Notre Dame 2025-2026 Regular-Season Thread.

[Frankus]

The Duke game went as expected. ND misses KK. The most concerning this is still ND's offense. Niele will not adjust to the talent she has. I don't expect a different offense to win these games, but it just shows Niele's lack of adjustments.it worries me for next year.

What talent? Beyond HH and Prosper, this is the least athletically talented team since the last McGraw team. We miss Bransford, but I'd rather bring in a real rebounder/inside scorer next year in the portal than have her for another year. She is too often injured and not a guard who can create her own shot.

 

[YKCornelius]

If you think prosper and Sanchez are "bigs" you and I have different definitions. Sanchez can hardly grab a rebound and hold onto it. Prosper is a slasher who is rarely on the block.

And ND isn't committed to one player, but she is indispenspible to us being decent, compared to bottom of the barrel.

Yes, I guess we do.

So, lemme get this straight: last year's Irish team implodes at the very end of the season catching Irish Nation by surprise and forcing NI and her staff to scramble finding players in the portal, and you think she should have done a better job of finding players to plug the hole in the USS Hannah Hidalgo?

Despite the fact that Notre Dame has three 6'3"+ players, who are each shooting over 53% from the field, the real issue is none of them suit an old-school back-to-the-basket definition of what a big is, correct?

Hence, the problem isn't that the offensive scheme runs almost exclusively through one offensive player, but rather that the supporting cast is missing the right mix of talent, correct?

Riddle me this: just what do you think is going to miraculously change next year when all of the seniors have departed? Do you believe a decent crop of incoming freshmen and another foray through the portal is going to result in a different approach?

I daresay the WCBB world is watching to see if NI and HH place the development of this year's team above attaining individual accolades, especially since the Irish are loaded with seniors this year. If they focus on the latter, it might be impossible to lure any level of portal talent to South Bend next year without breaking the NIL bank.

 

[Frankus]

Yes, I guess we do.

So, lemme get this straight: last year's Irish team implodes at the very end of the season catching Irish Nation by surprise and forcing NI and her staff to scramble finding players in the portal, and you think she should have done a better job of finding players to plug the hole in the USS Hannah Hidalgo?

Despite the fact that Notre Dame has three 6'3"+ players, who are each shooting over 53% from the field, the real issue is none of them suit an old-school back-to-the-basket definition of what a big is, correct?

Hence, the problem isn't that the offensive scheme runs almost exclusively through one offensive player, but rather that the supporting cast is missing the right mix of talent, correct?

Riddle me this: just what do you think is going to miraculously change next year when all of the seniors have departed? Do you believe a decent crop of incoming freshmen and another foray through the portal is going to result in a different approach?

I daresay the WCBB world is watching to see if NI and HH place the development of this year's team above attaining individual accolades, especially since the Irish are loaded with seniors this year. If they focus on the latter, it might be impossible to lure any level of portal talent to South Bend next year without breaking the

I'm looking forward to beating UCONN again.

 

[oldude]

I'm looking forward to beating UCONN again.

🤣

 

[Frankus]

A really nice win by the Irish. The 3rd quarter with de Jesus making all of her shots, HH playing like a NPOY player and ND clearing the defensive boards was the most impressive spurt since last year. We stayed out of foul trouble and Cass was a scoring and rebounding force, particularly in the first half. For us to be dangerous down the stretch, either de Jesus or Moore (who did not shoot well) have to have 4-5 nights from 3 and 6-7 overall like de Jesus did last night. If both can be consistent 3 point shooters, and HH/Cass play to their potential, we'll be a tough out. We don't have enough talent to win the inside game against the better teams, so compensating with stellar 3 point shooting from de Jesus/Moore is the key.

NC is better than they played last night, but we really took it to them in an impressive win.

 

[Dillon77]

Sorry for recent relative absence from the 'yard recently, but I've been busy on a number of back-to-back family/friend matters that have taken up time and effort. (Luckily, most were/are being resolved.). Rather than go back in time (although I have read most of the recent posts), I'll pick it up from the UNC game because one of the issues picks up on some posts about the HH-centric nature of this year's team.)

