"The top-ranked Fighting Irish and second-ranked Spartans entered the contest with star-studded rosters, boasting 11 first-team All-Americans between them, five second-team honorees, and eight future Hall of Fame players and coaches.

"Notre Dame’s challenges began even before kickoff. Unanimous All-America halfback Nick Eddy suffered a shoulder injury after slipping in the snow while disembarking the train in East Lansing. Early in the game, the Irish were dealt another blow when quarterback Terry Hanratty was sidelined following a hard hit from Michigan State’s Bubba Smith. His replacement, Coley O’Brien, managed the offense while battling his own challenges as a diabetic, relying on candy bars and oranges on the sidelines to maintain his blood sugar levels.

Michigan State struck first in the second quarter, with Regis Cavender capping a drive with a four-yard touchdown run. The lead extended to 10-0 after Dick Kenny, the Spartans’ barefoot kicker from Hawaii, nailed a 46-yard field goal.

Notre Dame responded before halftime with a 34-yard touchdown pass from O’Brien to Bob Gladieux—stepping in for the injured Eddy—making it 10-7 at the break.

The second half ... Irish embarked on a determined march into Spartan territory, culminating in Joe Azzaro’s 27-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 10-10........

Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian faced criticism for his conservative play-calling in the closing moments, with many speculating that he was content to settle for a tie. Parseghian defended his decisions, citing an offense missing three starters, an exhausted quarterback managing diabetes, and the risk of a costly turnover that could give Michigan State a chance to win with their with their reliable kicker.

The 10-10 tie left Notre Dame narrowly ahead of Michigan State in the AP poll by just three points. The Big Ten’s “no-repeat” rule prevented the Spartans from making a Rose Bowl appearance, ending their season that week. Meanwhile, Notre Dame solidified its claim to the national championship with a resounding 51-0 victory over 10th-ranked USC. (Source)

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Truly a run-by-committee approach. Assuming Adon Shuler will be all over this game. 465 total yards rushing.

Live box score

I watched the early games. The play is physical in the paint but the point guard in both games so far is lightly guarded. CC won the MVP for the FIBA qualifying tourney (which included PB and AR). This style is ideally suited for CC. The officials call the fouls and ignore the jostling in the paint. Very consistent officiating.

LIVE BOXSCORE

https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/games/128134-USA-CHN#boxscore

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