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Notre Dame Women’s Basketball: Irish look to bounce back vs. Toledo

By Jordan Small

COLUMBUS, OH - MARCH 30: Jackie Young #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates her teams lead late in the game 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: Jackie Young #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates her teams lead late in the game 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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After their first loss of the season, the Notre Dame Women’s Basketball team will be back in action on Saturday as they take on Toledo.

The Irish were keeping pace with UConn in last weekend’s matchup, but a rough fourth quarter did them in. It was the first loss of the season for Notre Dame and it dropped them to number two in the country. This weekend, they will look bounce back when they face off against Toledo.

The Irish

Things did not go well for the Irish against UConn last weekend. They struggled to make easy shots, the defense had all kinds of holes, and the free throw shooting was poor. Now it is still early, and UConn is one of, if not the best, team in the country, so it’s no surprise that the Irish struggled. But these were things that the Irish have struggled with all season and need to address, with defense being the biggest problem.

There are still a good number of games before ACC play begins, so it is important for the Irish to start correct these things now. A road game is also probably good for the team right now, as it allows them to get away from the distractions of final exams and campus life in general.

On the injury front, freshman Jordan Nixon, who has missed time due to a concussion, practiced on Friday and is expected to see action on Saturday. Freshman Katlyn Gilbert, who injured her shoulder against Iowa, will miss the remainder of the season as she will undergo surgery.

Toledo

Toledo is 6-2 on the season and are 2-0 at home. The last time these two teams faced off, the Irish came away with an 85-68 victory in 2016. Notre Dame should keep an eye out for senior Kaayla McIntyre, who is coming off a 23-point night against Cleveland State on Wednesday. The 6’2” center also tallied seven rebounds and two blocks in the win.

How to watch

Tip-off for the matchup is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET and can be found on ESPN+.