NC State used a 9-0 double-overtime run to fight off No. 1 Notre Dame, holding the Irish scoreless for four minutes to earn a 104-95 upset. The Wolfpack put up the most points against an AP No. 1 team in the last 25 seasons, snapped the Irish’s 19-game win streak and marked the program’s first home win over a No. 1 ranked team since 1978.
The upset also delayed the Irish from clinching the ACC regular season title. Notre Dame moves to 24-3 overall, while the Wolfpack improve to 22-5.
Entering the fourth quarter down three, the Wolfpack turned to sophomore Zoe Brooks. Brooks produced 14 of NC State’s 27 fourth-quarter points, going 3-of-4 from the field but additionally a crucial 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Brooks tallied a career-high of 33 points on the day.
The Wolfpack went 12-of-12 from the line as a unit, keeping them right on the Irish’s heels in a fourth quarter that featured 11 different ties. NC State entered the matchup ranked No. 312 in DI women’s basketball for its percentage as a team at the free throw line.
Brooks converted two attempts at the line after a foul from Hidalgo, handing the Wolfpack an 82-79 lead. Brooks’ conversions then put the Irish in a corner, with Sonia Citron then providing the answer as regulation ended.
With just four seconds left on the clock, Olivia Miles found Citron cutting to the ball in sideline out-of-bounds action. Citron then took three dribbles, heaving a 3-pointer with only inches between her and Brooks. Citron drained the shot right before the buzzer, sending it to overtime.
SONIA CITRON TRIPLE!! She really did that!!
📺ESPN#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/m2gXBPggkP
— Notre Dame Women’s Basketball (@ndwbb) February 23, 2025
Both groups continued to trade buckets throughout the first overtime period. Citron answered again for the Irish, making a layup to give Notre Dame a 92-90 edge with 42 seconds left. James tied it for the Wolfpack at 92-92, sinking a floater.
Coming out of a timeout, the Irish were presented with the chance to end it once and for all with three seconds remaining in overtime. Citron inbounded the ball this time, pitching it to Miles, who missed the 3-pointer attempt. Double-overtime.
The Wolfpack opened the second extra period on a 6-0 run, holding the Irish scoreless for two and a half minutes. Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey was forced to use a timeout to assess the damage with her group. The very next play, the Wolfpack defense forced a Notre Dame turnover. The run swelled to 9-0, marking the largest lead of the entire game.
Citron, Hidalgo and Miles all recorded 20+ points for the Irish, but it wasn’t enough to edge out the Wolfpack. All five NC State starters finished in double figures.
