SOUTH BEND — The Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s basketball team continued its season Sunday, Nov. 9 with its first-ever meeting with Chicago State.
Drubbing the Panthers 116-58, the No. 15 Irish moved to 2-0 on the season while Chicago State fell to 1-2. Notre Dame played in special jerseys that honored their home city. With gold lettering on a black background, Irish players wore “The Bend” on the front of the jersey.
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Both the men and women have worn them already this season.
“We talked about playing for our community, playing for South Bend since they’ve been so supportive of our programs,” Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said.
“It’s a special initiative,” Ivey said. “We’re going to pick some more games to honor them. This team loves these jerseys so you’ll definitely be seeing them again.”
Notre Dame scored 44 points off 30 Cougar turnovers while the Irish shot 53% from the floor and won the rebounding battle 47-24 to create an early 21-point lead after the first quarter. At halftime, the Irish led 62-29.
Standout Hannah Hidalgo finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, falling short of her second career triple double and her career-high of 35 points.
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Cassandre Prosper recorded a career-high 28 points and eight steals while KK Bransford also had a career night, finishing with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
“Great performances from the entire our team,” Ivey said. “Our starters did a great job at setting the tone for us. KK, career night. She filled up the stat sheet; she did so many things well. Just seeing her growth and comfort level on the court has been amazing.
“Cass, just doing a phenomenal job and being so efficient.”
Notre Dame outscored the Cougars 36-9 in the third quarter as the lead swelled to 50 before the Irish relaxed for the 116-58 win.
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Chicago State head coach Corryne Irvin praised the Irish’s effort and thanked the coaching staff for making the game possible.
As the Irish come off four-consecutive Sweet 16 appearances and sit two games into the new season, this year’s drastically different team is off to a good start.
The winning equation has become simplified
Hidalgo has unquestionably been one of the best, and more unique, players in college basketball since the 5-foot-6 junior stepped onto campus in South Bend.
But the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year had the pleasure of being able to grow into the college game without having the pressure of needing to be at her best each time in order for the Fighting Irish to win. 2025 WNBA third overall draft pick Sonia Citron and Olivia Miles (now at TCU) were All-Americans that could step up in place of Hidalgo.
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WNBA rookies Maddy Westbeld and Liatu King could also play hero from time-to-time. All of that is gone.
It’s Hidalgo’s team and they’ll live and die by what she does.
“I think her ability to guard the ball takes people out of what they want to do,” Irvin said about the standout and aggressive guard.
The junior was 6-of-13 through the first half of Sunday’s game, scoring 17 points through the first half and tallying six assists, three steals and three rebounds. She played 32 minutes.
Hidalgo should receive help from both Iyana Moore (Vanderbilt transfer) and Malayna Cowles (Wake Forest transfer) once the pair come back from what Ivey referred to as “nagging injuries” before the Notre Dame home-opener against Farleigh Dickinson last week.
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Until then, returners Cassandre Prosper and KK Bransford should be able to help alongside Kansas State transfer Gisela Sanchez and Duke transfer Vanessa de Jesus. The latter scored 22 points in her Irish debut and tallied 15 against the Cougars Sunday. Prosper’s career-high in points (28), steals (8) and free throws (8-of-8) shows a bit of what the lengthy senior guard can add.
“I think they were a good team anyway; I think that they’ve gotten some better pieces than maybe some were expecting because there was so much turnover team-wise,” Chicago State’s coach said. “I think as those pieces gel together, they will continue to get better. Their big three between KK, Prosper and Hannah, I think that’ll be the big three and everyone else will fill in the gaps as they need to.
Bench depth still in question
Notre Dame’s tendency to stay true to its starters has been a common theme during the Ivey-era. Typically, her Irish teams go anywhere from two, to three players deep.
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With less known about this year’s group, which features seven newcomers and four returners, the question is whether Ivey will begin to go deeper into her bench.
Notre Dame built a 50-point lead deep into the third quarter before putting in a seventh-different player. Penn High School graduate and Holy Cross transfer Jordyn Smith entered with just two minutes to play in the third period as the Irish led 90-34.
Minutes later, senior forward Bella Tehrani and sophomore guard Luci Jensen entered. But when the Irish began the final period up 98-38 against the Cougars, out again came the Notre Dame starters.
Eventually, with five minutes to play Sunday, Ivey returned to her bench to finish out the game.
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“Just building chemistry with this group,” Ivey said when asked about the late substitutions in Sunday’s rout. “They’re trying to work on their cardio as well. This group is new, so we’re about to have another game and go on the road to Michigan so I’m really working on building the chemistry with this team.”
In past seasons, Notre Dame’s top-tier talent has struggled come the late parts of February and early March. Wear-and-tear continues to play a role in Ivey’s teams and if the unwillingness to go to her bench against a far insignificant foe means anything, it says that Ivey may once again be planning on putting her starters through far more minutes than other top-25 programs.
Defensive length will work in Notre Dame’s favor
Against Chicago State, Notre Dame was not only noticeably more athletic, they were longer. Prosper (6-foot-3) and Sanchez (6-4) both can play several positions for Ivey with their length. That advantage should continue once the Irish begin to play stronger foes.
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“I feel like we’ve worked so hard in the offseason in just learning how to use our length in different places,” Bransford said. “I think me and Cass played a little out of position but with that, like you said, we’ve learned that with our length, when we get into ACC play, that’s something we’re going to have to lean on.”
Cowles (6-3), Bella Tehrani (6-3) and freshman Leah Macy (6-2) round out the remaining three players on the roster over six-foot. Tehrani and Macy will likely not be featured as much as Cowles, but height, when used correctly, could make the difference in securing extra possessions for Notre Dame.
Defensively, getting hands in between gaps seems like that is what the Irish may excel at more than anything else.
“Their length at the guard spot, that changes things,” Irvin said.
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“I think defense is always our priority and so I’m trying to be that defensive dog on the court for my teammates and for them to pick up that same energy for me,” Prosper said.
Notre Dame is next in action Wednesday, Nov. 12 against Akron at Purcell Pavilion. The Fighting Irish follow that up with a Saturday trip to Detroit, Michigan to face the No. 13 Wolverines. Notre Dame hosts No. 18 Southern Cal on Friday, Nov. 21.
The Irish were picked to finish fifth in the ACC this season behind favorite Duke as well as contenders NC State, North Carolina and Louisville.
