Jan. 29, 2008
Game Notes Package in PDF Format 
2007-08 ND Women’s Basketball: Game 21
#20/20 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (15-5 / 3-3 BIG EAST) vs. Providence Friars (11-8 / 1-5 BIG EAST)
DATE: January 30, 2008
TIME: 7:00 p.m. ET
AT: Notre Dame, Ind. – Joyce Center (11,418)
SERIES: ND leads 15-0
1ST MTG: 1/14/96 (ND 90-80)
LAST MTG: 2/17/07 (ND 82-65)
RADIO: ESPN Radio 1490 AM / UND.com (Sean Stires, p-b-p)
TV: UND.com
LIVE STATS: UND.com
TICKETS: (574) 631-7356
Storylines
- Notre Dame looks to snap its first two-game losing streak of the season.
- The Irish are unbeaten in 15 games against Providence, including a 7-0 record at the Joyce Center.
No. 20 Irish Look To Get Back On Track Wednesday Against Providence
After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time all season, No. 20 Notre Dame faces a true character test as it closes out the month of January on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. (ET) matchup against Providence at the Joyce Center. The Irish also are looking to rekindle the defensive fires from the first two months of the season, when they allowed less than 54 points through 13 games.
Notre Dame (15-5, 3-3 BIG EAST) gave top-ranked Connecticut a battle for much of the first half on Sunday night, but an 11-minute offensive drought proved to be costly in an 81-64 Huskies win at the Joyce Center. The Irish pulled even at 21-21 nine minutes into the game, but made only one field goal the rest of the first half, as high-powered UConn pulled clear for the win.
Sophomore guard Ashley Barlow earned team-high scoring honors for the fourth consecutive game with 15 points, including 13 in the second half. Freshman forward Devereaux Peters came off the bench to add 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for her first career double-double.
Rankings
- Notre Dame is ranked 20th in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls this week.
- Providence is not ranked.
A Quick Look At The Fighting Irish
Even after a 20-12 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2006-07, Notre Dame still continues to fly below the national radar. Head coach Muffet McGraw wouldn’t want it any other way.
Last year, the Irish learned quickly that respect is something that isn’t handed to you, but rather earned on the court. It’s also a quality that takes time to develop and doesn’t come from trophy cases or record books. So although Notre Dame was tabbed fifth in the preseason BIG EAST Conference balloting, it’s not a great concern to McGraw and her charges. Instead, they focus on the things they can control and prefer to let the outside world judge them when the season is over.
This year could prove to be unlike any in recent memory for Notre Dame. For one, the Irish will roll out some impressive depth, going virtually two-deep at every floor position. In addition, Notre Dame’s new offensive system (a Princeton-based set with four guards and a post) continues to evolve, building upon last year’s 70.1 point-per-game average that was its highest since the 2000-01 NCAA national championship season.
Senior guard Charel Allen is the top returning scorer and rebounder for the Irish, leading the team in both categories last year (17.0 ppg., 6.2 rpg.). She also was a first-team all-BIG EAST and WBCA honorable mention All-America selection, and was a finalist for the 2007 USA U21 World Championship Team that struck gold this past summer in Moscow.
Allen’s backcourt partner and classmate is point guard Tulyah Gaines. Now in her second full season at the helm of the Notre Dame offense, the speedy Gaines averaged 9.6 points per game along with team highs of 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. She also is a two-year team captain who commands instant respect from teammates, coaches and opponents.
The Irish will benefit from the return of junior guard Lindsay Schrader, who missed the entire 2006-07 season with a torn ACL in her right knee. Schrader, who retains three years of athletic eligibility, was Notre Dame’s second-leading scorer (10.5 ppg.) and top rebounder (5.4 rpg.) as a rookie in 2005-06 and will look to regain that form this season.
Last year saw Notre Dame break new ground by becoming the first school ever to put three players on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. Guards Ashley Barlow (10.3 ppg., 5.4 rpg.) and Melissa Lechlitner (6.3 ppg., 2.7 apg.) will provide a superb complement to the veteran Allen-Gaines tandem, while center Erica Williamson (6.1 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 1.3 bpg.) showed flashes of potential throughout her rookie season and is poised for increased development this year.
Headlining a three-player freshman class (ranked 11th nationally by Blue Star Basketball) is Devereaux Peters, a smooth 6-2 forward who was a consensus All-American as a senior last year at national powerhouse Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill. Fellow post Becca Bruszewski (Valparaiso, Ind.) finished third in last season’s Indiana Miss Basketball voting and was a perennial all-state pick. And, guard Brittany Mallory (Baltimore, Md.) offers a perimeter shooting threat, as well as a cerebral player who will mesh well in the Irish offensive system.
