That Notre Dame could beat lesser women’s basketball teams never was in question going into this season. But how would it fare with the best of the best?
The answer to that question couldn’t be more clear now after the Irish defeated UConn, 79-68, at Purcell Pavilion. Not only was this their third win in as many seasons over the Huskies, but also their third win over a top-five opponent. We only are a month into the season, and this team has proven that it belongs in the national championship conversation, not that it wasn’t already.
It would be easy to say the rest of the regular season will be a breeze for the Irish, but we’ve seen them have letdowns before. Going winless in the Cayman Islands Classic this past Thanksgiving weekend is evidence of that. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that they are one heck of a team.
Here are five things we learned about the Irish in this win:
Hannah Hidalgo somehow keeps getting better
Just when you think Hannah Hidalgo has proven all that she can, she keeps raising the bar for herself. Not only did she have 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but she hit a career-high six 3-pointers, the last of which came at the third-quarter buzzer. Every time the lights shine bright, she always shows out, and there’s no reason to think she won’t do it again next time.
Olivia Miles won’t let a minor injury stop her
Irish fans held their breath when Olivia Miles turned her ankle early in the game and later went to the locker room before the first half ended. But she played in the second half without incident and finished with 16 points. She’s bent on making up for lost time after missing all of last season.
Liatu King is as reliable as they come
As incredible as Hidalgo and Miles are together, Liatu King has been critical as the Irish’s leading rebounder and shooter to this points. She proved it with a game-high 12 rebounds and going 8 of 14 from the field for 16 points. The Irish were incredibly fortunate to land the former Pittsburgh big in the transfer portal.
Liza Karlen will provide valuable frontcourt depth going forward
Liza Karlen transferred to the Irish from Marquette, but injuries didn’t allow her to play in a game until this one. It appears she’s being eased in as she played only 10 minutes. However, she scored four first-quarter points, and a team that still has depth issues will take all the help it can get, especially down low with Maddy Westbeld’s return date still unknown.
Good teams better watch out for the Irish
The Huskies joined USC and Texas among top-five teams who suffered their first of the season to the Irish. While those teams are a combined 0-3 against the Irish, they’re 26-0 against every other team they’ve played. If you have national championship dreams this season and have to face the Irish, it’s very likely that it won’t end well for you.
This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Five things we learned in Notre Dame women’s hoops’ victory over UConn
