SOUTH BEND — Hello, old friend.
They finally meet again.
Decades removed from its days as an independent, Notre Dame basketball has often circled back to those days when it played certain schools — often twice a year — that were schedule staples in the 1970s and 80s and into the early 90s.
In recent seasons as a member of the Big East, and then the Atlantic Coast Conference, Notre Dame has played DePaul. It has played Marquette. It called both conference colleagues when they were all in the Big East. It rekindled the rivalry with UCLA. It has returned to its Big East roots and played Georgetown. It will play Villanova.
It never reconnected with one former independent colleague (thanks, Mike Brey), but will this preseason.
On October 17, Notre Dame will play at Dayton in an exhibition game. It’s part of that school’s annual Mental Health Awareness game. Dayton made the announcement on Thursday, May 21.
The game will benefit Jay’s Light, a mental health and suicide prevention initiative created by Dayton head coach Anthony Grant and his wife, Chris. Their daughter, Jay, died in 2022 at age 20 after battling mental illness.
The game marks the first meeting between the teams since January 17, 1995. That was the last season of Irish independence before joining the Big East.
Dayton hosted Penn State last October in the annual exhibition.
Under Grant, a 1987 UD graduate, Dayton finished 24-12 overall, 12-6 in the A-10 and 14-4 at UD Arena last season. Notre Dame, in its third season under head coach Micah Shrewsberry, went 13-18, 4-14 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 2-9 on the road.
“We are honored to partner with Coach Grant, the University of Dayton, and CareSource for this tremendous event,” Shrewsberry said in an official UD press release for the game. “What makes this event special is what it represents beyond the game itself. Mental health is something that touches every team, every locker room, every campus, and every community. We must continue creating conversations, raising awareness, and helping improve access to the resources people need. College basketball gives us a platform to impact people beyond wins and losses, and we’re proud to be a part of something that can make a difference.”
Notre Dame’s roster may feature as many as 10 new players — six transfers, three freshmen and sophomore power forward Tommy Ahneman who missed all of last season with a knee injury — against Dayton.
In a series that started in 1909, the Irish lead all-time 28-12 overall, but are 10-11 at University of Dayton Arena. Notre Dame won 14 of the 16 meetings before the series went on hiatus.
Notre Dame is no stranger to the arena that sits just off Interstate 75 and on the banks of the Great Miami River. The Irish have played two NCAA Tournament games at UD Arena since 2013, the most recent a memorable 89-87 double-overtime victory over Rutgers in the 2022 NCAA First Four. A game that started March 16 and ended after midnight on Saint Patrick’s Day featured 12 ties and 17 lead changes.
Afterward, Notre Dame caught an overnight charter flight to its first-round site in San Diego, where it beat Alabama for what remains as its last NCAA Tournament win. It’s last postseason win.
University of Dayton Arena is also where Notre Dame legend Austin Carr scored a still-record 61 points in an NCAA Tournament game (a 112-82 victory over Ohio on March 7, 1970).
Dayton replaces Butler on the Notre Dame exhibition schedule for 2026-27, which means the Irish will not play at Purcell Pavilion until the regular season. Notre Dame beat Butler, 77-76 last October at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler has not played at Notre Dame since 1994.
Notre Dame also will visit DePaul sometime in October before the regular season starts November 1 in Rome against former Big East colleague Villanova. DePaul beat Notre Dame, 69-62, in South Bend last October.
Notre Dame’s complete 2026-27 schedule is usually completed in mid-September.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame basketball to visit an old Independent friend for exhibition
Reporting by Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
