Notre Dame Women's Basketball Heads West for Crucial Road Trip

The Irish look to bounce back from recent struggles against Cal and Stanford.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 7:07pm

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The Notre Dame women's basketball team will embark on a West Coast road trip this week as the team looks to recover from a recent slide that dropped them out of the AP Top 25. The Irish will face Cal on Thursday night in Berkeley and then travel to Stanford for a Sunday afternoon matchup, with both games presenting opportunities to gain ground in the ACC standings.

Why it matters

Notre Dame has lost three of its past four games, contributing to its fall from the national rankings. Both Cal and Stanford currently sit below the Irish in the ACC standings, so these road games are crucial for Notre Dame to regain its footing and position itself well for the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

The details

The Irish enter the road trip with a 13-7 overall record and a 5-4 mark in conference play. Head coach Niele Ivey emphasized the importance of the team focusing on "stacking good days" and finishing strong in the final nine games of the regular season, with three of those at home.

  • The Irish will face Cal on Thursday, January 30th at 10 p.m. Eastern.
  • Notre Dame will then travel to Stanford for a game on Sunday, February 2nd at 4 p.m. Eastern.

The players

Niele Ivey

The head coach of the Notre Dame women's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We know we have nine games left. We have three games at home. So for us, the picture is painted. For us, we have to win the day. So, stack good days.”

— Niele Ivey, Head Coach (WNDU)

What’s next

According to ESPN's latest bracketology predictions, Notre Dame is currently projected to be an eighth seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

These road games against Cal and Stanford are crucial for Notre Dame to regain its footing in the ACC and position itself well for the postseason. The team's recent struggles have dropped them out of the national rankings, but a strong finish to the regular season could help the Irish secure a favorable seed in the NCAA Tournament.