SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Olivia Miles called game.
On Thursday night, No. 10 Notre Dame (21-4, 12-3) hosted Louisville (19-9, 10-5) at Purcell Pavilion. The Irish had fallen six straight times to the Cardinals in a rivalry that dates back to the Big East days. That streak is no longer, as Miles hit a buzzer-beater at the end of overtime to give her squad the 78-76 victory.
“I’m almost speechless because that was just a moment,” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said postgame. “In the last couple minutes, I told the team it’s time for us to separate ourselves, and that shot is what you call separation. That was unbelievable.”
Just seconds before the game-winner, Miles turned the ball over allowing Louisville to make a bucket to tie the game at 76. Notre Dame subsequently called a timeout to advance the ball to its side of the court. Sonia Citron inbounded the ball to Kylee Watson, who dumped it off to Miles. She got the shot off as time expired, hitting what she said was her first game-winning shot since high school.
“I blacked out,” Miles said with a smile. “I don’t know what just happened.”
The Irish had to do a fair amount of work to get back into the game in the fourth quarter, as they went down by 9 points with 7:49 to play. A few buckets from Watson had Notre Dame back in it, and they tied it at 68 with 1:13 left. It was 70-70 at the end of regulation.
In total, four women posted double-figure points on Thursday, and Watson put up 20 for the first time in an Irish uniform. She is the first Irish player to go 8-for-8 since Jessica Shepard in 2018. Miles had 18 points, Citron put up 15, and KK Bransford had 10. Miles was one assist shy of a triple-double, finishing with 11 rebounds and 9 assists.
She only had one bucket, but center Lauren Ebo returned for limited minutes on Thursday. She had missed the last five games with a lower body injury.
Notre Dame heads back on the road this weekend. The Irish will see Pittsburgh (10-16, 3-12) for the second time this year after topping them 69-63 on Feb. 9. Sunday’s game tips off at 2 p.m. ET on ACCNX.