Notre Dame (Md) vs Delaware prediction: Delaware opens its new-look roster against Division III Notre Dame (Md)
The Blue Hens' home opener is less about the visiting Gators than about how four transfers change a team that finished last season at the bottom of Conference USA.
- Delaware should control a Division III opponent at home; the real interest is how its transfers fit together.
- Watch whether Delaware's new pieces lift an offensive rebounding rate that ranked 363rd of 365 last season.
- No spread or total is posted yet; Delaware's pace ranked 350th last season, a slow style that tends to limit possessions.
A reset for the Blue Hens
Delaware went 10-21 last season and finished at the bottom of Conference USA. Injuries drove much of that. Martin Ingelsby, now in his 11th season, looked back on a year when "We only had six healthy scholarship bodies."
The answer was the transfer portal. Chuck Bailey III (Nevada), Devin Dinkins (Manhattan), DeShawn Harris-Smith (Georgetown) and Kachi Nzeh (Little Rock) all signed in the spring. Whether Justyn Fernandez returns hasn't been confirmed; Ingelsby said only that he has the option. With so much new, last season's numbers are a loose guide to this group.
What last season's profile says
Delaware finished last season 294th of 365 in adjusted net efficiency (points scored minus allowed per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents). The style was distinctive. The Hens played slowly, ranking 350th in pace, and leaned on the three: 46.0% of their shots came from deep, 48th-most nationally, and they made 36.0% of them.
The weak spots were possessions. Delaware turned the ball over on 18.5% of trips, 293rd in the country, and grabbed just 21.0% of its own misses. A Division III opponent is a chance to see whether the new frontcourt bodies change that second number. One strength worth noting: the Hens shot 78.8% at the line, seventh nationally.
The visitors from Baltimore
Notre Dame of Maryland is a young Division III program. The Gators went 3-19 in their debut season of 2023-24, then won 16 games in each of the past two. They arrive under a new coach, Kyle McGee, the second in program history, who replaced TJ Jordan after two seasons as an assistant at Division II Millersville. This is the first meeting between the schools, and no 2026-27 roster for the Gators has been published.
Numbers that matter
| Delaware record, last season | 10-21 | An injury-hit year that ended at the bottom of Conference USA. |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive rebound % rank, last season | 363rd | Delaware rarely got second chances, the clearest area for its transfers to improve. |
| Pace rank, last season | 350th | The Hens played one of the slowest tempos in Division I. |
| Free throw %, last season | 78.8% | Seventh nationally, a reliable edge in close games. |
Notre Dame (Md) vs Delaware: quick answers
When is Notre Dame (Md) vs Delaware?
Monday, November 2, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.