The Bellarmine University women’s basketball team is set to close out the 2025 portion of its schedule with two road games against prominent opponents. The Knights, currently holding a 2-9 record, will face Arizona on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET and No. 20 Notre Dame on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.
These matchups conclude a five-game road trip for Bellarmine that began with games against Louisville and Illinois, as well as a contest at Chattanooga. Earlier this season, Bellarmine also played at Ohio State. Last year, Ohio State, Louisville, Illinois, and Notre Dame all participated in the NCAA Tournament. Currently, Ohio State (No. 21), Louisville (No. 16), and Notre Dame (No. 20) are ranked in the Associated Press top 25 poll; Illinois is receiving votes.
Bellarmine head coach Monique Reid and Arizona head coach Becky Burke share a history as former teammates at the University of Louisville from 2008 to 2012. They were part of the Cardinals team that finished as national runner-up in their freshman year in 2009.
Burke is leading Arizona in her first season after the Wildcats finished last year with a 19-14 record and participated in the WBIT tournament. Arizona has played all its games at home so far this season, with Bellarmine being their eleventh straight opponent hosted at McKale Memorial Center. The Wildcats recently defeated Chicago State 89-70 and previously won against Eastern Kentucky, an ASUN rival of Bellarmine, by a score of 87-83. Arizona’s field-goal percentage stands at 48.4%, ranking fifteenth nationally. Transfer Mickayla Perdue is averaging 18.9 points per game.
Notre Dame enters Sunday’s game on a three-game winning streak that includes a decisive win over Florida State in its ACC opener and an undefeated home record this season after beating Morehead State by nearly fifty points. Hannah Hidalgo has received several preseason honors including being named to the John R. Wooden Award Watch List and recognized as ACC Preseason Player of the Year as well as an AP Preseason All-American; she ranks fifth nationally in scoring with an average of 24.6 points per game. Senior guard Cassandre Prosper was named to the USBWA National Team of the Week following strong performances in recent victories.
This week marks Bellarmine’s first-ever meetings with both Arizona and Notre Dame programs.
“Albeit on opposite benches, Reid reunited with her and Burke’s head coach at Louisville, Jeff Walz, when the Knights visited the Cardinals on Nov. 30.”
After these nonconference games conclude, Bellarmine will open ASUN play by hosting Queens on January 1 followed by West Georgia on January 3.
Bellarmine last played December 7 against Chattanooga where they lost narrowly by five points; junior guard Triniti Ralston led with a career-high performance—26 points and nine assists—marking her fourth game this season scoring more than twenty points. Ralston currently ranks among conference leaders for scoring (seventh), assists (ninth), rebounding (twelfth), free throws made (first), attempts (first), and percentage (first).
Ava Smith contributed twelve points against Chattanooga for her fifth double-digit outing this season while Kayce Hyman tied her season high with ten points during that matchup; Rachel Shropshire collected a career-best eight rebounds; Rose Jamison reached double figures for the fourth time this year.
Injuries have affected Bellarmine’s roster depth significantly: only eight players have been available over their past six games, dropping to seven during three contests due to additional injuries sustained mid-game.
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