Olivia Miles Stats Today: How did Notre Dame star fare vs Lafayette? (Nov 17)
No. 6 Notre Dame delivered a dominant 91-55 victory over Lafayette on Sunday in a special homecoming game for Fighting Irish point guard Olivia Miles. Playing two miles from her hometown of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Miles shined in front of nearly 70 friends and family gathered at the 2,600-seat Kirby Sports Center.
The 5-foot-10 senior guard put on a show, recording a double-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
Miles reflected on the experience with gratitude. She said, per Inside ND Sports:
"It was really good, very blessed. You know, this place is five minutes from my house, so a lot of hometown friends, a lot of middle school, high school, even elementary school friends came out.”
Despite a shorthanded rotation of just seven players, the Irish displayed red-hot shooting from the start. Miles connected on four of her nine 3-point attempts, tying her career-high before halftime, and contributed to Notre Dame’s new program record of 15 three-pointers in a game.
Overall, she shot 8-for-15 from the field, committed just one turnover in 35 minutes, and selflessly created easier scoring opportunities for her teammates.
This was Olivia Miles’ second 20-point performance of the season and the ninth of her career, further solidifying her strong start after opening the season with a triple-double on November 4. Her return to form is especially significant after missing all of last season due to injury.
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame off to a scorching start
The Fighting Irish continue to prove why they deserve the No. 6 spot in the recent rankings of the Associated Press. With the victory over Lafayette, the Irish have now opened the season 4-0 with an average winning margin of 42.5 points.
Olivia Miles has been integral to the hot start as she's averaging 18.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists over the four games.
The Fighting Irish have shown consistent growth under head coach Niele Ivey, now in her fifth season leading the team. Last season without Miles, Notre Dame finished ranked No. 11 with an impressive 28-7 record, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
This season, the Irish are determined to maintain their strong performance. Six players — Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, Liatu King, Kate Koval, Cassandre Prosper, and Sonia Citron — are currently averaging double-digit points, showcasing the team’s depth and balanced scoring.
Next up, the Fighting Irish face No. 3 Southern Cal on Saturday in what promises to be a challenging matchup, offering a key opportunity to measure their potential as they await the return of injured players.