A Quick Look At Providence
With 12 returning letterwinners (including four starters), Providence was poised to make a move up the BIG EAST ladder this season. However, that rise has been temporarily slowed by injuries and a recent offensive cold snap.
The Friars (11-8, 1-5) have lost five of six games since a strong 10-3 non-conference season. PC also has not scored more than 61 points in any of its BIG EAST games, most recently dropping a 58-43 decision at home to Seton Hall on Jan. 26. Freshman guard/forward Mi-Khida Hankins scored a team-high 16 points for the Friars, who shot .271 from the floor.
Sophomore guard Kendria Holmes leads PC in scoring (11.4 ppg) and assists (3.2 apg), while Hankins is second in scoring (11.0 ppg) and junior Shantee Darrian is tops in rebounding (8.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.478).
Head coach Phil Seymore is in his third season at the Friars’ helm with a 32-43 (.427) record. He is 0-2 all-time against Notre Dame.
The Notre Dame-Providence Series
Like most of their BIG EAST Conference opponents, the Irish didn’t start playing Providence until joining the league in 1995-96. Since then, the teams have met 15 times, with Notre Dame winning each prior matchup. The Irish also are 7-0 all-time against the Friars at the Joyce Center.
The Last Time Notre Dame And Providence Met
Charel Allen scored eight of her game-high 26 points in Notre Dame’s 21-0 second-half run as the Irish pulled away from Providence after the break and posted an 82-65 BIG EAST Conference victory on Feb. 17, 2007, at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I.
Allen made a bit of history, becoming the first Notre Dame player in nearly 10 years to score 25-or-more points in three consecutive games. However, Allen was just part of a balanced scoring effort for Notre Dame, which got a particularly strong performance from its freshmen. Guard Melissa Lechlitner scored 16 points and delivered a team-high four assists in a reserve role, while center Erica Williamson chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds and guard Ashley Barlow carded eight points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Chelsea Marandola paced Providence with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Shauna Snyder added 11 markers. However, Notre Dame held the Friars to a .324 field goal percentage and owned a sizeable 45-36 edge on the glass. In addition, the Irish once again were sharp at the foul line, connecting at a 77.8 percent clip (28-of-36) on the day.
Alumni Hall has been a difficult place for Notre Dame to play in recent years, and it appeared that trend would continue, as the Irish battled through turnover problems in the opening 20 minutes and never led by more than two points, while the Friars controlled much of the early tempo. However, in a sign of things to come, Notre Dame closed the first half on a 10-3 run, getting six points from Allen in the spurt to take a 39-36 halftime lead.
The Irish then came charging from the gate in the second half, ripping off 21 unanswered points in the first 7:58 and not allowing Providence to score a single point until Brittany Dorsey made two foul shots with 11:03 remaining in the second half. The Friars also misfired on their first 12 field goal attempts of the period, while the Irish made seven of its first 10 shots in that same span. Snyder finally broke the PC shooting drought with a foul-line jumper at the 10:37 mark, but by then, Notre Dame was in complete control, leading 61-40. The Irish got the lead as high as 67-42 before a late three-pointer by Ashley Etheridge helped the hosts close the final margin to 17 points.
The Last Time Notre Dame And Providence Met At The Joyce Center
Courtney LaVere scored 18 points on 9-of-10 shooting to pace four Notre Dame players in double figures, as the Irish pulled away from Providence late in the first half and posted a 66-48 BIG EAST Conference win over the Friars on Feb. 4, 2006, at the Joyce Center.
LaVere knocked down all four of her shots in the first half before her only miss of the day came 30 seconds into the second half. She then made her final five shots en route to her second consecutive double-digit outing. Megan Duffy added 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Charel Allen and Breona Gray chipped in with 10 points apiece for Notre Dame.
Shauna Snyder was the lone double-figure scorer for Providence with 14 points, tallying nine of those markers in the first half. Gayle Nwafili grabbed a game-high nine rebounds for the Friars, who were held to a .283 field goal percentage, including a .188 mark (6-of-32) in the second half.
Notre Dame scored seven of the first 10 points in the contest, before PC came back with a 7-2 run of its own to take a brief 10-9 lead. However, Allen canned a three-pointer on the next Irish possession to put the hosts back ahead, and after a Snyder jumper tied the game, LaVere gave Notre Dame the lead it would never relinquish on a jumper at the 14:26 mark.
LaVere’s basket ignited a 16-6 Irish run that also included four points from Melissa D’Amico. Gray capped the charge with her second three-pointer of the day for a 28-18 Notre Dame lead with 7:16 left before halftime.
