Basketball Preview: Notre Dame Tigers vs. Crystal Springs Uplands Gryphons
Notre Dame has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Crystal Springs Uplands Gryphons at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are closely ranked in California (Notre Dame is ranked 422nd, while the Gryphons are ranked 416th).
Last Tuesday, Notre Dame was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 44-38 to the Knights.
Notre Dame's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Sammy Kakala, who scored 13 points along with five rebounds and two steals, and Juila Oliveira-Killmon who scored ten points along with seven rebounds. Vivana Martinez was another key contributor, scoring eight points.
Meanwhile, Crystal Springs Uplands' recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their fifth straight defeat. They took a serious blow against Pinewood, falling 85-31. Crystal Springs Uplands has not had much luck with the Panthers recently, as the team's come up short the last two times they've met.
Notre Dame's record is now 9-8. As for Crystal Springs Uplands, they dropped their record down to 6-9 with that defeat, which was their third straight at home.
Notre Dame ended up a good deal behind the Gryphons when the teams last played back in January of 2023, losing 48-33. Can Notre Dame avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
