EASTON, Pa. — The close to 70 family and friends of Olivia Miles who were on hand at the Kirby Sports Center on Sunday witnessed a homecoming to remember.
Miles, who hails from just a 5 minute drive from Lafayette, had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists in a 91-55 rout of the Leopards (2-2). No. 6 Notre Dame is now 4-0 on the season heading to No. 3 USC next weekend.
The floor general from Phillipsburg, N.J., wasn’t the only one with a notable stat line for an Irish team that sank a record-breaking 15 treys, 11 of which came in the first half. The Irish went 6-8 from deep in the second quarter alone.
“I thought we had a great team win,” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said after the game. “Really fun to watch. We’ve had a lot of [lineup] changes, so our rhythm has just been what we have available. We’re constantly pivoting and adjusting, but that’s a credit to the character of this group.”
That's four first-half triples for Hannah and 11 total for the Irish 😅😅😅
📺 ESPN+#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/rvoPefOtVJ
— Notre Dame Women's Basketball (@ndwbb) November 17, 2024
At the buzzer, five players were once again in double-figures for the Irish — Miles, Hannah Hidalgo (29), Emma Risch (12), Kate Koval (11) and Sonia Citron (10). Of Notre Dame’s 34 made field goals, 24 of them came with an assist.
Koval led Notre Dame with 19 rebounds and 7 blocks, marking the first time an Irish player recorded that many rejections since 2017 (Brianna Turner). Her 19 boards were just three shy of tying the Irish record.
“That was an amazing performance for anyone, let alone a freshman,” Ivey said. “She stepped up and did what needed to be done. She’s bringing it every game.”
In two games this week, Koval had 25 points, 35 rebounds and 13 blocks. She has 22 blocks on the year, 10 more than anyone else in the ACC.
Up next, the Irish have the Trojans in the aforementioned top-five showdown in Los Angeles. The game will air on NBC and tip off at 1 p.m.