Preview: Notre Dame at SMU Women’s Basketball ABILENE, Texas (Interstat) — The surging Notre Dame women’s basketball team looks to continue its push toward the postseason when it visits struggling SMU in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup Sunday at Moody Coliseum. The Fighting Irish (17-9, 9-6 ACC) have won three of their last four, including a 78-54 road rout of Wake Forest on Thursday. Notre Dame’s offense is powered by dynamic guard Hannah Hidalgo, who is averaging 24.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists over her last seven games. She scored 26 points in the win over Wake Forest and erupted for 37 points in a victory at Stanford on Feb. 1. Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey will rely on Hidalgo’s scoring and the complementary play of Cassandre Prosper and KK Bransford to extend the team’s momentum. The Irish have shown resilience after a three-game skid in late January, improving their NCAA tournament resume. SMU (9-18, 2-13) seeks an upset to snap a five-game losing streak in conference play. The Mustangs are coming off a 77-59 home loss to Boston College on Thursday. Their last win was a narrow 79-78 victory over Pittsburgh on Feb. 15. The Mustangs will look to forward Anaya Brown to provide a spark. Brown is coming off a 19-point performance against Boston College and has been a consistent interior presence. Guard Ayanna Thompson and forward Grace Hall, who recorded five assists and three blocks in the last outing, will need to contribute on both ends to challenge the Irish. This game represents a stark contrast in conference trajectories. Notre Dame sits in the upper half of the ACC standings, while SMU is near the bottom. The Irish won the first meeting this season, 74-66, on Jan. 8 in South Bend, Indiana, behind 22 points from Hidalgo. Sunday’s contest is a designated home game for SMU but will be played at Moody Coliseum in Abilene, approximately 150 miles west of the Mustangs’ Dallas campus. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST. Notre Dame will host Syracuse next on Feb. 26, while SMU begins a tough road trip at Stanford on the same date.