One of those was a major family gathering this weekend. Taped the game and managed not to see the outcome(!) until (very) early Monday when I watched it. With some air between then and now:

- Commentator Deb Antonelli -- like her or loathe her, but she knows hoops -- wondered out loud during the broadcast if Hannah Hidalgo can do for the Irish what Catilin Clark did for the Iowa Hawkeyes. She wasn't comparing the two as players (and was forceful about that), but as talents and drivers of teams that mainly are them and a supporting cast. In the case of Iowa, she brought up Kate Martin and Hannah Stuelke (or earlier, Monika Czinano).
For ND, Cass Prosper is the forward of note, while she mentioned Vanessa de Jesus this game (but it could've been Iyana Moore on another).

The main point is that Clark and Hidalgo make the teams rise through their respective individual skill sets and ability to collectively set a style of attack. In the case of Iowa, it was primarily offensive and -- aided by Lisa Blueders -- an aversion to not making mistakes (save Clark). With ND, Hidalgo sets tone primarily through defense and 50-50's. When she's on it, all boats on her tide rise. VdJ was all over the place yesterday and even Moore played hard on D.

We're not used to seeing this in most iterations of ND teams. Usually, it's a combination and variation of some very good players representing ND and "pick your poison" for the opposition. For ND, if one player was off, another could pick it up. Not so here. If Hannah isn't doing her thing in most aspects of her game, ND is in trouble. When it works, she's all on it. But it's got to be exhausting night-in, night-out. She even admitted to Antonelli that she was taught not never show she was tired and she conveys that to her current ND team.

You can also make the argument that the supporting cast is pretty right, right and limited, without KK Bransford and Sanchez down to 10-15 minutes per game for whatever reason. While Moore and Cowles weren't bringing it against UNC, VdJ and Prosper were. Good enough last night. Louisville will be another challenge with their almost mirror-image version of harassment by (very) pesky guards.

- Great to see the 2001 ND national championship team make the broadcast and hear the Antonelli shout out for the great Ruth Riley and kudos for just how good a shooter Alica Ratay was from outside. Ratay opened up the inside by hitting 55%(!) of her three's that season. Yes, the line was a tad closer, but not that much so. And, get this, Ratay was a freshman that season.

As for UNC:

• Nyla Harris was always a thorn to ND when she played at Louisville and she's still got it at UNC.
• Elina,Aarnisalo, the soph guard from Finland via UCLA, is a tough, smart talented player who I really thought would be a good fit for ND when she entered the portal last year. But Courtney Banghart got her to sign quickly. She's averaging 10 per game on 50% shooting.
• Cierra Toomey, the stretch forward from outside Philly, usually goes for 11 ppg, but she looked a bit slow and tentative yesterday (much like Sanchez did for ND).

 

[DefenseBB]

Welcome back @Dillon77 and I am sorry to hear your detour on the family issues and am happy to hear it seems to be resolved.

But as is my wont, am I allowed to note that the timing was impeccable that it allowed you to avoid the board during a rather tumultuous time and then have you noted you want to ignore that fact is also wanting me to direct a "sneer" at you, so I am giving you the "hairy eyebrow" raise

.

I do find it curious you wanted to point out UNC positive points. I watched that game and found NO POSITIVES. ND throttled UNC from the media timeout in the 3rd quarter onward. UNC is littered with HG top 50 players and is constantly underachieving. I find Banghart one of the most overrated coaches in the game now (move over Gottlieb and Close) as a program that gets talent but regularly underachieves with it. I also think another ACC coach is vastly over rated (Barnes at SMU) but she does not get the talent these 3 get. So why did you give the faint praise?

Anyway, ND played well and "the cast" did a good job. That said, the teams Assists (251) to Turnovers (211) is concerning as that is NOT the ND pedigree.

I think this week's game vs. Louisville will give many of us a good view of the ACC, ND and Louisville. While I am absolutely rooting for Louisville to beat ND in a similar fashion to Tenn, my money would actually be on ND to win this game at home in the Purcell Pavilion.

 

[Dillon77]

Welcome back @Dillon77 and I am sorry to hear your detour on the family issues and am happy to hear it seems to be resolved.

But as is my wont, am I allowed to note that the timing was impeccable that it allowed you to avoid the board during a rather tumultuous time and then have you noted you want to ignore that fact is also wanting me to direct a "sneer" at you, so I am giving you the "hairy eyebrow" raise

.

