SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Welcome back, Olivia Miles.
On Monday, No. 6 Notre Dame (1-0) downed Mercyhurst (0-1) in the 2024-25 opener, 105-61. It was the Irish’s 30th consecutive victory in a home opener.
Miles posted a triple-double in her first game back from a February 2023 ACL tear, notching 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. It is her fourth career triple-double, which is the most in Notre Dame history and second most in ACC history. She is also the first player in ACC history to record a triple-double in three different basketball seasons.
“[The assists] just show her unselfishness,” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said after the game. “She’s a pass-first point guard, she has incredible vision, and she just wants to share the ball and get her teammates going.
“That just speaks on her character.”
Notre Dame set the tone out of the gate on Monday with a Miles trey and had a lead as large as 32 in the first half. Three Irish reached double-figures through two quarters: Liatu King (18), Hannah Hidalgo (10) and Kate Koval (10). King led the group with 7 boards, Hidalgo in steals (3) and Koval in blocks (3).
In total, Notre Dame had 40 points in the paint in the first half. The Irish averaged 37.6 paint points per game last season.
Mercyhurst played relatively well out of the break, scoring 20 points and holding Notre Dame to 23 in the third. But using a major height advantage, the Irish continued to dominate down low and finished with 42 paint points in the second half for a total of 82 on the night. Notre Dame shot 60 percent from the floor.
By the buzzer, five Notre Dame players finished with at least 17 points: King (24), Miles (20), Hidalgo (19), Koval (18) and Cassandre Prosper (17). In addition to Miles’ triple-double, King had a double-double with 11 rebounds. Other notable marks include Koval’s 5 blocks and Hidalgo’s 6 steals. Koval’s 5 rejections were the most by a Notre Dame player in a season opener since Devereaux Peters did it in 2007. She was also a freshman.
Next up, Notre Dame plays at Purdue on Sunday. The Boilermakers open their season on Wednesday against Purdue Fort Wayne.