| GAME 10 | No. 8 Notre Dame (7-2) vs No. 2 Connecticut (8-0) |
|---|---|
| WHEN: | Thursday, Dec. 12 | 7 p.m. |
| WHERE | South Bend, Ind. | Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center |
| WATCH: | ESPN |
| LISTEN: | Notre Dame Radio Network |
| SOCIAL: | @NDWBB | #GOIRISH |
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A rivalry renewed.
On Thursday, No. 8 Notre Dame (7-2) hosts former BIG EAST Conference foe and second-ranked Connecticut (8-0) at Purcell Pavilion with a giant resume-boosting win on the line.
“This [game] is something I think women’s basketball fans look forward to,” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said on Wednesday. “We get a chance to see them early, see where we’re at. They’re No. 2 in the country and playing really high-level, elite basketball, so it’s a great opportunity for us.”
While Connecticut has dominated the rivalry historically, Notre Dame has won back-to-back meetings by double-digits, and the Irish stars have shown out each outing. Last season, Hannah Hidalgo dropped 34 points on the Huskies and drew a lot of attention, allowing Maddy Westbeld to serve as a silent assassin and score 23 points. The Irish walked away with an 82-67 win.
The last time the rivals met in South Bend, Olivia Miles had 21 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block en route to a 74-60 victory. Westbeld had 17 points and 9 boards herself, including going 3-5 from beyond the arc. The Irish led for more than 33 minutes of the matchup and shot 56.1 percent from the floor.
Thursday is the first time the Huskies will face both Hidalgo and Miles together. The elite backcourt that also features Sonia Citron combined for 69 points against Syracuse on Sunday in a 93-62 win, and the three guards have produced 13 performances of 20+ points already this season.
Connecticut brings a star-studded group to the table as well, including All-American Paige Bueckers and freshman sensation Sarah Strong. Bueckers is averaging 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season. Strong is the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week after back-to-back performances of 20+ points last week and 15 rebounds in two games. As a team, the Huskies lead the nation with a 51.8 success rate from the floor.
Of note, typical UConn starter Azzi Fudd is unlikely to play after suffering a knee sprain last weekend against Louisville. She had 18 points in 18 minutes before leaving with the injury against the Cardinals.
In addition to the top-10 matchup on the court, Thursday’s game is the 2024 Shamrock Classic. Notre Dame will wear green, and there is additional programming aspects around the game, including a Shamrock Classic social, which is a dinner and celebration of women leaders at Notre Dame prior to the game.
Thursday’s matchup tips off on ESPN at 7 p.m. Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe will be on the call.