I do find it curious you wanted to point out UNC positive points. I watched that game and found NO POSITIVES. ND throttled UNC from the media timeout in the 3rd quarter onward. UNC is littered with HG top 50 players and is constantly underachieving. I find Banghart one of the most overrated coaches in the game now (move over Gottlieb and Close) as a program that gets talent but regularly underachieves with it. I also think another ACC coach is vastly over rated (Barnes at SMU) but she does not get the talent these 3 get. So why did you give the faint praise?

Anyway, ND played well and "the cast" did a good job. That said, the teams Assists (251) to Turnovers (211) is concerning as that is NOT the ND pedigree.

I think this week's game vs. Louisville will give many of us a good view of the ACC, ND and Louisville. While I am absolutely rooting for Louisville to beat ND in a similar fashion to Tenn, my money would actually be on ND to win this game at home in the Purcell Pavilion.

Good to hear from you, Defense BB and thanks for the interest. Some quick hitters, in no particular order:

• I initially wrote some of this post for McGraw's Bench and always like to comment on the opponent. I took most of it out for The Boneyard, but felt the comments on Nyla Harris were relevant due to her past work at Louisville. Plus, I was a fan of the Finnish guard when she was at UCLA and really wanted Coach Ivey to make a run at her when she entered the portal. Alas.
• That said, I've been really pleasantly surprised at how well Vanessa de Jesus has fit in alongside Hannah Hidalgo. VdJ, as we label her on the in-game comments, is one quick study and she complements HH well. Very heady player and when she's open, she can drill the 3.
• I'm with you and a few others: Niele Ivey isn't going anywhere for a variety of reasons. This is an acknowledged bridge year and the staff thinks they addressed some of the issues at hand by bringing in a General Manager (Pat Garrity) and staff. Ivey has brought in what is widely acknowledged to be a top 5 recruiting class with a possible breakout frosh in Jacy Abii. She'll get to coach that class, along with returning frosh Leah Macy. The only "unless" is if Ivey chooses to go somewhere on her own accord and I don't see that happening...as long as Hannah Hidalgo is around.
• Yup, Louisville and Walz/ND and Ivey. Should be a barometer for both teams.
• Lastly, good reports out of the Bend that KK Bransford is making progress in her healing/rehab process. No idea on timing, but if she can back by, say, February, she could be a big help in the stretch run.

Stay tuned.

 

[DefenseBB]

My main concern is for ND to lose on Monday when I am in attendance....

 

[triaddukefan]

It was great to see DeJesus do a favor for her Alma Mater in help sinking that evil blue school from Orange County NC. Glad to see she her getting to play major minutes and contributing in her final college season.

 

[JellyBean]

It was great to see DeJesus do a favor for her Alma Mater in help sinking that evil blue school from Orange County NC. Glad to see she her getting to play major minutes and contributing in her final college season.

Huge fan of Vanessa de Jesus. From her days at Sierra Canyon on over to Duke and now ND. She is a tough, smart young lady who understands the game.

 

[JellyBean]

Ivey on hot seat?

I don't get why would she be on the hot seat. She has a top five recruiting class coming next season. Some interesting prospects for '27 are on the radar. Coach Ivey is slowly putting her vision and fingerprints on the ND program, and they are heading in the right direction.

 

[DefenseBB]

It was great to see DeJesus do a favor for her Alma Mater in help sinking that evil blue school from Orange County NC. Glad to see she her getting to play major minutes and contributing in her final college season.

Isn’t she like 30? Seriously, isn’t this her 6th year of college? I thought she was HS class of 2020 with Paige….

 

[Dillon77]

My main concern is for ND to lose on Monday when I am in attendance....

Perfectly understandable. Hannah plays well, as you know, against UConn, but she doesn't have her two buddies this year, Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld (sigh). On the other hand, a certain guard with the initials PB isn't around.... 😉

 

[Dillon77]

Isn’t she like 30? Seriously, isn’t this her 6th year of college? I thought she was HS class of 2020 with Paige….

Think she's taking the Ali Patberg approach to college......

