Michigan to Host No. 3 Notre Dame in B1G/ACC Challenge

» Michigan is facing its second top-five opponent of the season in No. 3 Notre Dame. It is the first time in program history that Michigan has played two top-five teams during the non-conference schedule.
» U-M is participating in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge for the 11th time. Michigan has an 8-2 record in Challenge games, including a 4-1 mark under head coach Kim Barnes Arico.
» U-M has a pair of double-figure scorers in Katelynn Flaherty (25.8 ppg) and Hallie Thome (16.6 ppg). Flaherty is second nationally in scoring average.

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• Complete Game Notes (PDF)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team (4-1) returns to Crisler Center to host No. 3-ranked Notre Dame (6-0) as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wednesday (Nov. 29) at Crisler Center. The game will begin at 6 p.m. and can be seen live on the Big Ten Network. The game is also part of Michigan's "Workweek Hustle" promotion - $5 for a ticket, hot dog and drink. [ more promotions ]

• Michigan is 8-2 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, winning its first four games in the annual event. U-M came away with a 92-52 win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta last year. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten in wins with eight in the event. Maryland has nine wins in the event, but seven came as a member of the ACC.

• Michigan received its first preseason ranking in the Associated Press poll since 2001, coming in at No. 24 to start the year. U-M has stayed in the poll since then, earning a No. 22 ranking this week. Michigan's four-week run in the poll is its second-longest streak in school history. Michigan made nine straight appearances from Nov. 6, 2001-Jan. 7, 2002.

• Michigan is facing its second top-five opponent of the season when it hosts No. 3 Notre Dame. U-M has already faced Louisville, which was No. 5 at the time and now checks in at No. 4. It is the first time in program history that Michigan has faced two top-five opponents in the non-conference portion of the schedule. U-M is looking for its first win over a top-five foe.

• Junior Hallie Thome has continued to have a dominant presence in the paint this season, averaging 16.6 points per game on 66.7-percent shooting. She is also grabbing 7.2 rebounds in 30.4 minutes per game. Thome has two double-doubles on the season already after going for 17 points and 13 rebounds at Ohio (Nov. 25). Since opening the season shooting 4-for-11 against George Mason, Thome has gone 26-for-34 from the floor in the last four games (.765). She is Michigan's career leader in field goal percentage (.624), which is second among active players nationally.

• Senior Katelynn Flaherty has reached the 20-point plateau in all five of Michigan's games this season, culminating in a 31-point performance in U-M's last game. Flaherty scored 18 of her 31 points in the final quarter as U-M knocked off Ohio on the road, 74-61. Flaherty is second in the country in points per game (25.8) to Ohio State's Kelsey Mitchell. She is also second to Mitchell in active career scoring (2,148) and three-pointers made (309).

• Senior Jillian Dunston continues to do the little things for Michigan, averaging a team-high 9.6 rebounds in 33.2 minutes per game. She is up to 613 rebounds in her career, ranking 14th all-time. Dunston also recorded the third game of her career with at least five steals after swiping five against Louisville (Nov. 16). She has 112 for her career, nine away from entering the top 25 in program history.

• Notre Dame (6-0) comes to Ann Arbor after a 3-0 mark at the Gulf Coast Showcase, wrapping up the tournament with a 92-85 win over then-No. 3 South Carolina. The Irish have four players scoring in double figures in Arike Ogunbowale (18.8 ppg), Jackie Young (17.8 ppg), Jessica Shepard (13.7 ppg) and Marina Mabrey (10.3 ppg). Notre Dame leads the all-time series against Michigan, 11-7.