Preview: Notre Dame Faces Top-Ranked UConn in Women’s Basketball Showdown HARTFORD, Conn. (Interstat) — The top-ranked and undefeated Connecticut Huskies host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a marquee nonconference women’s basketball clash Monday at XL Center. UConn (18-0), which has dominated its schedule with an average margin of victory of 41.2 points, looks to continue its perfect run. The Huskies are coming off a 99-50 rout of Villanova on Thursday, where freshman phenom Sarah Strong posted 24 points, four assists and five blocks in just 27 minutes. Strong, a versatile forward, has been a consistent force, averaging 19.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists over her last seven games. Notre Dame (12-5) seeks a season-defining upset after a 79-66 home loss to Louisville last Thursday. The Fighting Irish are led by dynamic guard Hannah Hidalgo, who scored 24 points with eight assists in that defeat. Hidalgo has been on a prolific scoring run, exceeding 30 points three times in her last eight games, including a 31-point, eight-rebound, six-assist performance in a win over North Carolina on Jan. 11. The matchup between Hidalgo’s perimeter creativity and Strong’s inside-out dominance will be central. UConn’s defense, which has held opponents to 50 points or fewer nine times this season, will face one of its toughest individual tests in Hidalgo. Notre Dame has struggled against ranked competition, with all five losses coming against Top 25 foes, including an 82-68 defeat at Duke on Jan. 4. UConn has steamrolled its ranked opponents, notably a 90-64 victory over then-Iowa in December. The Huskies hold a distinct home-court advantage at XL Center, where they have won 27 consecutive games. Notre Dame last played UConn in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, falling 76-54 in the Sweet 16. Following this matchup, Notre Dame returns to Atlantic Coast Conference play against Miami on Thursday. UConn resumes its Big East schedule at Georgetown on Thursday.