 

[oldude]

Perfectly understandable. Hannah plays well, as you know, against UConn, but she doesn't have her two buddies this year, Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld (sigh). On the other hand, a certain guard with the initials PB isn't around.... 😉

While ND doesn’t have the horses it had in the prior 3 meetings vs UConn (all ND wins), UConn’s Achilles heel so far this season, without PB, has been turnovers and HH leads the world in steals. Yes UConn is loaded and playing at home. But I’m feeling a level of agita that I haven’t had against any other team this season.

 

[cancontent]

Isn’t she like 30? Seriously, isn’t this her 6th year of college? I thought she was HS class of 2020 with Paige….

She was out for one season due to injury. If you factor the COVID year and the redshirt for injury, the math works out.

 

[DefenseBB]

Perfectly understandable. Hannah plays well, as you know, against UConn, but she doesn't have her two buddies this year, Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld (sigh). On the other hand, a certain guard with the initials PB isn't around.... 😉

Yup and she also doesn’t have her other “buddy” OM either ….😜

 

[Dillon77]

Yup and she also doesn’t have her other “buddy” OM either ….😜

Touche.

The most exciting and gratifying win of the three @oldude mentioned in his post just above was the middle one, which was also played at Storrs.

Olivia Miles and Cass Prosper were both injured and out for the year, so the Irish were playing with a shortage of players (again). Yet Hannah Hidalgo (34) and Maddy Westbeld (23) put on a clinic on how to run the pick and roll/pop; aided and abetted (always) by Sonia Citron (15), with unexpected help from Nat Marshall (10). To me, that was Hidalgo's "prove it" game: yes, she scored over 30 against S. Carolina in her very first game but the Irish got whacked in Paris.
That was a fun Irish team: three adept scorers with valuable help from Kylee Watson/Nat Marshall, Bransford and Anna DeWolfe. Won the ACC regular season and tourney. Probably Ivey's best coaching year.

 

[Dillon77]

Leah Macy Will Not Play This Year; Start Eligibility in 2026-27

 

[Dillon77]

While ND doesn’t have the horses it had in the prior 3 meetings vs UConn (all ND wins), UConn’s Achilles heel so far this season, without PB, has been turnovers and HH leads the world in steals. Yes UConn is loaded and playing at home. But I’m feeling a level of agita that I haven’t had against any other team this season.

I can understand that....Hidalgo has a way of relishing the challenging moments. I wish KK Bransford was back: while her scoring stats don't bounce off the opposition's white boards, she is a solid one-on-one and collective defender who is tough as nails. Plus she's the tallest of the true ND guards (Prosper, although listed as a guard, is a slashing forward). Coach Ivey has inserted a smallish Iyana Moore into the starting line-up, reducing ND to one post, three smallish guards and Prosper. Strong should have a field day.

Hannah and Vanessa de Jesus (VdJ) were really ratcheting up the ball pressure and filling the passing lanes against UNC. The Louisville game should be interesting...intensity will be dialed up, so good game to scout.

Still, I'm looking forward to how this "bridge" group of Irish persevere.

 

[Dillon77]

Leah Macy Will Not Play This Year; Start Eligibility in 2026-27

I (still) consider this a bridge year for the Irish, although this group has been making it interesting at times (this next stretch of games should be illuminating).

However, it didn't behoove the team to bring Leah Macy back if she wasn't able to hit the court running. She'd lose a year of eligibility while she rounds into her own shape and that of fitting in with a lot of players who won't be back after this season. Now, Macy can continue to work on that rehabilitation. and come back strong in the summer. In effect, she's now part of the Class of 2026, but one who has gotten a year of acclimation, academics and socialization under her belt.

I'll be very interested in what Coach Ivey does in regards to a post/power forward position come this spring. Cowles and Sanchez will ove on. That will give Irish fans an insight into how Ivey sees the Irish frontcourt of '26-'27. Will Cass Prosper come back for another year as a slasher forward. Will Macy, who can do inside and mid-range, become something of a more mobile Cowles? And then there are the multiple wings who were recruited. Should be very interesting.

 

[triaddukefan]

Isn’t she like 30? Seriously, isn’t this her 6th year of college? I thought she was HS class of 2020 with Paige….

