SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In a thrilling encounter on Thursday night, the eighth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish triumphed over the second-ranked UConn Huskies, inflicting UConn’s first defeat of the season with a score of 79-68. Hannah Hidalgo led the way for Notre Dame, putting up impressive numbers with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
Olivia Miles, despite facing an early ankle strain, contributed significantly to the victory with 16 points, and Liatu King matched that total with another 16 points for the Fighting Irish, who now stand at 8-2 this season. For the Huskies, Paige Bueckers was the standout performer, scoring 25 points, while Sarah Strong added 14 points to the team’s effort, bringing their record to 8-1.
One of the key factors in the game was Notre Dame’s defensive prowess, as they limited UConn to a mere 3-of-16 shooting from the three-point range, while the Fighting Irish were far more effective, sinking 10 of their 18 attempts from beyond the arc.
In terms of roster updates, Liza Karlen, a 6-foot-2 forward, made her return to the Fighting Irish lineup after recovering from a left ankle injury suffered during an exhibition match against Davenport. Karlen averaged 17.7 points and 7.9 rebounds last season at Marquette, and her presence adds vital depth to the Notre Dame bench after missing the first nine games of the current season.
On the UConn side, the team played their first true road game without their senior guard Azzi Fudd, who averages 10 points per game. Fudd’s absence was due to a knee injury sustained during their previous game against Louisville.
The pivotal moment of the night occurred when UConn managed to erase an 11-point halftime deficit, narrowing the gap to just 53-52 with only 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter. However, Hidalgo’s buzzer-beater three-pointer pivotal moment, allowing Notre Dame to extend their lead at the start of the fourth quarter. From there, the Fighting Irish surged ahead, netting the first six points of the final period and maintaining at least a six-point cushion for the remainder of the game.
A notable statistic from the match reveals that UConn struggled significantly behind the arc in the first half, going 0 for 7 on their three-point attempts.
Looking ahead, the Fighting Irish will take on Eastern Michigan in their next matchup on Sunday, while UConn is set to host Georgetown in a Big East showdown on the same day.
