UConn is sharpening its swords for revenge. The Irish provided the Huskies their only double-digit loss of the 2024-25 season with a 79-68 upset, putting them on a three-game losing streak in the series for the first time since 2013.“It wasn’t a pretty game overall for us,” sophomore star Sarah Strong said with a grimace. “It was really ugly, so we’ll hopefully not make it ugly tomorrow.”
The Irish also pulled off an upset the last time they played on the road at UConn in January 2024, dominating the Huskies 82-67. Cut to 2026, the Huskies are on the prowl again, as they are on a 13-game streak. Can the Fighting Irish be the Joker to Geno Auriemma and UConn again? Let’s look at how both teams fare up ahead of the game.
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How To Watch Notre Dame Vs UConn?
Location: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs
Time/date: 5 p.m., Monday
TV: FOX
Streaming: FOX Sports app
Radio: UConn Sports Network on FOX Sports 97.9
Notre Dame vs UConn: Injury Report
Notre Dame:
Notre Dame vs UConn: Predicted Lineups
Notre Dame
Malaya Cowles
Hannah Hidalgo
Cassandre Prosper
Vannessa de Jesus
Iyana Moore
UConn
Sarah Strong
Serah Williams
Ashlynn Shade
KK Arnold
Azzi Fudd
Notre Dame vs UConn: Match Preview and Prediction
UConn and Notre Dame are in different situations in their team building. UConn, arguably, is at its peak while Notre Dame is in a rebuilding season. The Fighting Irish are rebuilding with a new look squad and have suffered through some rough patches. They briefly dropped out of the AP Top 25 but returned after a 23-point win over North Carolina behind a 31-point performance by Hannah Hidalgo and a double-double from Cassandre Prosper. But that did not last long as they are coming into this game after a 79-66 loss to Louisville. And No.1 UConn has been, well, UConn. They have decimated every opponent, including Villanova, 99-50 in the last game.
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Hannah Hidalgo’s heroism is probably the only hope for Notre Dame. Going up against a side that includes Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, they are thoroughly outgunned. In the last game, they played with just 6 players for the entire 40 minutes. That included no substitutions in the second half. With the roster thin and tired, they realistically cannot keep up with UConn without a miraculous display from Hidalgo.
She is averaging 25 points, 5.6 steals, 5.6 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game and looks like she’s in a league of her own. Her match-up with Strong sets up another storyline within the game as both are vying for that National Player of the Year Award. Strong is averaging 18.7 points, 3.7 steals, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, and is arguably the best player in the country.
While Hidalgo might make things interesting, expect a blowout win for UConn on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.ESPN Analytics gives UConn a whopping 95.9% chance. The mood Strong is in, she could go off for her first 30+point game. Strong is approaching 1000 points and is currently at 993.
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