One covid year, one redshirt year (knee) and will end up with 3 degrees. The last McCallie recruit still playing in WCBB

 

[Dillon77]

One covid year, one redshirt year (knee) and will end up with 3 degrees. The last McCallie recruit still playing in WCBB

Now, that dates VdJ...and all of us.

Speaking of degrees, that's an interesting trail to pick up on: how many total degrees are hoopsters picking up during the course of their respective careers? So, VdJ will get three. So will Olivia Miles (undergrad and one Masters from ND; one from TCU). Nat Marshall left with three (undergrad and masters from ND, masters from MIami). The medical redshirt year appears to be a critical factor!

 

[YoDore]

Leah Macy Will Not Play This Year; Start Eligibility in 2026-27

I’m such a fan of this young lady. Really hoping she fully recovers and has a great career. Missing two years in a row makes it tough, but she always seemed to have the kind of motor and attitude that will serve her well.

 

[Frankus]

As usual, losses reveal weaknesses and the Louisville game certainly did that.

But first I’d like to address the Deb Antonelli assertion that HH and CP could mimic Iowa. Perhaps if HH could shoot 3 point shots consistently it would be possible, but she can’t. End of story.

On to the Lville game:

The weakness that Lville exposed, was that Cass still cannot score inside against stronger defenders. Ziegler, who is 6’3” and is stronger than Cass was defending her. , and when Cass drove to the basket she picked up her dribble, she was outmuscled, leading to numerous awkward, no chance of making shots. This is where game by game adjustments are crucial. Because Cass did collapse the defense, when she picked up the ball in the paint she could have kicked to de Jesus in the corner, but instead of doing that she awkwardly flung the ball towards the basket.

As much as Moore has improved as a much needed 3-point shooter, her defensive liability is evident. She was guarding Scott, who came into the game averaging 8 points a game, but scored 20 last night. She played 28 minutes and guarded HH to boot. I’m not sure why Ivey didn’t switch HH on Scott. Perhaps she concluded that Moore is a liability vs any guard. I don’t know.

At halftime, when the team came on the court to warm up, Cowles spent the entire time on an excercise bike with a rap and brace on her knee. You could see her lack of mobility early in the second half when Lville got uncontested inside shots, and she didn’t really regain her mobility till the end of the 3rd qtr. She’s injured, but we have nobody to replace her with due to the portal failure.

Against talented teams with talented guards, HH can’t get the amount of steals she does against everybody else, which makes us more of a half court team. We did a decent job offensively nevertheless, and HH got a lot of points driving to the basket, while doing well with ball movement. She shoots longer shots much better off the dribble than stationary, and even at the free throw line. As good as she is, game by game she is is no Caitlyn Clark and we’re not going to go on some magical run this year.

de Jesus reverted back to her norm. She is a streaky shooter when she does get hot. Perhaps that’s why they don’t have Cass kick out to her. idk.

The upside is that we played hard and stayed close. I’m from the Al McGuire school that stars should take over at crunch time. ND called a timeout at 4 minutes and Ivey spent a long time away from the team talking to her staff. She came back to the huddle and decided that feeding Cowles inside was the best strategy to win. Mind boggling to me.

Louisville has way more size and talent than ND. So, keeping as close as they did was a victory over earlier in the year, when this would have been a big blowout without Moore scoring the way she is now.

 

[Geew1992]

I don't get why would she be on the hot seat. She has a top five recruiting class coming next season. Some interesting prospects for '27 are on the radar. Coach Ivey is slowly putting her vision and fingerprints on the ND program, and they are heading in the right direction.

I’m don’t think she’s on the hot seat. I will say the mass exodus of players leaving the last few years should be concerning though.

I also don’t know if they are headed in the right direction either. We will have to wait and see on that one

 

[Geew1992]

Hannah looks gassed out there. They have to find to get her rest during the games. Or when they’re down by 40 in the 4th, don’t play her

 

[Dillon77]

Some (variations on) comments I posted first on McGraw's Bench:

- One can fall into a rabbit hole looking into what this particular Irish team is or isn't at this juncture (at least for me).
The goal is to recognize that the Irish need to do as well as they can in upcoming ACC play to help them get into and be seeded relatively well in the NCAAs.
- To do so, let's take each game, team by team, starting with Miami. While a lot of these games are winnable, a number are also losable...remember what happened to Georgia Tech. However, if ND can play the defense they did against UNC and even the first half of UConn, that would be very helpful.

