Notre Dame charges past Texas A&M to reach elite 8

NCAA Sweet 16 match up between Texas A&M Aggies vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Saturday March 30, 2019. (Photo by Carl Jones II / fi360 News)
NCAA Sweet 16 matchup between Texas A&M Aggies vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Saturday March 30, 2019. (Photo by Carl Jones II / fi360 News)

Chicago, IL – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish had just enough team defense to defeat Chennedy Carter and the Texas A&M Aggies 87-80, in the Sweet 16 matchup at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Saturday afternoon.

Notre Dame (33-3) now has beat Texas A&M in the regional-semifinal round for the second consecutive year.

Notre Dame Arike Ogunbowale led her team with 34 pts, while forward Jessica Shepard recorded a double double with 24 points and 14 rebounds.

Arike Ogunbowale before the NCAA Sweet 16 matchup between Texas A&M Aggies vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Saturday March 30, 2019. (Photo by Carl Jones II / fi360 News)

“Arike wins it with a defensive stop,” Irish coach Muffet McGraw said, needling her star on the postgame dais. “I think that should be the headline.”

Texas A&M guard Carter lead all players scoring 35 points, which gives her the second most points for an Aggie in a NCAA Tournament game.

Notre Dame started the third quarter with an 8-0 run capped off by a Brianna Turner layup.

NCAA Sweet 16 matchup between Texas A&M Aggies vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Saturday March 30, 2019. (Photo by Carl Jones II / fi360 News)

“It was super physical, but that’s basketball,” Arike said, “Having the crowd on our side like that definitely helped us a lot and (gave us) momentum. I’m glad the fans made the trip.”

In the 4th quarter Ogunbowale knocked down a 3 pointer that allowed the Irish never to looked back.

NCAA Sweet 16 matchup between Texas A&M Aggies vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Saturday March 30, 2019. (Photo by Carl Jones II / fi360 News)

After this victory Notre Dame earned it’s ninth trip to the Elite Eight in the past 10 years.

Next up will be No 2 seed Stanford in Monday nights Chicago Regional Championship game.