Preview: Miami (FL) at Notre Dame in ACC Women’s Basketball

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — Two Atlantic Coast Conference teams looking to steady their conference trajectories will meet Thursday when the Miami (FL) Hurricanes visit the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Joyce Athletic Center.

The Hurricanes (11-7, 2-3 ACC) enter after a 62-73 loss at North Carolina on Jan. 15. Miami has shown resilience, including an overtime win at Virginia Tech and a dominant 89-73 victory over Florida State this month, but consistency has been elusive. They will lean on guard Amarachi Kimpson, who is averaging 14.3 points per game over her last six contests. Kimpson scored 16 points in the loss to the Tar Heels and had 18 points, five rebounds and five assists in a close loss to Louisville on Jan. 8.

The 12th-ranked Fighting Irish (12-6, 3-3 ACC) are seeking to rebound from a difficult 47-85 road loss at Connecticut on Monday. Prior to that, Notre Dame had a mixed stretch, with a strong 73-50 win over North Carolina but consecutive losses to Louisville and Duke. Forward Cassandre Prosper has been a standout, posting a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double against the Tar Heels and averaging a near double-double over her last seven games.

This matchup pits Miami’s perimeter attack, led by Kimpson and Gal Raviv (16 points vs. UNC), against Notre Dame’s interior presence and transition game, fueled by Prosper and guard Hannah Hidalgo, who scored 16 against UConn.

Notre Dame holds the better overall record and home-court advantage, having gone 8-1 at the Joyce Center this season. Miami is 2-4 in true road games. The Hurricanes’ defense, which allowed 70 points or more in three of their last four games, will be tested by an Irish offense that averages over 80 points at home.

The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET tipoff on Thursday, Jan. 22. It marks the only regular-season meeting between the programs this year.

For Miami, it begins a two-game road swing before hosting Duke next week. Notre Dame continues a homestand, facing Clemson on Sunday.