Kia Nurse has wasted little time in making her impact felt but now comes perhaps the toughest test of her freshman season.

If Nurse needs to know how difficult it is for a freshman in their first game at Notre Dame, she needs to go ask her older teammates.

Breanna Stewart was 1 of 7 from the field with five turnovers, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was just 2 of 7 from the floor and Moriah Jefferson had two points in limited time in their first visits to South Bend. The lone exception is Morgan Tuck, who had 11 points (on 5 of 11 shooting) to go with seven rebounds and five assists.

"I think what makes it tough is the opponent," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "There is a correlation of a place being difficult to play and the team that plays there. Notre Dame has been traditionally very, very good and their fan base has grown. It will probably be sold out so it is difficult for a freshman to go there and play well. It is difficult for any team to go there and play well. Last time I checked the won like 50 straight at home."

It will be the first time Nurse will be in the starting lineup against a ranked opponent and she will figure to draw the defensive assignment on Notre Dame's Jewell Loyd at times today.
"I am looking forward to it. It is a big college rivalry," Nurse said. "I am happy to see where I am.

"It will be fun. You always get a challenge from somebody and she is a great guard, a great player and I think it will be good for me even if I guard her or don't guard her to be there and be on defense. It will be a good challenge to get me ready for what's to come."