TCU Advances to Elite Eight with Thrilling Victory Over Notre Dame

TCU progresses to the Elite Eight of the NCAA women’s tournament following a suspenseful and dynamic matchup against Notre Dame in the Birmingham 3 region on Saturday afternoon.

Determined to propel the No. 2-seeded Horned Frogs to victory, Hailey Van Lith showcased her skills by scoring her team’s last six points of the third quarter and adding 12 more in the final 10 minutes. The senior guard ended the game with an impressive 26 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, making 10-of-21 shots. Her remarkable performance helped lead TCU past the fierce backcourt duo of Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles.

Van Lith is now in the Elite Eight for the third consecutive year, having previously reached a tournament regional final with Louisville and LSU in the last two seasons. She has made history as the first player—across both men’s and women’s divisions—to achieve this feat with three different teams.

“We embrace the challenge of every game being a battle. We don’t expect to win by 20 points,” Van Lith shared with the press on Friday, as reported by Yahoo Sports’ Cassandra Negley. “We don’t rely on the opposition missing all their shots. We thrive in close games. We know it’s going to be a battle, and we’re ready for it. Our mindset is very confident.”

Moreover, Van Lith’s stellar play set a new TCU record for most points scored in a single season.

Sedona Prince supported the team’s efforts with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists, and six blocks in her own intense showdown against Notre Dame’s Liatu King, achieving 11-of-12 on free throws. Madison Conner chipped in with 13 points, sinking 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. Collectively, the Horned Frogs swatted away 10 shots in the game, with Agnes Emma-Nnopu contributing three blocks.

The Horned Frogs kicked off the game on fire, sinking six of their first seven shots, including two from downtown, to establish a 16-9 lead. However, as TCU cooled down, Notre Dame’s shots, initially off the mark despite open looks, began to fall, allowing the Irish to secure and maintain a lead through halftime.

Despite holding a lead through the third quarter, Notre Dame saw TCU’s momentum build as the Irish struggled to contain King and Hidalgo. The duo consistently exploited TCU’s defense, often set up by Miles’ skillful passes.

King led Notre Dame with 17 points and 10 rebounds, making eight of her nine attempts. Hidalgo added 15 points and four steals, though she struggled with accuracy, connecting on just 3-of-19 shots. She missed a crucial free throw with only 24 seconds left, which could have narrowed TCU’s lead to six points. Miles also faced shooting difficulties, hitting just 3-of-10 from the field, though she did make 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.

TCU is set to face either No. 5 seed Tennessee (24-9) or No. 1 seed Texas (33-3) in the Elite Eight matchup slated for Monday at 7 p.m. ET.