ACL tear.<\/span><\/p>\nAfter defeating archrival UConn by 14 points in December, Ivey reiterated to her team what their standard was, and that they must match it every day.<\/span><\/p>\nWestbeld is familiar with this standard and culture, having been on the sideline at the 2018 Final Four and witnessing both game-winners by Arike Ogunbowale in the semifinal and national championship games, respectively. Watching her sister winning a championship as a member of her favorite team has inspired her to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cSeeing just that whole team, their chemistry and their grit and toughness and seeing their practices growing up, it really instilled something in me to just try and bring that to my team,\u201d Westbeld said.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nSource link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Maddy Westbeld launches a shot over Wake Forest defenders. AP file photo. The bell had been rung, and Maddy Westbeld answered the call. Her Notre Dame Fighting Irish had just lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels earlier this month, and were looking to bounce back against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons four days later. 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