Women's basketball: What to know as No. 7 Notre Dame visits Syracuse
WHO: No. 7 Notre Dame (13-2, 4-1 ACC) at Syracuse (13-4, 4-2).
WHEN: Sunday, 2 p.m.
WHERE: JMA Wireless Dome (35,642), Syracuse, N.Y.
WATCH: ACC Network.
LISTEN: WQLQ (99.9 FM; link at UND.com).
Update: Who's coming, who's going? Notre Dame nabs Ohio State's Jean-Baptiste from portal
Big night for Maddy Westbeld, two Iveys and Notre Dame women in win over Wake Forest
ABOUT NOTRE DAME: Coming off Thursday’s 86-47 whipping of Wake Forest, the program’s most lopsided ACC win in over four years, the Irish head to the cavernous ex-Carrier Dome where they cruised 82-58 last season in an unusually early November league game, but also where they lost in each of their two most recent visits prior to that. … ND leaders include Olivia Miles (15.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.3 steals to pace the team in each), Sonia Citron (14.3 ppg, 1.6 steals 58.9% EFG, 87.8% at the line), Maddy Westbeld (10.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg), Lauren Ebo (10.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Dara Mabrey (10.0 ppg, 2.7 assists). KK Bransford and Kylee Watson have combined for another 14.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per outing. … The Irish stand at 59.6% in rebound rate, fourth in the nation. … ND has committed more turnovers than its opponent in five straight games, but tamped the number down to 15 against the Deacons after averaging 19.3 over their previous four contests. … The Irish are 37-4 against Syracuse, their most wins against any program (followed by 32-4 vs. Pittsburgh), and their third-most meetings against anybody, behind Connecticut (53) and DePaul (47). … The teams face off again Feb. 12 in South Bend. ND’s other double-dip opponents this season are Boston College, Louisville and Pitt.
ABOUT SYRACUSE: South Bend Riley 2018 alum Asia Strong is among the Orange’s rotation regulars, averaging 9.5 points and 5.9 rebounds. The 6-2 grad forward landed at Syracuse this season after two years at Wichita State, where she averaged 12.5 points and 6.0 boards, earning an all-conference nod as a junior and all-academic recognition as a senior. As a sophomore at JUCO power Trinity Valley in Athens, Texas, Strong averaged 14.6 points and 9.2 rebounds for a 32-1 club. … Dyaisha Fair, a 5-5 senior guard, leads the Orange at 19.9 points, 4.2 assists and 2.5 steals. She’s an 82.7% free throw shooter, but is at just 40.9% in EFG. … Junior guard Teisha Hyman’s averaging 13.1 points and 2.2 steals, sophomore guard Georgia Woolley 10.5 points and 2.2 steals, and 6-1 grad forward Dariauna Lewis 10.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. … The surging Orange have won three straight by double digits on the heels of being edged 56-54 on New Year’s Day by No. 6 North Carolina State. That game is Syracuse’s lone contest so far against a ranked team, and its lone loss across 11 home games. … The Orange are 19th in the nation among 361 Division I clubs in pace of play, while the Irish also rank high at 36th, suggesting an up-tempo showdown. Syracuse is 20th in the nation in steals at 10.9 (ND’s at 8.5). … Former Orange star Felisha Legette-Jack returned to take over at her alma mater in March following three other head coaching stops (Hofstra, Indiana, Buffalo) spanning 20 years with a 343-279 record.
— By Anthony Anderson