Here are some quick hitters based on last night and a lot of the threads I've seen on multiple boards.

• UConn, of course, is very good and Sarah Strong is very, very good. If she could come out early for the pro's, she would -- and should -- be the first player selected. Reminds me of an even sturdier Maya Moore. First-rate, world-class talent.
• Depth of the Huskies might be the deepest I've seen in a long time. Felt like Heckel, Zeibel Shade were interchangeable in playing tough defense and launching threes.
• Boy, I don't how know how Wisconsin girls grow up loving UConn, but KK Arnold and Allie Zeibell are net losses from the Midwest. Kudos to Geno. Arnold is the same age as Hannah Hidalgo, so one didn't need two point guards at once (oh yes, the Irish tried that). A player like Zeibell would've been great to come in and shoot threes but she never really had an interest in ND. Emma Risch was supposed to be that kind of player.
• It's good to see Gisela Sanchez back in a pretty good groove. I liked her movement on offense and recognition that she needed to move. And why she double clutches some balls on rebounds, she's seemingly holding onto more than earlier in the season. Need more of this. A few ND players looked unsure of themselves against UConn, but Sanchez knew her assignments and went about them.
• My take on Hannah's jumpers: it's her legs and perhaps her concentration....she's doing so much and being attacked so much by hordes of defenders that jumpers looked misaligned or just off. When she drives, her instincts just take over and that can be helpful.
• If KK Bransford can come back, she can help in two areas: defending some part of the paint to prevent drives and weakside cuts; and, rebouunds.

Rest up, practice and ger ready for Miami. UConn can continue to roll

 

[oldude]

Some (variations on) comments I posted first on McGraw's Bench:

- One can fall into a rabbit hole looking into what this particular Irish team is or isn't at this juncture (at least for me).
The goal is to recognize that the Irish need to do as well as they can in upcoming ACC play to help them get into and be seeded relatively well in the NCAAs.
- To do so, let's take each game, team by team, starting with Miami. While a lot of these games are winnable, a number are also losable...remember what happened to Georgia Tech. However, if ND can play the defense they did against UNC and even the first half of UConn, that would be very helpful.

Here are some quick hitters based on last night and a lot of the threads I've seen on multiple boards.

• UConn, of course, is very good and Sarah Strong is very, very good. If she could come out early for the pro's, she would -- and should -- be the first player selected. Reminds me of an even sturdier Maya Moore. First-rate, world-class talent.
• Depth of the Huskies might be the deepest I've seen in a long time. Felt like Heckel, Zeibel Shade were interchangeable in playing tough defense and launching threes.
• Boy, I don't how know how Wisconsin girls grow up loving UConn, but KK Arnold and Allie Zeibell are net losses from the Midwest. Kudos to Geno. Arnold is the same age as Hannah Hidalgo, so one didn't need two point guards at once (oh yes, the Irish tried that). A player like Zeibell would've been great to come in and shoot threes but she never really had an interest in ND. Emma Risch was supposed to be that kind of player.
• It's good to see Gisela Sanchez back in a pretty good groove. I liked her movement on offense and recognition that she needed to move. And why she double clutches some balls on rebounds, she's seemingly holding onto more than earlier in the season. Need more of this. A few ND players looked unsure of themselves against UConn, but Sanchez knew her assignments and went about them.
• My take on Hannah's jumpers: it's her legs and perhaps her concentration....she's doing so much and being attacked so much by hordes of defenders that jumpers looked misaligned or just off. When she drives, her instincts just take over and that can be helpful.
• If KK Bransford can come back, she can help in two areas: defending some part of the paint to prevent drives and weakside cuts; and, rebouunds.

Rest up, practice and ger ready for Miami. UConn can continue to roll

Not too far back UConn could barely field 6 players for games due to injuries. Geno mentioned that in his postgame comments after the ND game. During that time UConn often had to hang on by their fingernails against lesser teams and they also took some tough losses because they just didn’t have the depth needed to compete as they would have liked to.

To all our ND friends, hang in there. This too will pass.