Statement Report: Duke Women’s Basketball Coach Sends Strong Message to Notre Dame’s Niele Ivey After Defeat in South Bend
Duke Women’s Basketball head coach Carolyn Peck has sent a strong and unexpected message to Notre Dame’s Niele Ivey following her team’s recent defeat to the Fighting Irish at South Bend Arena. The highly anticipated matchup ended in a dominating performance by the Irish, further solidifying their place as one of the nation’s top-ranked teams.
After the game, which saw Duke fall to Notre Dame in a convincing 78-61 defeat, Coach Peck didn’t shy away from addressing the impact of the loss. In a post-game interview, she praised Ivey’s coaching and the intensity of the Fighting Irish but made sure to send a pointed message regarding the future of Duke’s rivalry with Notre Dame.
“I have tremendous respect for Niele and the Notre Dame program, but I want to make it clear that this is not over. We will learn from today and come back stronger. Our goal remains the same—to be the best in the country—and this loss is just fuel for us to push harder,” Peck remarked, her words echoing with determination.
The loss to Notre Dame was a tough blow for Duke, who had entered the game with a strong record of their own and had hoped to challenge the Irish for supremacy in the ACC. However, the game showcased Notre Dame’s unmatched talent and cohesion, led by Ivey’s strategic coaching and key players like Olivia Miles and Michaela Onyenwere.
Despite the setback, Coach Peck’s defiant message to Ivey and her team underscores a fierce determination to continue building Duke’s program. While Notre Dame continues to dominate, it’s clear that the rivalry between these two storied programs is far from over. Both teams are now set to turn their attention to future matchups, with Duke vowing to come back even stronger in the face of defeat.
