Everything Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said before NCAA Tournament first round vs. Stephen F. Austin

Notre Dame is back in a familiar position, hosting NCAA Tournament games at Purcell Pavilion. The No. 3 seed Fighting Irish welcome No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin to South Bend for a first round game Friday at 2 p.m. ET.

This is everything Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said in her Thursday press conference leading into the matchup.

On Stephen F. Austin

“Just a really great three-point shooting team, undersized, averaging nine made threes a game. Coming off an incredible conference tournament championship. Have won 14 straight games. Coming in with a lot of confidence.

“Just really impressed by the way they play. They play very hard. They’ve got great shooters, like I mentioned. It’s going to be a task for us to do a great job defensively. That’s a big piece of what we’re trying to accomplish tomorrow, is to be locked in defensively.

“But they got great scorers, so we got to do a great job defending them.”

On Notre Dame setting an early tone

“I think that’s big. I mean, the sense of urgency is at an all-time high right now. Like Hannah [Hidalgo] mentioned, everything is on the line. You win or you go home. You have to show up with great, great tenacity and energy in this first game. Just coming out, opening this tournament, you have to come out with a sense of urgency, sense of just dominance and energy.”

On her sense of style in terms of outfits during games

“When I first got into coaching, I learned under a Hall of Fame coach. Being coached under Coach [Muffet] McGraw, her whole staff dressed up. Coaching with her we dressed up. Kind of the fabric of Notre Dame, what I’m used to style-wise.

“I think fashion the last couple years has taken on a life of its own. You get a chance to really showcase your personality. For me, I like to look nice. I feel the way you look, you play good, feel good, and also just bringing power and elegance to the sideline.

“I feel very confident in the choices that I choose as far as clothing, fashion. It’s fun, but also I feel powerful. It’s just something that has been a fabric of myself being a part of this program for a long time.”

On the cross necklace she always wears

“Well, my best friend gave it to me just as a Christmas gift. It has my son’s initials on the backside of it. I’m a very faith-based person. Spirituality and my faith is really important to me.

“It’s just a special gift, but also my son’s initials are on the back of it. Again, my faith in God. Spirituality is a big piece of me.”

On what she did during Notre Dame’s time off the last two weeks

“I wish I could have gone where [the players] went (smiling).

“Yeah, I did take a break. I was here in South Bend. Just took a couple days. Again, long season. Just needed that mental break to reset and recharge, just the way the team needed. That’s the reason why that was a big piece of giving them that time off.

“Got a chance to do some self-care things here in South Bend. Took a couple days taking my mind off of basketball. But just being with friends and trying to get a lot of rest.

“With this season, you don’t get a lot of rest as a coach. Taking some time for myself, getting locked in back to film after a couple days.”

On her players having a team dinner upon getting back to South Bend after spring break

“I love it. I think it’s our culture, togetherness, sisterhood, that family atmosphere. They told me that they had dinner. I just loved the idea that they got a chance to get together and be away from the game but also connecting with each other.

“I think connectivity is a big piece of chemistry. When I found out they had dinner, it warmed my heart. I was really happy they got a chance to spend some time together, especially being away for a couple days.”

On Notre Dame graduate senior forward Maddy Westbeld being a good cook

“She posts a lot on social media. She’s understanding her nutrition, very important to her. Very healthy. I’m sure that the dishes were fantastic. They love cooking. She loves cooking. I’m sure it was delicious.”

On former Notre Dame player Natalie Achonwa being on the Michigan staff and Michigan being in South Bend

“I think it’s amazing. When we saw the draw, the brackets, I was like, great, Ace is coming home. She’s a phenomenal woman, has had so much success as a player. I knew she was going to be a phenomenal coach.

“For her to get her first opportunity at a storied program like Michigan is big. I’m excited. I haven’t had a chance to see her. Excited she gets a chance to come back home.

“Again, she’s going to be a phenomenal coach. Is already doing a great job with the Michigan staff. Really proud of her and excited her full-circle moment back in the NCAA tournament is back at Notre Dame.”

More on Achonwa, especially her motherhood in coaching

“So proud of her. She’s a phenomenal mother. I went to Paris and watched our Cass Prosper and Ace play. Saw Mav over there in Paris. He’s just a happy young boy, baby boy. He’s her inspiration. You can just tell the way that she mothers. She’s done just a great job.

“I know it’s hard balancing both. She’s a part of a family and environment there that allows her to do both. I’m happy to be that example for her, that you can balance both worlds. You can be a mom, a working mom, and also be a phenomenal mother. That’s exactly what she’s doing.

“I’m really proud of her. I sent her texts throughout the season saying how well she’s doing, keep it up, because it is challenging. She’s found a way to be able to balance both, and doing a great job doing that.”

On moms being collegiate head coaches

“I mean, I think just realizing that you can. There’s balance. You can still have a work life balance. You don’t have to choose one or the other. You can still be successful and be a mother. Being able to balance both I think is the significance of that.

“I’m happy that I can always be a resource for her at any time she needs. I was just in her shoes 20 years ago.”

On if she’s concerned with the way Notre Dame limped into the tournament and if the Irish lack a killer instinct

“I think those were setbacks for us, lessons for us. It was definitely hard last couple weeks trying to get back to who we are, our identity. Got to get back to work. It’s part of the game. As long as you learn from those lessons, those failures, they can always provide growth. That’s what I’m looking for for our team.

“We had some great practices, time off for us to regroup. Tomorrow you’re going to see a different team. What I want the crowd to see is to see a team that’s going to leave it all out on the floor, like Sonia says, with a defensive tenacity. That’s an area I’m trying to fix.”

On playing these first two game son Notre Dame’s home floor

“Yeah, I mean, just being familiar here at home. We put in the work all season long. Had an extremely tough schedule. Put ourself in this position to host. I’m super grateful.

“But it doesn’t matter where you are. It doesn’t matter who we play, seeding. You have to come up and show up for 40 minutes. That’s my level of focus for this team.

“It feels great obviously to be at home, but also this is March Madness. It does not matter, any given night any team can beat you. You have to have that mindset coming in no matter where you are that you have to show up and play great basketball for 40 minutes.”

On Notre Dame senior guard Olivia Miles’ career

“She’s just had an incredible season. Her injury, she had to battle through a lot of adversity with her ACL. She’s come back super strong, has had an incredible year. She’s done so much.

“When she came back, first triple-double her first return was just phenomenal to have her back, going through so much. She put in so much work in the off-season, having a very long road before she came back.

“For me, I’m just really proud. I’ve been through two ACLs, so I know how that feels, having the game taken away from you and having to fight to come back stronger than you were before.

“I think she’s done a great job of leading our team, coming in with such dominance and confidence. She has really changed the team this year having her back. I think there’s a big difference when she’s on the floor.

“I’m really proud of her, what she’s accomplished already. Excited what she’s going to continue doing.”

On being a senior in March Madness when every game could be your last and if that is different from what other players feel

“It is. I think it’s just like that thought of this could be it. That sense of urgency is very heightened as a senior ’cause you know at any given time you don’t have another year. You have to leave it all on the floor. There’s no more basketball after this. Knowing you’re one-and-done, win or go home, it’s heightened.

“The pressure is heightened, but also that level of urgency is a lot higher than it is of anybody else returning, having more years in college. It’s heightened. It’s also exciting because you know seniors are going to give it their all because this is it for them.”