Providence came back with five consecutive points on a triple by Ashley Etheridge and a jumper by Nwafili. The Irish then scored 11 of the last 16 points in the period, taking their largest lead just before halftime at 39-28.
Notre Dame put the game on ice behind a stout defense that was the catalyst in a 22-7 run early in the second half. The Irish forced three shot clock violations and LaVere scored eight points in the spurt, ending with a layup that produced a 62-37 lead with 7:57 to play. Notre Dame was able to clear its bench shortly thereafter, and although the Irish did not post a field goal over the final 6:15, they also limited the Friars to a single bucket in that time (Chelsea Marandola’s layup with 22 seconds left).
Other Notre Dame-Providence Series Tidbits
- Providence is the lone BIG EAST Conference school against whom Notre Dame has never lost (minimum of five games played). The Friars are the fourth of five teams on this year’s schedule against whom the Irish had a perfect record. Notre Dame improved to 4-0 all-time vs. Bowling Green (86-84 in overtime on Dec. 5), 21-0 vs. Valparaiso (94-56 on Dec. 12) and 2-0 vs. IUPUI (67-44 on Dec. 21), with a trip to Cincinnati (3-0 all-time) coming up this weekend.
- Notre Dame’s 15-game winning streak vs. Providence is its longest active string against a BIG EAST Conference opponent.
- Notre Dame scored 90 points in six of its first seven series games against Providence, but has not reached that mark since Feb. 1, 2000 (a 90-60 win at PC).
- Providence has reached the 70-point level three times against Notre Dame (all coming in the first three series games), and the Friars have scored more than 60 points only three times in the past 12 games vs. the Irish.
- Notre Dame has won 13 of the 15 series games against Providence by double-digit margins, with the exceptions coming on Jan. 5, 2002 (72-66 at South Bend) and Feb. 16, 2003 (67-61 at PC).
- The Irish have averaged 80.3 points in their seven prior matchups with Providence at the Joyce Center, topping the 90-point mark in their first two games and winning all seven by an average of 23.1 points per game.
- Between the two clubs, there are three former winners of the Gatorade High School Player of the Year award in their respective states. Notre Dame senior guard Tulyah Gaines (Nevada – 2004) and junior guard Lindsay Schrader (Illinois – 2005) both took home the hardware, as did Providence junior guard Chelsea Marandola (Rhode Island – 2004 & 2005).
- Notre Dame freshman guard Brittany Mallory and Providence freshman guard/forward Mi-Khida Hankins dueled regularly during their prep days in Baltimore — Mallory at McDonogh School and Hankins at St. Frances Academy. The schools are in the same conference and played a minimum of twice per year, including last year’s IAAM A Conference title clash, won by St. Frances, 68-63. Both players also were first-team All-Metro selections by the Baltimore Sun in 2006 and 2007.
- Several members of the Notre Dame athletics department have ties to Providence, including hockey associate head coach Paul Pooley (PC head coach from 1994-2005), director of athletics marketing Beth Hunter (’98 PC grad and graduate assistant in PC athletic marketing office from 1998-2000), assistant athletics director/sports information director Bernie Cafarelli (PC assistant director of athletics marketing, promotions and media relations from 1987-94) and assistant sports information director Tim Connor (member of PC athletics marketing, promotions and media relations staff from 1987-2000, spending final six years as PC’s director of athletics media relations).
Allen Named To Naismith Trophy Midseason Candidate List
Senior guard Charel Allen is one of 31 players named to the Naismith Trophy midseason candidates list, it was announced Tuesday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Allen also is one of eight BIG EAST Conference players who made the midseason watch list for this year’s Naismith Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate women’s basketball player — the Atlanta Tipoff Club Board of Selectors voted on this year’s midseason candidate list.
Allen currently leads the team and ranks 14th in the BIG EAST in scoring (14.3 ppg.) and 10th in free throw percentage (.817). During league play, she is tied for 12th in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.3 ppg.) and is 10th in free throw percentage (.806). Allen also has scored in double figures 17 times in 20 games this season, including 15 of her last 16 contests, and scored a season-high 26 points in Notre Dame’s BIG EAST opener at Louisville on Jan. 8 (an 82-74 Irish win). She was named to the Preseason WNIT All-Tournament Team back in November and earned a place on the Jan. 7 BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll.
The Naismith Trophy is one of three national player-of-the-year awards that Allen remains in contention for — back in August, she was tabbed as a preseason candidate for the WBCA State Farm Wade Trophy, while in October, she earned a spot on the preseason John R. Wooden Women’s Award watch list.
Chart Toppers
Notre Dame is peppered throughout the latest NCAA statistical rankings. The Irish among the top 20 in the nation in six categories, led by a No. 8 ranking for scoring offense (78.7). