Kayla McBride

The Notre Dame women’s basketball team missed its goal of winning a national title during the 2012-13 season.

However, free-throw shooting couldn’t be blamed for the Fighting Irish’s falling short. ND’s four leading scorers each shot over 80 percent, and Villa Maria graduate Kayla McBride led the way.

McBride became the first Notre Dame women’s basketball player to shoot 90 percent from the foul line in a single season.

In today’s Erie Times-News On Campus notebook, read more about McBride’s three-throw school record and see where her career point total will stand going into her senior season.

Amanda Shields

Ashley Black

Also in today’s notes, read about the big doubleheader that Fort LeBoeuf graduates Ashley Black and Amanda Shields had while leading the Edinboro softball team to a sweep of Gannon last week.

In addition, check out notes on four PSAC Top Ten Award winners — Edinboro’s Tabitha Bemis, Mercyhurst’s Luis Leao, Gannon’s Jen Papich and Clarion’s Kayla Shull.

Read about all of that and more in the Times-News On Campus notebook.

Kayla McBride was named to an All-America team for the second time this season Friday. AP PHOTO

Villa Maria graduate Kayla McBride and the Notre Dame women’s basketball team will meet archrival Connecticut in the Final Four tonight.

The Fighting Irish (35-1) will go for their third straight appearance in the NCAA championship game and will attempt to beat UConn (33-4) for the fourth consecutive time this season. Today’s game is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN.

The winner will advance to Tuesday night’s title game against the winner of tonight’s first game between Louisville (28-8) and California (32-3), which is set for a 6:30 start.

McBride, a 5-foot 11-inch junior guard, has been one a roll lately after playing three of her best games against UConn. McBride joined teammate Skylar Diggins on the 10-player Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-America Team Friday. Earlier, she was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press.

Read previous McBride posts on the On Campus blog.

Check out Notre Dame’s preview video:

Also, take a look at the Fighting Irish at the Final Four:

Kayla McBride

Like most of her Notre Dame teammates, Kayla McBride struggled during the first half of Tuesday’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight women’s basketball game against Duke.

However, after trailing by six points at halftime, McBride and the No. 2-ranked Fighting Irish recovered to pull away for an 87-76 win in Norfolk, Va., as Notre Dame claimed its 30th consecutive win and earned a third straight trip to the Final Four. No. 5 Duke closed at 33-4.

McBride, a Villa Maria graduate, made 3-for-4 shots in the second half — all 3-pointers — and scored 11 second-half points on her way to 18 for the game. She also dished out seven assists. She had made only three of her first 13 field-goal attempts during the game.

ND senior Skylar Diggans scored 24 points and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Norfolk Regional. McBride, who was named a third-team All-American Tuesday, also made the regional’s all-tournament team.

Notre Dame (35-1) will face archrival Connecticut Sunday night in the Final Four. The Irish have swept three games from UConn this season and have beaten the Huskies in the past two Final Four matchups. Notre Dame has been the national runner-up two consecutive years.

Here’s the postgame press conference, including McBride:

Kayla McBride

Villa Maria graduate Kayla McBride got some good news before the Notre Dame women’s basketball team’s NCAA Tournament game tonight against Duke.

McBride was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press today.

It’s the latest honor for the 5-foot 11-inch junior, who earlier was named to the Big East Conference first team and the WBCA All-Region I team. She claimed Most Valuable Player in the Big East Tournament and made the watch lists for the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award.

McBride is averaging 15.9 points per game this season. She is also averaging 21 points per game in three NCAA Tournament games.

In addition, Notre Dame senior Skylar Diggins was named All-America first team today, and junior forward Natalie Achonwa was named honorable mention.

The Fighting Irish (34-1) will take on Duke (33-2) in an Elite Eight game today at 7 p.m. in Norfolk, Va. The game will be televised by ESPN. Notre Dame finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the country, while Duke was No. 5.

Check out Notre Dame’s pregame video:

Kayla McBride is averaging 25 points per game in two NCAA games, including 28 Tuesday vs. Iowa. AP PHOTO

Villa Maria graduate Kayla McBride, who has been red hot during the postseason, will lead the Notre Dame women’s basketball team against Kansas today in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 round.

The Fighting Irish (33-1) will face Kansas (20-13) in the Sweet 16 at noon today in Norfolk, Va., in a game that will be televised by ESPN.

McBride scored a career-high 28 points in a victory over Iowa Tuesday, when she poured in 24 in the first half. She was featured in an Associated Press story this weekend.

Notre Dame, ranked No. 2 nationally, has been the national runner-up each of the past two seasons.

Check out Notre Dame’s preview video:

Kayla McBride

Villa Maria graduate Kayla McBride continued her hot play for the Notre Dame women’s basketball team Tuesday night.

