SPORTS

Notre Dame women's basketball sent to 2022 NCAA Tournament as No. 5 seed in Bridgeport Regional

Anthony Anderson

Tribune Correspondent

Mar 5, 2022; Greensboro, NC, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Olivia Miles (5) shoots past Miami Hurricanes forward Naomi Mbandu (35) during the third quarter at Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-USA TODAY Sports

Following a two-year purgatory, normalcy as it pertains to Notre Dame women’s basketball was restored Sunday night with the Irish landing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

► More:ACC honors for Notre Dame freshmen Citron and Miles indicate bright future or Irish

► More:After ACC semifinal loss, Notre Dame women are on pause ahead of NCAA Tournament

Fifth-seeded ND (22-8) will face No. 12 seed Massachusetts (26-6) on Saturday in Norman, Okla. The winner plays Monday against the survivor between fourth-seeded host Oklahoma (24-8) and No. 13 seed IUPUI (24-4).

Times were not immediately announced.

NCAA Tournament history

The two-time national champion Irish had racked up 24 straight NCAA Tourney appearances from 1996 to 2019.

The 2020 tourney was canceled due to the pandemic, but at 13-18, ND would not have made it anyway in what wound up the last of Hall of Fame coach Muffet McGraw’s 33 seasons.

Then last year, in coach Niele Ivey’s rookie season, the Irish went 10-10 and were on the selection bubble before ultimately being declined a bid.

Now they’re back and they’re part of the Bridgeport (Conn.) Regional. The No. 1 seed in that region is North Carolina State (29-3) — a team Notre Dame beat this season.