WBB outlasted by No. 5 Notre Dame, 66-63

Senior guard Haley Cavinder brings the ball down court during the second quarter of Miami’s game versus Notre Dame in the Watsco Center on Dec. 29, 2022. Photo credit: Jared Lennon

The Miami Hurricanes women’s basketball team fell just short of an upset against the fifth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Watsco Center on Thursday night. The game came down to the final seconds, but Notre Dame escaped with a 66-63 win.

“Notre Dame is a special team and they had to make the extra pass to beat us,” head coach Katie Meier said. We’re there. We’re not going to doubt ourselves. We were disruptive and got the looks we wanted and I am proud of our team.”

The Fighting Irish shot the ball efficiently early on to gain a 21-13 lead after 10 minutes of play. Notre Dame maintained its stellar play for the rest of the first half and held a 10-point lead at halftime, 41-31. Sophomore Jasmyne Roberts scored six points in the first half to pace the Hurricanes.

Graduate student forward Destiny Harden brings the ball down court on a fast break during the third quarter of Miami’s game versus Notre Dame in the Watsco Center on Dec. 29, 2022.
Graduate student forward Destiny Harden brings the ball down court on a fast break during the third quarter of Miami’s game versus Notre Dame in the Watsco Center on Dec. 29, 2022. Photo credit: Jared Lennon

In the second half, Miami mounted a comeback led by graduate student Destiny Harden, who scored nine of her 12 pointstied with Haley Cavinder for a team-high in the third quarter. Sophomore Lashae Dwyer, who scored 10 points in the game, notched seven straight points to put Miami ahead 53-51 towards the end of the third. Going into the fourth quarter, the game was tied at 53.

The final frame was a close battle, with neither squad able to pull ahead by more than one possession. However, Notre Dame regained the lead with a pair of crucial layups in the final three minutes and did not give it up.

To go along with her 12-point performance, Harden added nine rebounds and five steals.

Sophomore guard Lashae Dwyer drives to the basket during the first quarter of Miami’s game versus Notre Dame in the Watsco Center on Dec. 29, 2022.
Sophomore guard Lashae Dwyer drives to the basket during the first quarter of Miami’s game versus Notre Dame in the Watsco Center on Dec. 29, 2022. Photo credit: Jared Lennon

Miami drops to 7-6 overall and 0-2 within the Atlantic Coast Conference while Notre Dame improves to 11-1 and 2-0 in the conference.

The Hurricanes’ first game of 2023 is against the Pittsburgh Panthers on the road at 2 p.m. on Jan. 1. The game will be aired on ACC Network Extra.