Everyone knew this season would challenge the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Niele Ivey’s squad has already lost twice to ranked teams, and they haven’t shown signs of being the group that can finally break past their Sweet 16 curse. That worry came rushing back the moment guard KK Bransford went down injured.

With 7:14 remaining in the second quarter against Morehead State, senior KK Bransford suffered what looked like a serious right leg or knee injury. She was leading a fast break when her knee tweaked out near the free-throw line, sending her crashing to the floor, where she stayed for quite some time.

Purcell Pavilion went completely silent as Bransford’s cries of pain echoed across the floor while the trainers tended to her. Through nearly the entire ordeal, Niele Ivey stood by her side, providing as much comfort and reassurance as she could. Non-contact injuries are heartbreaking are always the toughest to see, and she couldn’t stand on her own. The trainers helped her off the court while she struggled to put any weight on her right leg.

But there was a glimmer of hope. After the 97–48 win over Morehead State, Niele Ivey said an update on Bransford’s status would come Friday or Saturday and added that she remained optimistic about her chances for the rest of the season.

“We’re just praying for the best, but it sounds like it’s going to be good,” Ivey said in the post game press conference. “… My heart always drops, but she came out and we had a chance to get a look with the doctors, so we’ll have an MRI with that.”

Bransford, a redshirt junior who spent all of last season sidelined with a foot injury, had started every one of Notre Dame’s nine games this year, including Thursday’s against Morehead State. She had also logged more minutes per game than anyone else on the roster through the first eight contests.

In those 33.9 minutes per game, Bransford was averaging 10.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 steals. Those are all career-high numbers for the former McDonald’s All-American. Against Morehead State, she managed only 10 minutes before tweaking her knee and had scored just 2 points by then.

This is an especially difficult time for coach Niele Ivey, who was already managing severe depth issues before this injury hit.

How does KK Bransford’s injury affect Notre Dame

This offseason had been anything but easy for coach Niele Ivey. The Fighting Irish went through a major roster shake-up, losing several key players from a team that had once looked built for a deep run before its late-season collapse.

Olivia Miles transferred to TCU, Kate Koval headed to LSU, and stars Sonia Citron, Maddy Westbeld and Liatu King all declared for the pros. That left Hannah Hidalgo and KK Bransford among just five returning players from last season’s roster.

If you paid attention to Notre Dame’s first nine games, you probably noticed they leaned on a seven-player rotation, with Bransford as a key part of it. That was largely because transfers Iyana Moore and Malaya Cowles were still working their way back from late offseason knee injuries.

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With five-star freshman Leah Macy still without a clear return date, coach Ivey is short on choices. If Bransford’s injury proves serious, Iyana Moore will probably slide into the starting lineup. It won’t be a perfect replacement, though. Bransford offered a defensive presence Moore simply doesn’t, as Moore’s game leans much more toward scoring.

The Fighting Irish are off to a 7–2 start, yet they’re already feeling the weight of a roster that has lost talent and continues to get gutted by injuries. The question now is whether Hannah Hidalgo can drag this team to a deep big dance run. She has been the one consistent spark all season, and if Notre Dame hopes to break its Sweet 16 curse, she’ll have to reach an even higher level.