Notre Dame's Olivia Miles credits 'confidence' for historic win vs. Pittsburgh
02/14/2025 09:26 AM
Olivia Miles tied a Notre Dame women's basketball record with eight three-pointers in the Fighting Irish's dominant 88-57 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday night, marking the team's 17th consecutive win. Miles credited her confidence and a new perspective developed after her injury for her standout performance.
“I think a lot of it is just my confidence,” Miles said during the post-game press conference. “My injury changed my perspective on a lot of things. I learned not to take missing shots too seriously. … It changed my perspective in-game and (helped me) get over things a lot quicker.”
Miles finished with 28 points, 20 of which came in the first half, as Notre Dame (22-2, 13-0 ACC) outscored Pitt 27-12 in the second quarter to take control of the game. Sonia Citron added 22 points and 10 rebounds, connecting on four three-pointers. The Fighting Irish made a season-high 14 shots from beyond the arc, continuing Notre Dame’s trend of blowout victories, with their last three wins all coming by margins of 30 points or more.
Despite a quiet offensive night from Notre Dame women’s basketball star Hannah Hidalgo, who scored a season-low 11 points, she contributed on the defensive end with seven steals, breaking Notre Dame's single-season steals record for a sophomore. The Fighting Irish defense proved pivotal in the game, forcing turnovers and stifling Pitt's attempts to mount a comeback after a competitive first quarter.
Pitt's Khadija Faye was a bright spot for the Panthers (11-15, 3-10), recording her 12th double-double of the season with 23 points and 16 rebounds. Mikayla Johnson added 15 points, while Marley Washenitz chipped in with 13. However, Pitt's hopes of securing their first win over a top-five opponent fell short, as Notre Dame's firepower from three-point range proved too much to overcome.
Notre Dame women’s basketball remains in control of the ACC standings and will face No. 13 Duke on Monday. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh will look to bounce back when they host Virginia on Sunday.
Reporting from the Associated Press' Dan Scifo contributed to this article.
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