Tough week to be a fan in South Bend. If you’ve been looking for the latest notre dame basketball score, the vibe around the Joyce Center is a bit heavy right now. Both the men’s and women’s programs just dropped home games that felt like they were right there for the taking.
Honestly, it's frustrating. You watch these games and see flashes of brilliance—Hannah Hidalgo doing things with a basketball that don't seem physically possible, or Jalen Haralson muscling through the paint—but then the second half hits. The shots stop falling. The defense leaks.
The Men’s Struggle: Miami Takes the Air Out of the Room
On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the men's team hosted Miami (FL). The final notre dame basketball score was 81-69 in favor of the Hurricanes.
It was a tale of two halves, literally. At halftime, it was a 39-39 deadlock. Purcell Pavilion was loud. Micah Shrewsberry’s squad looked like they had finally found that rhythm that's been eluding them in ACC play. Jalen Haralson was playing like a man possessed, eventually finishing with 18 points.
Then the second half started.
Miami just systematically dismantled the Irish defense. Tre Donaldson and Malik Reneau combined for 40 points, and the Irish just couldn't keep pace. Notre Dame only managed 30 points in the second frame. When you're shooting 39% from the floor and turning the ball over 10 times against a team like Miami, you're asking for trouble.
Why the Offense Stalled
- Markus Burton’s Absence/Efficiency: While Burton has been the engine all year (averaging 18.5 PPG), the secondary scoring hasn't always been there when he's bottled up.
- The Turnover Bug: Logan Imes had 6 turnovers in the Miami game alone. You can't give extra possessions to a high-octane ACC offense.
- Three-Point Droughts: Braeden Shrewsberry is a sniper, but if the ball isn't moving side-to-side, he’s just standing on an island.
The Women’s Game: No. 9 Louisville Breaks the Home Streak
If the men's loss was a slow burn, the women's game on Thursday, January 15, was a heartbreaker because of what was at stake. Notre Dame came into the night 10-0 at home. They were ranked No. 23 and looking to prove they still belonged in the top-tier conversation.
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The final notre dame basketball score? Louisville 79, Notre Dame 66.
The stat that will haunt Niele Ivey for a while is the bench points: 31-2. Yes, you read that right. Louisville’s reserves outscored the Irish bench by 29 points. Reyna Scott came off the pine for the Cardinals and dropped 20.
Hannah Hidalgo did everything she could. She finished with 24 points, 8 assists, and 5 boards. But Louisville did something almost nobody does—they neutralized her on defense. Hidalgo leads the nation in steals, but she only managed one against the Cards.
Breaking Down the 79-66 Loss
It was 59-56 late in the third quarter. The Irish were right there. Then, the wheels just fell off in the fourth. Notre Dame shot a miserable 3-of-13 in the final ten minutes. Meanwhile, Louisville just kept hitting big shots, specifically Tajianna Roberts, who went 4-for-5 from deep.
What’s Next for the Irish?
Looking at the schedule, there is zero time to pout. The men are heading to Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech today, January 17. It’s a noon tip on ACCN. If they want to get their conference record back to respectable levels, they have to find a way to win on the road.
The women have it even tougher. They’re looking at a date with No. 1 UConn on Monday. Talk about a "get right" game that’s actually a "good luck" game.
How to track the next notre dame basketball score:
- Check the ACC Network: Most of the men's games are living there or on ESPN2 this month.
- Follow Live Stats: The official Fighting Irish app is usually about 30 seconds faster than the big sports apps like ESPN or Yahoo.
- Radio: If you're driving, the Notre Dame Radio Network (96.1 FM in South Bend) is still the best way to catch the play-by-play.
The season isn't over, but the margin for error in South Bend is officially gone. Keep an eye on those shooting percentages in the second half; that's where these games are being won and lost.