“Fingers crossed”, “F*ck man”: Notre Dame fans express concern as Olivia Miles limps off the court

College basketball fans watched Olivia Miles leave the court with a limp as No. 8 Notre Dame faced No. 2 UConn this Thursday in the Shamrock Classic. The crowd at Purcell Pavilion gasped when the Fighting Irish guard hobbled off the court, injuring her ankle just four minutes into the game against the Huskies.

Live updates from reporters detailed the unfolding scene in Notre Dame’s home arena.

“Olivia Miles injured early in the 1st W vs UConn. Limped off the floor and had shoe & sock off as trainers looked at her. But she appears better after getting it taped. Less limp as she walked to a different seat in the bench,” said ABC57 Kickoff host and reporter Allison Hayes.

Fans also took to social media to share their reactions to Miles’ injury.

“Notre Dame getting Liza Karlen back and finally getting to add to their rotation just to have Olivia Miles go down early is so insanely unlucky. Fingers crossed for Olivia,” commented Tyler DeLuca.

“f*** man olivia miles though :///,” one fan wrote.

“Olivia Miles rolling her ankle 4 minutes in is unfair,” tweeted user another fan added.

"olivia miles rolled her ankle wtf man.. #NCAAWBB #uconn #notredame," a user added.

"Dat was a nasty ankle roll…i hope Olivia Miles is ok🙏🏽," one fan tweeted.

"That Olivia Miles ankle roll looked painful 🤕 I hope they’re not getting her back on the floor too soon," another fan added.

Fortunately, Miles overcame the injury concern and returned to the game. She wrapped up with 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 27 minutes on the court. The Fighting Irish secured a 79-68 victory, boosting their record to 8-2 and maintaining their perfect home record at 4-0.

The Fighting Irish continue their hosting duties as they face the Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-5) on Sunday.

UConn vs. Notre Dame: The most awaited showdown

The clash between No. 8 Notre Dame and No. 2 UConn on Thursday was one of the season's most anticipated matchups. This marked the 55th meeting in their storied rivalry.

UConn entered the game undefeated at 8-0, while Notre Dame has two losses but boasts impressive wins over top-5 teams USC and Texas.

Beyond team achievements, individual talent takes the spotlight. UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo are both leading contenders for national player of the year honors. Additionally, UConn’s Sarah Strong and Notre Dame’s Kate Koval are among the nation’s top freshmen — Strong being the No. 1 recruit of 2024 and Koval ranked No. 5.

The Fighting Irish have won the last two matchups. Coach Niele Ivey holds a 2-1 record against UConn’s Geno Auriemma. Another win would make Ivey the fifth coach in 30 seasons to defeat Auriemma thrice in a row. Historically, UConn leads the series 39-15, with those 15 losses being the most that Auriemma has suffered against any team in his 40-year career.