Rally Comes Up Short, Louisville Falls to Notre Dame in ACC Tournament
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Sonia Citron scored 26 points, Hannah Hidalgo added 21 and both players made double-digit free throws to help No. 14 Notre Dame hold off No. 24 Louisville on Friday in the ACC Tournament.
Fourth-seeded Notre Dame (24-6) advances to the semifinals on Saturday.
Hidalgo and Citron scored the opening five points of the third quarter to extend Notre Dame’s lead to 22 points. But the Fighting Irish turned it over six times in the quarter, after just five in the first half, and Louisville got within 49-39 before Kylee Watson grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back to give Notre Dame a 12-point lead entering the fourth.
Jayda Curry kept Louisville close in the fourth, completing a three-point play, sinking a 3-pointer and hitting a jumper from the free-throw line on three straight possessions to get within 58-49 with 6:47 left.
Notre Dame went 2 for 4 on consecutive trips to the free-throw line and Louisville center Olivia Cochran made a layup to get within 71-68 with 30.9 left. Citron responded with two free throws for a five-point lead at 27.2.
Curry had it stolen with 18.3 seconds left. Louisville coach Jeff Walz argued the no-call and was given his second technical foul of the game, leading to an ejection. Citron made two more at the stripe for a seven-point lead.
Maddy Westbeld added 13 points for Notre Dame, which finished 24 of 30 from the free-throw line.
Curry scored a season-high 26 points, 15 coming in the fourth quarter, for Louisville (24-9). Sydney Taylor added 13 points, Cochran scored 10 and Nyla Harris grabbed 10 rebounds to go with nine points. The Cardinals missed eight of their 27 free-throw attempts.
Hidalgo and Citron combined for 20 points in the first half as Notre Dame built a 34-17 lead. The Fighting Irish scored 15 points off 13 turnovers as Louisville was held to its fewest points in a half this season.
The teams played each other for the third time in a month and the second time in a week, with the home team winning each regular-season matchup.
(Photo of Jayda Curry: David Yeazell - USA TODAY Sports)
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