Sept. 28, 1999

Complete 1999-2000 Schedule

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team will play 10 teams which were members of the 1999 NCAA tournament field during the upcoming 1999-2000 campaign. The Irish 27-game slate features 13 home games and a road contest against defending national champion Purdue on December 8.

The home slate includes visits by non-conference foes Butler, Michigan State, USC, Valparaiso and Marquette. Notre Dame plays its home opener against Butler on Wednesday, December 1 at 7:00 p.m.

For the first time since the 1995-96 season, the BIG EAST Conference will play a 16-game rather than an 18-game format. The first conference game for the Irish will be played at home against West Virginia on Wednesday, January 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Notre Dame was a perfect 8-0 against non-conference foes during the 1998-99 season. The Irish play the first two games on the road as they open up the season at Toledo on Saturday, November 20 at 6:00 p.m., and then travel to Illinois on Saturday, November 27 for a 2:00 p.m. contest.

The Irish travel to Richmond, Va., the first weekend in December for the Wachovia Women’s Invitational Tournament hosted by the University of Richmond. The four-time field also includes North Carolina, Richmond and Liberty. The Irish open up the tournament against the Tar Heels in the first-ever meeting between the two schools on Saturday, December 4 at 6:00 p.m. Notre Dame meets either the Flames or Spiders in the consolation or championship contests on Sunday, December 5.

Michigan State pays a visit to the Joyce Center on Saturday, December 11 in the final home test before the Christmas holiday. Notre Dame will meet Florida International in the Orange Bowl Women’s Basketball Fab Four on Sunday December 19 in Miami, Fla. The other contest features Miami and North Carolina State.

Following the Florida International game, Notre Dame is at home for three consecutive non-conference games. USC and Notre Dame meet for just the second time ever when the Lady Trojans pay a visit to the Joyce Center on Monday, December 27 at 7:00 p.m. The Irish play Valparaiso two days later on Wednesday, December 29 at 7:00 p.m. before concluding the 11-game non-conference schedule with a matchup against Marquette on Sunday, January 2 at 1:00 p.m.

Boston College, which finished fourth in the regular-season standings a year ago, is one of the eight league teams coming to the Joyce Center. A visit from Miami on Tuesday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. marks the final regular-season home contest.

Notre Dame travels to Rutgers, which shared the BIG EAST regular-season title with Connecticut last season, on Saturday, February 19 for a 2:00 p.m. matchup and then conclude the regular season at Connecticut on Saturday, February 26 at 12:00 p.m. The game will by played at the 16,294-seat Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Conn.

The BIG EAST Championship, returns to Storrs, Conn., for the first time since 1997 and will be held March 4-7.