SOUTH BEND — Niele Ivey said it just two days before Notre Dame women’s basketball hosted North Carolina State: The Irish are a different team when their identity is based in defense. The sixth-year head coach’s words were certainly true Sunday, Feb. 15 against the Wolfpack. In a game where Notre Dame at one point led by as much as 27 points, it beat NC State 79-67 thanks to forcing the visitors to give the ball away 22 times — the most Wolfpack turnovers all season. Off of those takeaways, 17 of which were steals, the Irish scored 24 points compared to NC State’s two off Notre Dame’s 11 turnovers. “Right from the beginning...
