The Niele Ivey era for Notre Dame women’s basketball tips off at noon EST this Friday, Nov. 27, at Ohio University.
It will be the first of four non-league games before beginning the 20-game Atlantic Coast Conference campaign Dec. 13. As indicated earlier this fall, the Notre Dame-UConn was put on hold this year because of COVID-19, and the non-conference slate was going to be provincial with nearby states.
Following the opener with the Bobcats this Friday, No. 22-ranked Notre Dame will host five straight games at home:
Sunday, Nov. 29: Miami (Ohio) — 4 p.m. on ACC Network
Thursday, Dec. 3: Michigan — 6 p.m. on ACC Network. The Wolverines are ranked No. 25, and were upset last year at home by Notre Dame, 76-72.
Sunday, Dec. 6: IUPI — 2 p.m., on ACCNX
The ACC season begins the following Sunday (Dec. 13) when the Irish host Georgia Tech and then welcome in Virginia Tech four days later (Dec. 17). Most of the ACC season will have a regular Thursday-Sunday pattern.
One of the game’s top three superpowers from 2010-19 with seven Final Fours and a national title, the Fighting Irish plummeted to a 13-18 mark last season but are expected to be back on the upswing with a youth-laden lineup that last year featured three ACC All-Freshman in forward Sam Brunelle and guards Katlyn Gilbert and Anaya Peoples, who missed the last month-and-a-half with shoulder surgery.
Five incoming freshmen, led by 6-3 forward and McDonald’s All-American Maddy Westbeld, and standout Virginia Tech transfer and junior guard Dara Mabrey, one of the nation’s top three-point shooters the past two years, supply more options in the lineup.
Senior center Mikayla Vaughn is projected to miss the first month of the season while recovering from spring knee surgery. In the 15-team ACC, Notre Dame has been projected to finish fourth by a Blue Ribbon panel, and sixth by the coaches, with the latter placing them right on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
The full schedule with most of the starting times and television listings can be found here.
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