Notre Dame Opens NCAA Tournament Versus Fairfield – Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Official Athletics Website

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the fifth consecutive season and thirty first time in program historical past, Notre Dame girls’s basketball is dancing. The No. 6 Irish are set to face No. 11 Fairfield on Saturday afternoon within the First Round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The contest suggestions off at 2:00 pm on ESPN, and Roy Philpott and Nell Fortner may have the decision.

NOTES

• The Irish are considered one of 12 groups within the nation to win no less than one NCAA Tournament recreation in every of the final 4 seasons.
• Notre Dame has received 9 of its final 11 video games getting into the NCAA Tournament, together with a slender loss to Duke within the ACC Tournament semifinals. Prior to dealing with the Blue Devils, the Irish downed Miami and NC State by 15 factors and 18 factors, respectively, in Duluth.
• Notre Dame performed 14 groups that finally made the NCAA Tournament, together with two video games every towards Duke, Louisville and NC State.
• The Irish are led by Hannah Hidalgo, who was named ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second 12 months in a row, turning into the primary participant to win each awards in back-to-back years. She was additionally a unanimous choice to the USA TODAY All-America First Team and is on the Wooden Award National Ballot, amongst different honors.
• Notre Dame is 75-28 all-time within the NCAA Tournament, together with a 26-4 document within the First Round. The Irish have superior to the Sweet 16 on 21 events, together with in every of their final 14 NCAA Tournament appearances.
• The Irish are 1-0 all-time towards Fairfield and haven’t confronted the Stags since 1987.