Everything Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said after NCAA Tournament win vs. Stephen F. Austin

Notre Dame opened its 2025 NCAA Tournament run in resounding fashion. The Fighting Irish pummeled Stephen F. Austin, 106-54, at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend.

This is everything Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said after the win.

Opening statement

“Really grateful for today. It was a great performance from our team. Excited about this win. Excited about the fans. I thought they did a great job coming up and coming out to support us. Bunch of great basketball today in South Bend. Really pleased with our defensive effort the. I thought we came out on fire. I thought we were really locked in. Our preparation all week to me has really paid off.

“Just tribute to this team. They came in focused and ready. We got back to work. This was the result of their effort and energy and preparation. I really enjoyed the entire team scoring. Got a chance to have the entire team on the floor. That gave us incredible energy. Great to see the walk-ons get a chance to play and score.

“These two led us. A lot of great performances from everybody on the team. Both of them ending with 24 points, but their defensive intensity full court, their poise, efficiency, it was fantastic.

“Just did a great job leading us. Again, really pleased with the win. Excited to be able to play again an Sunday.”

On Notre Dame senior guard Olivia Miles’ injury

“Yes, ankle injury. Stepped on someone’s foot. Going to be okay. But she got to get treatment.”

On if Miles is going to be OK for Sunday

“She’s in great spirits. She just stepped on someone’s foot, unfortunately. What she did earlier in the season, I think against UConn. Walking over to her, she kind of reassured me that she was OK. That made me feel a lot better. But again, she’s going to be really sore. So, credit to Ann, our trainer, that’s going to do a great job for the next 48 hours to get her ready.”

More on Miles

“She’ll be OK. She might be sore, but she should be good.”

On Notre Dame’s deep rotation vs. SFA

“Usually it’s what the game dictates. I felt like it was perfect timing for them to bring energy. Liza, which I didn’t get a chance to say earlier, had a double-double, seven offensive rebounds. She was a big difference with the energy that came from the bench as far as Liza, Cass, and Kate.

“I just go with what the game dictates. All of the were focused and ready. Again, very defensive minded today. Just wanted to change that energy right from the beginning.

“I thought they came in and gave us a great spark. All three of them.”

On Michigan needing to play its starters all the way through to beat Iowa State

“Well, I mean, they play so well and so hard, so it’s really — I’m hoping that our depth can help us on Sunday. We got a scout. See what that looks like because I was back preparing for this game. I’m hoping that our depth can give us an advantage moving forward.”

On the Notre Dame vs. Michigan rivalry

“It means everything. They’re down the street. Two storied programs. Phenomenal coach in women’s basketball tradition at Michigan. Had one of our former players on the bench.

“So again, we’re excited to play no matter who our matchup was. We’ll be ready. Excited for women’s basketball to see two great programs matched up together.”

On Notre Dame’s focus on defense vs. SFA

“Individual pride and rotations. Those were two big things. That can come with one-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three. I was very focused on going back to the basics, challenging them with a lot of the practices. Made the practices extremely challenging so we can get better. Just staying on things long until I felt like we had moved forward in progression with whatever we were doing.

“But that was my biggest focus. Individual pride and doing a great job with our team defense and communication.”

On if rebounding was a focus for Notre Dame vs. SFA

“Absolutely. That’s always attached. Rebounding so getting the stops. Forces them to make sure we were in situations that we had to get the stops. Sometimes rebounding is a big key of that. Credit to our practice squad. They came back and they really helped us really challenged us. Really prepared us for today.”