SOUTH BEND – If there was any doubt about the sturdiness and stamina of a repaired knee, the quality of her game because of significant missed time, or her ability to quickly connect with a new crop of teammates … well … forget about it.
Olivia Miles is back.
With the same old passion and purpose, she bounced around the Purcell Pavilion floor on Monday evening to deliver a triple-double – 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists – in her first official college basketball game since February of 2023, a 105-61 season-opening victory for No. 6 Notre Dame over Mercyhurst.
“I actually was talking to our videographer about it, like we manifested it,” Miles said afterward about the effort. “Because we were talking about the first game. He was like, ‘First game back, I need a triple double.’
“And I was like, ‘All right, let me just, let me try.’ But no, it's awesome to kind of see those meaningless words, at the time, come to fruition, and then experience that with my teammates. So, yeah, it was special.”
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It was the fourth triple-double of her career, the most ever in the Irish program.
“She just made some spectacular passes,” said Irish head coach Niele Ivey, who started her fifth season with an 89-32 mark. “So it was really amazing to watch.”
Maybe the best was in the first half, when Miles was dribbling on the right side of the key and, without a look, slung a long, sharp pass to an open Emma Risch deep in the left corner. Risch then drilled the 3-pointer to get a rise from the 7,183 fans on hand.
“She's a pass-first point guard,” Ivey said. “She has that incredible vision, and she just wants to share the ball and get her teammates going. So, that just speaks to her character.”
Her teammates have picked up on the “Miles way” already.
Pittsburgh grad transfer Liatu King, a 6-foot forward from Washington D.C., dominated inside. She led the Irish in points and rebounds with 24 and 11, respectively, and acknowledged “you don’t always know” when the pass from Miles is zinging your way, so always be ready.
King has the hands for it. And the moves and strength inside to get to the basket.
“I knew what I was getting with Liatu,” Ivey said. “She's one of the best, and she's just been phenomenal. She's been a sponge. She stepped in with her leadership, and the things that she brings skill-set wise is something different. And I'm just super grateful that she's a part of our family.”
Make no mistake about the contest – it was not a fair fight.
Mercyhurst — a school in Erie, Pa., with an enrollment of about 2,300 — is making the jump this season to Division I. The Lakers, without a player over 5-11, were meeting Notre Dame for the first time.
It made for a fine debut for starting 6-5 freshman power forward Kate Koval, who likely won’t have an easier path to the basket the rest of the season.
She went 9-for-11 from the field to finish with 18 points, mostly on layups as she easily sealed off the inside. Junior guard Cass Prosper, at 6-2, also got most of her 17 points in the lane.
Overall, the Irish dropped in 36 of 47 layup attempts – 82 points came in the paint – and shot 60% for the game, despite a lowly 3-for-17 mark from the 3-point line.
Risch, a sophomore whose freshman season ended in early January due to hip surgery after not playing at all in December, figures to eventually boost the Irish in that area but was just 1-for-8 on Monday.
The 17 Irish turnovers are a footnote in a rout of an outmanned Mercyhurst, but could sting against an opponent like Purdue, which the Irish face in West Lafayette, Ind., on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST (on FS1).
While Miles was making a triumphant return, star sophomore Hannah Hidalgo was getting off to a solid start with 19 points on 50% shooting, and with nine rebounds. But she did have just two assists to go with five turnovers.
Still, it appears, Hidalgo and Miles will play off each other well going forward.
Ivey said, “It’s like having two coaches on the floor.”
“I love watching them,” she said. “What you guys are seeing is what I've watched this summer and this preseason. It's just magical. It's fun to watch. They're both dynamic.”
They will need to stay that way if the season moves ahead as the Irish hope.
Only seven players, including former walk-on Sarah Cernugel, played in the opener.
Standout senior Sonia Citron remained out to rest an ailing ankle, but is likely to be ready for Purdue.
The same can’t be said for Marquette 6-2 grad transfer Liza Karlen, who is week to week with a foot injury suffered in the exhibition against Davenport on Wednesday.
Steady grad senior Maddy Westbeld, a 6-3 forward, is likely out until January, and 6-4 Kylee Watson is out indefinitely as she recovers from knee surgery.
“I know we're dealing with a little bit of adversity,” Ivey said. “Everybody is stepping up, being resilient, doing more, doing what it takes for us to be dominant. I’m so excited for this season, and this was a great way to start this year off with this ‘W’ at home.”
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