Irish Women's Basketball opens pre-season game at home

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame Women's Basketball team is back in action tonight at Parcell Pavillion, with a pre-season matchup against Davenport University.

Head Coach Niele Ivey tips off her 5th year as Head Coach, with some considering this her best roster yet.

The ability to have Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles on the court as one of the best backcourts is one thing, but Ivey also managed to bring in some reinforcement on the wings to compliment Maddy Westbeld and Sonia Citron. 

Although Westbeld won't see the floor to start the season due to recovery, the Irish are in good hands with Grad transfers Liza Karlen from Marquette University and Liatu King from the University of Pittsburgh.

King earned ACC most improved player last season, averaging 18 points and 18 rebounds per game, while Karlen averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Joining the Irish, both players expect to have reduced roles, but veterans like Sonia Citron, who's on the Naismith Watchlist this year, is embracing the depth and size of the pieces.

"I think I can speak personally, just trying to make them feel comfortable in that players like Liza and Liatu, they were used to having a specific role on their other team, so just now that they're on a new team, even though they are experienced, they might be a little more reserved in saying something, but just making them feel comfortable that they have just as much experience as someone who's been here for a couple years," stated Citron.

Karlen states, "I'm a fifth-year player, so I do have a lot of experience. I think that having the underdog mentality a little bit is something that I embraced at Marquette, and I kind of want to bring that to this team as well. No one on the team currently has been past Sweet 16, and I want to change that this year, and hopefully the girls, the girls, are on board as well."