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NCAA Women’s Basketball: No. 2 UConn versus No. 1 Notre Dame, preview and TV schedule

By Daniel Benjamin

COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 30: Arike Ogunbowale #24 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates against the Connecticut Huskies during the second half in the semifinals of the 2018 NCAA Women's Final Four at Nationwide Arena on March 30, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated the Connecticut Huskies 91-89. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 30: Arike Ogunbowale #24 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates against the Connecticut Huskies during the second half in the semifinals of the 2018 NCAA Women's Final Four at Nationwide Arena on March 30, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated the Connecticut Huskies 91-89. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – MARCH 30: Arike Ogunbowale #24 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attempts a shot defended by Napheesa Collier #24 of the Connecticut Huskies during the first half in the semifinals of the 2018 NCAA Women’s Final Four at Nationwide Arena on March 30, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – MARCH 30: Arike Ogunbowale #24 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attempts a shot defended by Napheesa Collier #24 of the Connecticut Huskies during the first half in the semifinals of the 2018 NCAA Women’s Final Four at Nationwide Arena on March 30, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish will face the second-ranked UConn Huskies in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 2.

The consensus No. 1-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish will host the No. 2-ranked UConn Huskies in the annual Jimmy V Women’s Classic at the Purcell Pavilion on Sunday. This is the 17th year of the women’s event which raises and awareness for cancer research.  Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast on ESPN and WatchESPN.

This will be the 49th all-time meeting between the Irish and Huskies with UConn holding a 36-12 edge in the season series. But over the last 16 meetings, each team has won eight times. The teams split last season’s two matchups with the Irish defeating the Huskies 91-89 in overtime of the national semifinal game as Arike Ogunbowale knocked down a long-distance two-pointer with a second left.

Notre Dame went on to win its second national title in program history when Ogunbowale connected on a three-pointer with 0.1 seconds remaining to lift the Irish over Mississippi State 61-58.

UConn (6-0) has a few streaks on the line in the game. The Huskies enter the contest having won 121 consecutive regular-season matches and 53 straight non-conference matchups. Their last loss in either situation came to Stanford back on Nov. 17, 2014.

UConn defeated No. 16 DePaul 99-63 in its last outing on Nov.28 as all five Huskies’ starters scored in double figures. Senior Napheesa Collier produced her fourth double-double of the campaign with 24 points and 10 rebounds while senior Katie Lou Samuelson tossed in a season-high 23 points. The Huskies shot 60.6 percent from the field in the game, including 52.6 percent from three-point range.

The win over the Blue Demons was the Huskies first over a ranked team this season, and it marked their sixth straight victory by double-digits. They have won five of the games by 30 or more points. Their 65-55 win over St. John’s in the semifinal of the Paradise Jam is the closest margin.

UConn is outscoring their opponents 84.2-50.5 while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and holding its opponents to 30.7 percent shooting. The Huskies average 8.5 triples a game as they shoot 41.8 percent from long range.  They hold a 7.8 rebound margin and 4.0 turnover margin over their opponents this season.

Notre Dame (7-0) has a winning streak on the line in the game as well.  The Irish have won 28 straight games at home. They are 98-2 at Purcell Pavilion in their last 100 games with both of the setbacks coming against, you guessed it, the Huskies.

Notre Dame is coming off a 105-71 blowout win over No. 14 Iowa, marking the third time that the Irish have topped the 100-point mark, on Nov. 29. Ogunbowle led five players in double-figures with 30 points on 13 of 21 shooting.

The Irish, who are 3-0 against ranked opponents this season, has won all seven of their games by double-digits with four of the contests being decided by 20 or more points. DePaul and Oregon State are the other ranked teams that they have defeated.

Notre Dame is outscoring its opponents 91.1-67.3 while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and holding their opponents to 38.4 percent from the floor. The Irish have made just 25 (3.5 per game) three-pointers all season and are making them at a 30.5 percent clip. They hold a 13.5 rebound margin and 2.1 turnover margin over their opponents.

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