March 2, 2009
Box Score 
| Box Score | Quotes
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) –Lindsay Schrader had 14 points and 11 rebounds and No. 20 Notre Dame defeated short-handed West Virginia 72-66 on Monday.
The Irish (21-7, 10-6 BIG EAST) led comfortably for most of the game after using a 9-2 run midway through the first half to open a a 25-15 lead. West Virginia (16-13, 5-11) played with just seven players because starting point guard Ashley Powell was ill and three players are sidelined for the season with injuries. The Mountaineers closed to 70-66 on a basket inside by Sarah Miles with 44 seconds left.
But the Irish, who struggled with free throws, made five of six in the final 64 seconds to hold on. The finished 14-of-24 from the line.
Takisha Granberry, who was 5-of-9 from 3-point range, led the Mountaineers with 21 points.
— ND —
POST GAME NOTES: Notre Dame closes the regular season with three consecutive wins, its longest string since a season-high-tying seven-game winning streak from Dec. 13-Jan. 10 … the Irish move to 26-6 (.813) all-time on Senior Day, including a 19-3 (.864) record in the 22-year Muffet McGraw era, with wins in 19 of their last 21 regular-season home finales … Monday’s game was unique in that the Irish have no departing senior players on their roster (guard Lindsay Schrader will petition for a fifth year of eligibility after missing the 2006-07 season with a torn ACL in her right knee); Notre Dame did recognize two senior student managers — Brad Lenoir and Caitlin Madden — in a pre-game ceremony … Notre Dame also held a moment of silence prior to the game in memory of longtime South Bend Tribune reporter/women’s basketball beat writer Forrest “Woody” Miller, who passed away on Saturday (Feb. 28) in South Bend … the Irish improve to 16-2 all-time against West Virginia, with a 9-0 record against the Mountaineers at the Joyce Center … the nine of the past 10 series games have been decided by 13 points or fewer … the Irish have scored at least 17 points in 14 of the 18 series games against WVU, including five of the past six … Notre Dame had five double-figure scorers for the third time this season and second time in three games … other miscellaneous season trends for the Irish from Monday’s game — 17-2 when leading at the half (163-16 in the past nine seasons), 13-1 when outrebounding the opponent, 11-2 at home and 14-2 during the day … Notre Dame’s six three-pointers were the most for the Irish since Jan. 31, when they dropped six treys in a win over Cincinnati … Schrader posted her sixth double-double of the season (third in five games), tying the single-season school record for double-doubles by a guard (Danielle Green set the mark in 1998-99) … it also was Schrader’s 10th career double-double, putting her one shy of the Notre Dame career record for guards, held by current Irish assistant coach Niele Ivey (11 from 1996-2001) … junior guard Ashley Barlow moved up to 21st on Notre Dame’s career scoring list with 1,070 points, passing Carrie Bates (1,060 points from 1981-85) … Barlow also made moves on two other Irish career charts — tied for 10th (with Coquese Washington, 1989-93) with 82 three-pointers and eighth in three-point attempts (246, passing Jeneka Joyce’s 241 from 2000-04) … junior guard Melissa Lechlitner dished out at least five assists for the ninth time this season (18th career) and the fourth time in six games … for the fourth time this season (and second consecutive game), freshman forward Kellie Watson tied her personal best with three assists … Notre Dame has earned a first-round bye for the upcoming BIG EAST Championship and will open tournament play with a second-round game on Saturday, March 7 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. (opponent/time to be announced later Monday night), with that contest to be televised live on the BIG EAST Regional Sports Network package (complete list for outlets to be announced) as well as on-line through the BIG EAST multimedia web site, www.bigeast.tv.