In an exciting afternoon matchup, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-4, 3-2 ACC) will host the No. 22 North Carolina Tar Heels (13-4, 2-2 ACC) this Sunday at 1 p.m. EST in South Bend, Indiana. This showdown marks the first encounter between the two teams in conference play this season.
Notre Dame is coming off a dominant performance, having defeated the Boston College Eagles 94-60, with Cassandre Prosper leading the charge by scoring 27 points. The Fighting Irish thrive in their home arena, boasting an impressive record of 9-0 at home this season, and they hold a solid 10-2 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Tar Heels enter the game with a mixed record against ACC opponents, going 2-2 so far. They are known for their high-scoring games, averaging 79.5 points while outpacing their opponents by 21.8 points per game. In contrast, Notre Dame records a field goal percentage of 49.0%, which is significantly higher than the 38.3% that North Carolina has allowed its rivals.
Top performers for Notre Dame include Iyana Moore, who averages 2.2 made three-pointers per game while scoring 10.4 points and shooting an impressive 44.6% from beyond the arc. Additionally, Hannah Hidalgo has been on fire, shooting 49.7% and averaging 23.3 points over her last ten outings. On the Tar Heels’ side, Ciera Toomey contributes an average of 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, while Indya Nivar has also been in good form, averaging 11.4 points over the last ten games.
Looking at their recent performances, Notre Dame has gone 7-3 in their last ten games, averaging 86.9 points, 33.9 rebounds, 17.3 assists, 14.5 steals, and 2.9 blocks per game, with opponents averaging 62.5 points. Meanwhile, North Carolina has matched that record with their own 7-3 run, averaging 78.6 points, collecting 33.0 rebounds, and acquiring 17.0 assists, alongside 9.7 steals and 3.3 blocks, while limiting opponents to an average of 61.0 points.
As both teams look to improve their standing in the ACC and solidify their championship aspirations, this matchup promises to be an intense battle on the court.