| GAME 12 | No. 3 Notre Dame (9-2) vs Loyola MD (5-4) |
|---|---|
| WHEN: | Sunday, Dec. 22 | 12 p.m. |
| WHERE | South Bend, Ind. | Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center |
| WATCH: | ACCNX |
| LISTEN: | Notre Dame Radio Network |
| SOCIAL: | @NDWBB | #GOIRISH |
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Between them there are 2,533 victories, 27 Final Fours, 10 national titles and a winning percentage of .768. To say Notre Dame-Tennessee is a clash of two historic programs is a great understatement.
On Wednesday, two of college basketball’s biggest brands will clash in Knoxville as part of the first annual ACC/SEC Challenge. The teams have already played some classics, including a 2018 victory for Notre Dame that featured the program’s largest comeback victory ever (23 points). The Lady Vols won the last matchup, a 74-63 win on Nov. 11, 2019.
As far as this year’s game goes, both teams are ranked in the top 20 of the AP Poll — Notre Dame (5-1) is 18th, while Tennessee (4-2) is 20th. The Lady Vols are coming off of a tough stretch that featured back-to-back ranked opponents in Indiana and Oklahoma. They went 1-1 with the win coming over the then-No. 22 Sooners.
Both teams may be without multiple starters on Wednesday, as the Irish are missing Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron, while Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson could also be out with a lower body injury. The star forward leads the team with 22 points and 12 rebounds per game.
“They have good shooters, good rebounders, good athleticism,” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said. “So it’s going to be a great matchup. We’re excited.”
The Irish will see a familiar face across the court in Jewel Spear. She spent three years at Wake Forest before transferring to Tennessee this year. She is posting 13.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game with her new squad. Notre Dame has had success limiting Spear in the past; she had just 5 points and 2-11 from the floor last January in South Bend.
Wednesday’s game will tip off on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. Notre Dame is 8-22 all-time against Tennessee.