Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

No. 3/2 Irish Return Home to Host MSU on Wednesday

Dec. 5, 2017

Game 9: #3/2 Notre Dame (7-1) vs Michigan State (5-2)
When: Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 7:00 pm ET
Where: Notre Dame, Ind. | Purcell Pavilion (9,149)
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Listen: PULSE FM 96.9 / 92.1 | Bob Nagle (PxP)
Live Scoring:
Notes: Notre Dame | MSU
Social: @NDWBB
Halftime: Teddy Bear Toss

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – After 25 days away from the friendly confines of Purcell Pavilion, the No. 3 Notre Dame women’s basketball team (7-1) returns home to host Michigan State (5-2) on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, in addition to Bob Nagle having the call on Pulse FM 96.9/92.1.

The Irish lead the all-time series over the Spartans, 9-8, with the last meeting between the two resulting in a, 79-61, Notre Dame victory in East Lansing on Dec. 20, 2016.

WHO’S HOT

There is no hotter Irish player than Arike Ogunbowale, who over the last four games is averaging 23.8 points per game. Over that span, the junior shot 48.7 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three-point range. Ogunbowale tied her career high 32 points at Michigan on Nov. 29, becoming one-of-five ACC players thus far this season to notch a 30+ point performance.

Jackie Young follows right behind, averaging 16.3 points per game and a team best 9.0 rebounds per game over the last four games. Young earned her first career back-to-back 20+ point performances with 23 points vs USF and 22 points vs South Carolina as part of the Gulf Coast Showcase, earning her tournament MVP honors and ACC Player of the Week recognition.

ROAD WARRIORS

From Nov. 14-Dec. 3, the Irish played seven straight games away from Purcell Pavilion, travelling 9,800 round-trip miles and matched the longest streak of non-home games in regular season history.

When Notre Dame took on UConn in Hartford on Dec. 3, it marked their fourth straight top-25 opponent, and fifth overall, all of which have been on the road. Only Notre Dame and UConn have squared off against four straight ranked foes this season and five overall. Furthermore, both Notre Dame and UConn are the only two schools to currently boast at least four top-25 ranked victories.

In addition, with the win at No. 22/20 Michigan on Nov. 29, the Irish procured its sixth win away from home this season, tying USC, Florida Gulf Coast and Houston for most wins away from its home court thus far.

1,000-POINT CLUB WELCOMES NEW MEMBER

The 2017-18 season could potentially witness now three different Irish joining the 1,000-career point club. Arike Ogunbowale became the 37th member of the prestigious group in the season opener vs Mount St. Mary’s when she earned a team high 21 points. Mabrey then followed suit becoming member No. 38 on Dec. 3 at UConn, when the junior poured in a season high 21 points. Now senior forward Kathryn Westbeld eyes the 1,000-point milestone, currently sitting with 819 career points.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE

After starting the season 4-0, Michigan State enters Wednesday’s contest with a 5-2 overall record. The Spartans suffered back-to-back losses vs UConn (96-62) and at Miami (67-57), before bouncing back to earn a 65-62 win over Western Michigan.

Three players average double-figures for the Spartans, starting with Branndais Agee’s 11.6 ppg. Agee, who was a Preseason All-Big Ten selection, became the 26th Spartan to notch 1,000 career points after collecting 10 points vs UConn. Agee is also fresh off of leading the team in scoring in the win over Western Michigan on Dec. 3, tallying 13 points.

Sidney Cooks follows suit averaging 11.1 points per game on 55.6 percent shooting. Cooks led the team vs UConn on Nov. 25, with 11 points and eight rebounds. A familiar name in Taya Reimer rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.2 ppg.

As a team, Michigan State ranks in the top-25 nationally in six different statistical categories: 16th in assists per game (19.1), 4th in offensive rebounds per game (20), 7th in rebound margin (14.6), 4th in rebounds per game (48.3), 21st in scoring offense (83.3) and 22nd in steals per game (11.9).

–ND–

Josh Bates joined Fighting Irish Media as associate athletics communications director in July of 2017, serving as the women’s basketball and men’s golf contact. Bates earned both his bachelor’s (2011) and master’s (2014) degree in sports management from the University of Illinois. He also worked as a grad assistant at Illinois from 2012-14 and worked full-time at Tulane University from 2014-17.