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The Notre Dame women's basketball team (31-1) will begin its latest quest for an NCAA national championship by first hosting 16th-seeded North Carolina A&T. Assuming the Irish can avoid a monumental upset, they could land in an interesting second-round matchup against their cross-state counterparts, the ninth-seeded Indiana Hoosiers. While the Lady Irish are unquestionably the favorites to make it out of the Lexington Regional, it won't be an easy road. Maryland, Kentucky, Stanford, and Miami are only a few of the potential pitfalls that stand in the way.
Notre Dame vs. North Carolina A&T
Date: Saturday, March 19
Time: 6:30 PM ET
Location: Purcell Pavillion, Notre Dame
The Lady Irish have reached the tournament's final game in four out of the past five years. The last time the Irish didn't reach the final four was in 2010. While that run is dynasty-esque in a way that recalls the 1990s Buffalo Bills, you can bet Muffet McGraw and company are plenty hungry to finish the job this time around. Their lone loss in the 2015-2016 was a ten-point road loss at the hands of their perennial nemesis, the currently undefeated Connecticut Huskies. As most Irish fans know, there is no love lost between McGraw and UConn coach Gene Auriemma.