Every year the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament provides us with countless memories, surprises, upsets and some of the best competitive basketball we see all year.
In spirt of the madness that comes with March, Indiana Fever guard Lindsay Allen is reminiscing about her time at the University of Notre Dame.
“When I first got there, I think they had been to four Final Fours in a row,” Allen replied. “And you don’t want to be a part of the team that doesn’t get to the Final Four. So, I was just like I have to come in here and do my job.”
In her freshman and sophomore year, not only did the Lady Irish make it back-to-back Final Fours, but also the National Championship game losing nail-biters to UConn in 2014 and 2015.
From there, the Lady Irish continued to be one of the top teams in college basketball, making it all the way to the Sweet 16 in 2016, Allen’s junior year. Followed by the Elite 8 in 2017, Allen’s final season.
By the end of her collegiate career, Allen owned Notre Dame and ACC career assist records, finishing with 841 in her career – a mark that’s 22nd in NCAA history. She also went on to receive ACC Tournament MVP honors, recording a tournament-record 33 assists and leading Notre Dame to a 4th consecutive conference title.
For Allen, she has fond memories of each season, especially the tournament’s intensity.
“I will say the WNBA playoffs and Finals are similar, but it’s also different. The tournament is win or go home, and so there’s pressure in that just because like, if you don’t win, you’re going to go home. Even so with the WBA finals, yes, it’s a series, but you’re playing the same team, three to five games, whatever the case may be. It’s like everyone knows each other’s plays at this point. We know each other’s tendencies; we know everything about the other team. It’s really just who’s going to be the best team that day and the same thing in the tournament.”
“In the tournament, sometimes we had battles with teams that were the the eighth or ninth seed, but they were really good team, and they were hyped up to play us and would play well. Then you have seniors, not wanting to end their career and wanting to win and make it to the final four for their schools and all that sort of stuff. So yeah, the intensity is always very high.”
As for her advice for the young ladies in this year’s tournament, Allen says take nothing for granted.
“I think it’s just the usual advice of don’t take it for granted because it really flies by,” Allen replied. “I can’t believe four years flew by that quickly. So don’t take it for granted, have fun out there with your teammates and just do your best to leave everything you have on the floor, because there’s nothing else like it once you leave college.”