Irish Suffer Road Loss to Top-Ranked UConn
The Fighting Irish faced a formidable challenge on the road as they fell to the No. 1 UConn Huskies by a score of 85-47 in the Gampel Pavilion on Monday night. This marked Notre Dame's final non-conference game of the regular season, resulting in a record of 12-6. Hannah Hidalgo led the Irish with 16 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists, while Cassandre Prosper contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
The game began with a dominant display from the top-ranked UConn, who quickly established an 11-1 lead within the first 6 minutes. Notre Dame responded with a strong offensive performance, scoring six of the next eight points to narrow the gap to 13-7. However, the Huskies closed out the quarter with three consecutive points, taking a 16-7 lead into the second quarter.
Both teams showcased their skills in the second quarter, trading baskets and maintaining a close contest. UConn held a slight edge, leading 16-13, but the Irish kept the score tight at 32-23 at halftime. The Huskies extended their lead to 14 points during the quarter, then closed it out with a 7-2 run, resulting in a nine-point advantage.
Hidalgo was a key player in the second quarter, scoring 10 of the team's 16 points with efficient shooting from beyond the arc (3-of-6).
The Huskies dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Irish 27-6 over the first 8 minutes, which significantly widened their lead to 59-29. Notre Dame managed to score the final six points of the quarter, reducing the deficit to 59-35 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
In the closing stages, UConn sealed the victory with a strong final quarter, outscoring the Irish 26-16 to secure a decisive 85-47 win.
Looking ahead, the Fighting Irish will return to Purcell Pavilion to host Miami in an ACC midweek matchup on Thursday, January 22, at 6 p.m. ET, with the game broadcast on ACCN.
