No. 9 Notre Dame Women's Basketball Set To Face Cal in Citi Shamrock Classic

There’s a special treat in store for Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey this Saturday. The St. Louis, Mo native is back home when she leads her team into the first of its kind Citi Shamrock Classic against California at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.

The arena is where Ivey played her last college game for Notre Dame in the 2001 National Championship victory over Purdue. Ivey has not played or coached in the arena since that April 1, 2001 game in what was then known as the Savvis Center. Saturday’s contest will also be the first ever women’s basketball game televised by NBC.

Where: Enterprise Center (St. Louis, Mo.)
When: Saturday, Nov. 12 – 4:00 PM EST
Network: TV NBC (WNDU in South Bend) – Zora Stephenson (PBP), LaChina Robinson (Analyst)
Radio: ND Radio Network, 99.9 FM WQLQ in South Bend – Sean Stires PBP

Let's take a look at tonight's matchup:

NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (1-0, 0-0 ACC)

Head Coach: Niele Ivey (35-19 – 3rd season at Notre Dame)

Ivey’s Irish beat Northern Illinois 88-48 in their season opener on Monday. Olivia Miles led four Irish players in double figures with 17 points. She added 10 rebounds, six assists, and six steals in the win. It was her 10th career double-double.

Dara Mabrey scored 16 points. She was 4 for 8 from 3-point range. Maddy Westbeld scored 13 points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked four shots with two assists and two steals. Texas transfer Lauren Ebo made her Irish debut with 10 points and six rebounds.

The Fighting Irish forced 22 turnovers thanks to 16 steals, scoring 23 points off turnovers. They dominated 50-24 in the paint, despite being outrebounded 45-43.

Projected Irish Starting Lineup (2021-2022 stats)

G Olivia Miles- 5-10, Soph. - 13.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 7.3 APG
G Sonia Citron - 6-1, Soph - 11.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.2 APG
G Dara Mabrey - 5-7, 5th – 10.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 2.3 APG
F Maddy Westbeld - 6-3, Jr. - 11.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 29 BLK
F Kylee Watson - 6-4, Jr - 3.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 18 BLK (at Oregon)

California Golden Bears (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12)

Head Coach: Charmin Smith (12-29 – 3rd Year Overall)

Cal is led by 3rd year head coach Charmin Smith, who was an assistant on the Golden Bears staff for 12 years prior to becoming head coach. The Golden Bears were just 11-13 overall and 2-10 in the Pac-12 last season, but it was still a vast improvement from the 1-16, 1-12 record they had in Smith’s first season in 2020-2021.

Smith went to the transfer portal to try to shore up her roster, adding three players from other schools. Peanut Tuitele averaged 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds for Colorado last year. Karisma Ortiz was a teammate of new Irish forward Lauren Ebo at Texas for the last two years as well as at Penn State before that. Ortiz averaged 3.6 points and 4.2 assists for the Longhorns last season. Kemery Martin also transferred from Utah, where she played in 27 games over two seasons.

The Cal player to watch is reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Jayda Curry. She averaged a team-high 18.6 points and hit 47 of 140 shots from 3-point range last season. She was also named All-Pac-12 on the media ballot and Honorable Mention on the coaches vote last year.

The Bears beat Cal State Northridge 86-56 in their season opener.

Projected Starting Lineup

G Jayda Curry - Stats – 18.6 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.7 APG
G Leilani McIntosh - Stats – 6.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 4.2 APG
G Kemery Martin - Stats – 2.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG
F Evelien Lutje-Schipholt – Stats – 9.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 32 BLK
F Peanut Tuitele - Stats – 7.4, 4.2 RPG, 30 BLK

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Like Ivey, Cal head coach Charmin Smith is also a St. Louis native. Ivey played for Cor Jesu Academy and Smith starred at Ladu Horton Watkins High School, so this is a unique homecoming for both head coaches.

This is the third all-time meeting between the two teams. The previous two meetings took place in the NCAA Tournament. Notre Dame beat Cal 73-62 in the second round in 2012 and 62-59 in the first round in 2007.

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