For the first time since 1988 and 1989, Ohio State has made it to the Sweet 16 in back-to-back seasons.
The Buckeyes will look to extend their tournament run as they face top-seeded Notre Dame in Lexington, Kentucky on Friday at 7 p.m. They have a chance to advance to their first Elite Eight since 1993.
Unlike last season when Ohio State had to deal with postseason injuries to Ameryst Alston and Cait Craft, it's not Buckeyes entering the Sweet 16 banged up, but their opponent.
Notre Dame will be without its leading scorer and rebounder after All-American forward Brianna Turner tore her ACL during the team's second-round win over Purdue on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ohio State will likely get a boost to its post game as Stephanie Mavunga is expected to return in some capacity this weekend after missing the past eight games with a foot injury. At the time of her injury, she was the team's top rebounder and second-leading scorer.
Mavunga has been practicing all week and showed no obvious signs of injury when the media were allowed to watch practice on Tuesday. Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said he's "cautiously optimistic" she'll be available this weekend.
Even with those factors playing to Ohio State's advantage, Notre Dame is still dangerous. The Irish are a No. 1 seed for a reason — they are one of the most efficient and well-coached teams in the country. But they aren't unbeatable.
Let's take a closer look at this Sweet 16 matchup.
Last Time
Ohio State last met Notre Dame in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge last season and the Buckeyes took the No. 3 Irish to the wire. Ohio State had a slim lead with less than two minutes left to play, but some Notre Dame free throws and a missed buzzer-beater by Kelsey Mitchell gave the Irish a 75-72 victory. Mitchell had 27 points in the game while Shayla Cooper added a double-double.
Scouting Notre Dame
Notre Dame is the only No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament the Buckeyes didn't face during the regular season, but that doesn't mean it's not a familiar opponent. Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff got his big coaching break at Notre Dame, where he served as an assistant under Muffet McGraw and helped lead the team to two Final Fours and a national title.
The good news for the Buckeyes is that out of those No. 1 seeds, they match up best against Notre Dame. The Irish don't have the size of Baylor or South Carolina and aren't a death machine like Connecticut. Instead, Notre Dame wins games with offensive efficiency, and at its best, Ohio State can score with anybody.
Perhaps the biggest difference between these two teams is experience. The Irish are entering their eighth consecutive Sweet 16. In perspective, this is just Ohio State's third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
"We're playing against a very experienced team," Mitchell said. "They've probably experienced more than our whole team has experienced, based on the championships they've won, the teams that they've played and all the positions they've been in."
This season, Notre Dame has been inarguably one of the nation's top teams from start to finish. The Irish have a 32-3 record with all three losses coming to NCAA Tournament teams. They are currently riding an 18-game winning streak, which is the second-longest in the nation behind Connecticut's absurd 109.
The Irish are coming off a second-round win over Purdue, which is the last team to beat Ohio State. The Boilermakers took the Irish to the wire and then some. It took overtime, but Notre Dame rose to the occasion, downing Purdue 88-82 to advance to the Sweet 16.
All that aside, Notre Dame faces real adversity with the loss of Turner and the team doesn't have much time to deal with it. The Irish will likely start a freshman in her place, either Erin Boley or Jackie Young. Both were five-star recruits out of high school.
Notre Dame is a great team that's very well coached, but the Buckeyes matched up well before Turner's injury. Without her, the Irish may be in real trouble.
Noting Ohio State
The Buckeyes reached the Sweet 16 with a pair of wins against Western Kentucky and Kentucky in what was really hostile territory both games, as the opening round was played in Lexington, Kentucky.
Now, the Buckeyes are back in familiar Lexington — Kevin McGuff is even staying in the exact same hotel room as last weekend — only this time, the games will be played at Rupp Arena.
Since Kelsey Mitchell's arrival at Ohio State, she's often had to carry the Buckeyes to victory. That hasn't really been the case this NCAA Tournament as Mitchell has been relatively quiet and other individuals have stepped up.
In game one, it was Asia Doss coming off the bench to score a season-high 15 points. In game two, it was Linnae Harper finishing just two assists shy of a triple-double against her former team. Since Mavunga's injury, it's been Shayla Cooper who's averaged 14.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
"It was just awesome to see so many people step up in those first two games," McGuff said. "That’s what it should be — we have a deep team and for that depth to matter we need people stepping up and making plays, and they did."
Still, Mitchell is one of the best players in the country, and while she hasn't quite played up to her standard, she hasn't exactly disappeared either. She's still managed 18 points per game this tournament, best on the team. She's not going to stay quiet forever, either. She's due for an offensive explosion, and there would be no better time than against the No. 1 seed.
The scoring will come somehow for the Buckeyes. The larger concern is defense. Going against one of the most efficient offenses in the country, Ohio State will need to be at its best defensively.
“It’s not good when we pick and choose when to play defense, but I will say that when we do choose to play defense it’s always at the time when team’s are making a run," Mitchell said. "I think for us, we’re going to have to play defense for all 40 minutes.”
Ohio State will hope for the return of Mavunga, even in limited action, but if she's unable to go yet again, the burden will again fall on Tori McCoy and Alexa Hart, who have been stellar of late, particularly on the defensive end. The past four games, the Buckeyes have blocked 43 shots.
How It Plays Out
Notre Dame is a great team with a legendary coach, but they're banged up and barely snuck away with a victory against Purdue last weekend. Meanwhile, Ohio State is on the verge of the deepest tournament run in the lifetime of any of its players and will likely get a big boost to its roster with the return of Mavunga.
Kevin's Prediction: Ohio State 84, Notre Dame 78
How to Watch
The game will take place Friday at 7 p.m. at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. It will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
