Too many turnovers. Too many fouls. Not enough defensive stops. Good in some areas that it wasn’t expected to be good at this early.
Upon Further Review: Three thoughts after watching Notre Dame basketball open the 2025-26 season
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An 89-67 victory over LIU Brooklyn to start the regular season earlier this week was a starting point for Notre Dame basketball. A chance to see how it all might look when the games mattered, when the minutes mattered, when every possession mattered.
Big Night: That was a big first step in the opener for one Notre Dame basketball player
A good win, but also a good chance to understand there’s plenty of work that remains to be done as Notre Dame returns to action Friday at home against Detroit Mercy. Another chance to take another step. Another chance to get better. That’s college basketball.
Detroit Mercy (0-1) vs. Notre Dame (1-0)
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Site: Purcell Pavilion (9,149)
What channel is Detroit Mercy at Notre Dame on?
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Radio: 960 WSBT-AM in South Bend
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Streaming: SiriusXM on ACC Radio and channels 955 and 956
Series history between Detroit Mercy and Notre Dame
In a series that started in 1912 at the old Notre Dame Fieldhouse, Notre Dame is 43-12, including 21-4 in South Bend. The Irish have won three straight and seven of nine.
Detroit Mercy last won on Jan. 6, 1993, at Calihan Hall, 83-59. Notre Dame won in the teams’ last meeting, Dec. 16, 2020, during the COVID-19-affected regular season, 78-70 at Purcell Pavilion.
Irish guard Prentiss Hubb had 18 points, eight assists and three rebounds, while wing guard Dane Goodwin added 15 points, 10 rebounds and two assists in a game that featured five ties and five lead changes. All five Irish starters scored double figures and played at least 30 minutes; four of the five played at least 35 minutes.
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Keep an eye on …
Detroit Mercy G Orlando Lovejoy
A first team All-Horizon League preseason selection for 2025-26, Lovejoy led the Titans in scoring (16.3), rebounding (4.6), assists (3.8), field goal percentage (.447) and free throw percentage (.867) last season. He ranked in the top 10 of six conference statistical categories, including second for steals (1.7), free throw percentage (.867) and minutes (35.1).
An Eastern Michigan transfer, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Detroit native had 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 31 minutes of a 91-71 loss to UIC on Monday, Nov. 3.
Notre Dame WG Jalen Haralson
It was a difficult debut for the McDonald’s All-American and top-rated recruit in program history. Haralson started at wing guard but played only 12 minutes against LIU Brooklyn. On a drive to the basket 12 seconds into the second half, Haralson was cracked in the face, which opened a cut above his eye that required stitches. He left almost immediately for the training room and returned to play only four scoreless minutes in a second half that saw Notre Dame score 49 points.
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Haralson finished with four points on 2-for-7 from the field, three rebounds and four turnovers. His absence allowed shooting guards Cole Certa (22 points) and Ryder Frost (15) to enjoy big nights. Haralson will have his moments, too — maybe as early as Friday.
Notre Dame basketball links
Three thoughts on season opening win vs LIU Brooklyn
That was a big step for this Notre Dame sophomore guard
Why is Markus Burton still at Notre Dame?
A magical night at Hinkle for one Notre Dame guard
Eventually, this will feel normal for one Notre Dame women’s basketball player
Why this schedule fits this Notre Dame basketball team
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Why athletic director Pete Bevacqua is bullish about Notre Dame basketball
Meet Notre Dame basketball’s Mr. Sunshine
2025-26 Notre Dame basketball schedule
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Oct. 17 at Butler (W, 77-76) Exhibition
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Oct. 24 DEPAUL (L, 69-62) Exhibition
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Nov. 3 LIU BROOKLYN, 7 p.m. (W, 89-67; 1-0)
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Nov. 7 DETROIT MERCY, 7 p.m. (ACCNX)
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Nov. 11 EASTERN ILLINOIS, 7:30 p.m. (ACCNX)
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Nov. 16 At Ohio State, 12:30 p.m. (FS1)
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Nov. 19 BELLARMINE, 7 p.m. (ACCNX)
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Nov. 24 vs Kansas (Players Era Festival, Las Vegas), 3:30 p.m. (TNT)
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Nov. 25 vs Rutgers (Players Era Festival, Las Vegas), 1 p.m. (TNT)
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Nov. 26/27 TBD (Players Era Festival, Las Vegas), TBD
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Dec. 2 MISSOURI (ACC/SEC Challenge), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
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Dec. 5 At TCU, 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
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Dec. 10 IDAHO, 7 p.m. (ACCNX)
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Dec. 13 EVANSVILLE, 2 p.m. (ACCNX)
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Dec. 21 PURDUE FORT WAYNE, 12 p.m. (ACCNX)
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Dec. 30 At Stanford, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
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Jan. 2 At California, 11 p.m. (ESPN2)
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Jan. 10 CLEMSON, 6 p.m. (ESPN2/U)
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Jan. 13 MIAMI (Fla.), 7 p.m. (ESPN2/U)
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Jan. 17 At Virginia Tech, 12 p.m. (ACCN)
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Jan. 21 At North Carolina, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
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Jan. 24 BOSTON COLLEGE, 6 p.m. (ACCN)
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Jan. 27 VIRGINIA, 7 p.m. (ESPN2/U)
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Jan. 31 At Syracuse, 6 p.m., (The CW)
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Feb. 4 At Louisville, 7 p.m. (ESPN/U)
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Feb. 7 FLORIDA STATE, 4 p.m. (ACCN)
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Feb. 10 At SMU, 7 p.m. (ACCN)
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Feb. 14 GEORGIA TECH, 12 p.m. (The CW)
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Feb. 21 At Pittsburgh, 2 p.m. (ACCN)
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Feb. 24 DUKE, 7 p.m. (ESPN2/U)
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Feb. 28 NORTH CAROLINA STATE, 12 p.m. (The CW)
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March 3 STANFORD, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
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March 10-14 ACC Tournament (Charlotte) TBD.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame basketball returns to action Friday at home against Detroit Mercy
