What to know about Notre Dame women’s basketball vs. Louisville
It’s always special when a ranked matchup on the final day of the regular season means something. No. 22 Louisville at No. 17 Notre Dame means a whole lot.
Neither team is going to win the regular season ACC title. Virginia Tech already has that wrapped up. But the winner of Sunday’s game in South Bend will be the No. 4 seed at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., later this week.
It’s the difference between having to play on Thursday as the No. 5 seed or getting an extra day of rest with the double bye granted to the top four seeds. Every bit of rest and being one step closer to raising a trophy are always important factors this time of year.
Here’s what you need to know about the Irish hosting the Cardinals.
Notre Dame women’s basketball vs. No. 22 Louisville game info
- Teams: No. 17 Notre Dame (22-6, 12-5 ACC) and No. 22 Louisville 23-7, 12-5)
- Head coaches: Niele Ivey (83-31, fourth year at Notre Dame); Jeff Walz (463-132, 17th year at Louisville)
- Date: March 3 2024
- Location: Purcell Pavilion (South Bend, Ind.)
- Time: 2 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN
- TV broadcasters: Pam Ward and Kelly Gramlich
- Radio: 99.9 WQLQ-FM in South Bend
- Radio broadcaster: Sean Stires
Matchup notables
• Louisville won the other meeting between these two teams, 73-66, at the KFC Yum! Center on Feb. 8. Notre Dame freshman point guard Hannah Hidalgo scored 30 points. Nobody else on the Irish had more than 9.
• The Irish are coming off a balanced effort against No. Virginia Tech, though. Hidalgo, junior guard Sonia Citron and senior center Maddy Westbeld combined for 63 of the Irish’s 71 points. A valiant defensive effort by all involved held the Hokies to 58 points. Potential back-to-back ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley only had 12 points and 9 rebounds.
• Oddly, Louisville has been on a win one, lose one stretch since the beginning of February. The Cardinals beat Syracuse on the first of the month and have been back and forth with a 5-4 record ever since. If the Jekyll and Hyde pattern continues, the Cards are due for a loss to Notre Dame.
• Louisville has had a different leading scorer in five consecutive games. What hurt the Irish the first time around was the Cardinals ability to rely on someone new every time down the floor. Four Louisville players are averaging between 10.6 and 13.2 points per game this season. The Cardinals are led by guard Kiki Jefferson at that 13.2 mark. She had 12 points in the first matchup. Sophomore guard Nyla Harris led Louisville with a career-high 19 that night.