McBride scored a career-best 28 points in the top-seeded Fighting Irish’s 74-57 win over Iowa on Iowa’s home court.

She scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds in ND’s first-round win Sunday.

McBride had a particularly hot first half Tuesday, when she poured in 24 points. The 5-foot-10 inch junior guard sank 8-of-13 field goals during the half, including 4-of-5 3-point field goals. She also made all four of her first-half, free-throw attempts.

“Kayla McBride was phenomenal in the first half against their zone. She got any shot she wanted and was making just about every shot she took,” Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said.

Here are a photo gallery and the game’s final stats.

Watch McBride, among others, in the postgame press conference:

Kirsten Olowinski

Sarah Hansen

Kayla McBride

Villa Maria grad Kayla McBride and the Notre Dame women’s basketball team received the expected No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament on Monday.

The Fighting Irish (31-1) will play 16th-seeded Tennessee-Martin, the Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion,  at 5:05 p.m. Sunday in Iowa City, Iowa. The game will be televised by ESPN2.

Meanwhile, General McLane graduate Sarah Hansen and Mercyhurst Prep grad Kirsten Olowinski will continue their seasons in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

Hansen, a junior guard, and Florida Gulf Coast (27-6) will host Big South Conference member Winthrop (20-11) in a first-round game Thursday at 7 p.m. The WNIT has a 64-team field.

Olowinski will conclude her college career with Miami (Ohio) in the WNIT. The RedHawks (19-12) will visit Big Ten member Illinois (16-13) Thursday at a time to be determined today

Kirsten Olowinski

Sarah Hansen

Kayla McBride

Three area women’s basketball stars and their teams will wait to see where they fit into the Division I postseason picture tonight.

Villa Maria graduate Kayla McBride and her Notre Dame teammates are guaranteed to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, thanks to their 31-1 record and No. 2 national ranking. Tonight they’ll find out their opponent, in addition to the site, date and time of their opener. The Fighting Irish have been the NCAA Division I runner-up the past two seasons.

General McLane grad Sarah Hansen and Florida Gulf Coast University are hoping to earn their second straight berth to the NCAA Tournament. However, the Eagles (27-6) are on the bubble after losing in the championship game of the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament. Florida Gulf Coast is currently ranked No. 11 among mid-major teams, but the Eagles might have to settle for a WNIT berth. The WNIT also is scheduled to announce its field tonight.

Mercyhurst Prep grad Kirsten Olowinski is seeking to prolong her career at Miami (Ohio) by at least one more game. The RedHawks (19-12) lost in the Mid-American Conference tournament and will hope to claim a spot in the WNIT or the Women’s Basketball Invitational. Both are scheduled to announce their invitees tonight.

Kayla McBride

Villa Maria graduate Kayla McBride is making a habit of playing her best basketball against one of the nation’s premier programs.

McBride scored a game-high 23 points Tuesday night while helping Notre Dame to a 61-59 victory over rival Connecticut in the Big East tournament championship game. McBride was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament as Notre Dame won its first Big East tournament title.

The 5-foot 11-inch junior guard made an array of shots on jumpers and drives to help the No. 2 Fighting Irish improve to 31-1.

In three games against UConn this season, McBride has average 23.3 points per game. She scored a then-career-high 21 points in their first matchup and a poured in a career-high 26 recently when Notre Dame clinched an unbeaten Big East regular season with a win over the Huskies.

During Tuesday night’s ESPN telecast, both an announcer and Irish point guard Skylar Diggins suggested that McBride deserves to be selected as an All-American.

McBride and Notre Dame will now focus on the NCAA Tournament. The Irish are certain to be a No. 1 seed.

Check out some highlights from Tuesday.

Kirsten Olowinski

Mercyhurst Prep graduate and Miami (Ohio) forward Kirsten Olowinski was named to the Mid-American Conference all-star team’s second team Friday.

It marks the third time that Olowinski, a senior, has made the all-MAC team after being selected to the third team as a junior and making honorable mention as a sophomore. She also made the MAC’s all-freshman team in 2009-10.

The 6-foot 1- inch forward ranks second on the Miami team with an 11.7 points per game average, and she leads the MAC in rebounding with 10.5 per game. Olowinski became the ‘Hawks all-time leading rebounder earlier this season and currently ranks third in MAC history with 1,123 career rebounds — one behind the No. 2 rebounder.

Olowinski and the Redhawks will open play in the MAC tournament today at 2 p.m. when sixth-seeded Miami hosts 11th-seeded Ohio.

Olowinski became the third former Erie County high school star to make an NCAA Division I women’s basketball all-conference team this week. She follows Kayla McBride in the Big East and Sarah Hansen in the Atlantic Sun Conference.