| GAME 10 | No. 19 Notre Dame (7-2, 1-0) at JMU (8-3) |
|---|---|
| WHEN: | Sunday, Dec. 14 | 4:00 p.m. ET |
| WHERE | Atlantic Union Bank Center | Harrisonburg, Va. |
| WATCH: | ESPN+ |
| LISTEN: | Notre Dame Radio Network |
| SOCIAL: | @NDWBB | #GOIRISH |
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame women’s basketball will be back on the Joyce Center court on Thursday, as the No. 15 Irish host Purdue Northwest for an exhibition showdown. The Irish finished 28-6 last year, won a share of the ACC regular season title, and earned a fourth consecutive Sweet 16 berth.
This year’s Notre Dame team boasts seven newcomers, but the Irish also return one of the nation’s most prolific scorers and the ACC Preseason Player of the Year in Hannah Hidalgo. Now a junior, Hidalgo averaged a program-record 23.8 points per game last season en route to being named ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. She was also a finalist for nearly every national award, including the Naismith and Wooden Player of the Year honors.
An All-American as a freshman and sophomore, Hidalgo is one of just four women’s collegiate basketball players to ever be named an AP All-American in their first two seasons.
While there are different faces on the Notre Dame roster this year, it is an experienced group. This season’s team has made 297 total NCAA starts over the course of their careers. Of the newcomers, Malaya Cowles and Vanessa de Jesus have ACC experience. After five years at Duke, de Jesus arrives in South Bend with three NCAA Tournament appearances and a 2025 Elite Eight berth with the Blue Devils. Cowles boasts a lifetime shooting percentage of 55.0 and averaged 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season for Wake Forest, both career highs. When Notre Dame hosted the Demon Deacons last year, Cowles had a 15/10 double-double.
Vanderbilt transfer Iyana Moore also brings a vast amount of experience and scoring ability to this Irish roster. With the Commodores, she was named to the All-SEC Second Team as a junior and has 1310 career points. Moore scored in double-figures 23 times last year.
“I know this group works,” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey told the media on Wednesday. “They’re very intentional with the way that they defend, the way that they play together. They’re sharing the ball and doing a great job of learning each other.
“It’s been a lot of fun to see them come together.”
Thursday’s exhibition will begin at 7 p.m. It will not be televised.