Just too sweet - Post-Tribune

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NCAA TOURNAMENT

Just too sweet

Hidalgo scores 21 points, Miles plays despite injury as Irish rout Michigan to make it to 4th consecutive Sweet Sixteen

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Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame celebrates a basket against Michigan in the first half during the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday. Michael Reaves/Getty

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Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles advances the ball as Michigan guard Mila Holloway, left, defends. John Mersits/AP

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Associated Press

SOUTH BEND — Hannah Hidalgo scored 21 points and No. 3 seed Notre Dame routed No. 6 seed Michigan 76-55 in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

Notre Dame advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive season.

Olivia Miles, who suffered an ankle injury in Notre Dame’s 106-54 victory against Stephen F. Austin in the first round, started for the Fighting Irish. She had eight points, five assists and four rebounds.

Miles said that she didn’t decide to play until 15 minutes before tip-off.

“I was leaning towards no, and then I started to feel pretty good leading up to the game,” said Miles, who admitted that it was tough playing through the pain. “I was just like, ‘You know what? Let me play, because it’s my last home game, and I wanted to share it with these girls.”

Liatu King turned in a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Sonia Citron scored 16 points for Notre Dame.

Notre Dame (28-5) opened up with an 11-2 run and stormed to a 32-12 lead after the first quarter. The Fighting Irish looked like the team that dispatched Texas, Southern California, UConn and Duke in the regular-season rather than the team that dropped three of its last five regular-season games, hitting 12 of their first 16 shots. Michigan (23-11) started out 1-of-7 from the field.

Notre Dame held Michighan to a season-low 55 points. The Wolverines’ previous low was 58 points in losses to USC and Michigan State. Michigan entered the game averaging 78.2 points a game.

A pair of freshmen led Michigan. Olivia Olson scored 20 points and Syla Swords scored 17 points.

South Carolina rallies in second half to KO Hoosiers: Bree Hall had 11 points and Chloe Kitts scored all her 10 points in the second half as top seed South Carolina pulled away after trailing at halftime to beat ninth-seeded Indiana 64-53 on Sunday in the women’s NCAA Tournament and reach the Sweet 16 for the 11th straight time.

South Carolina shot just 10 of 29 in the first half and trailed the Hoosiers 26-25 at the break. But the Gamecocks came out on fire in the third quarter, hitting nine of their first 10 shots for a 20-7 run to take control.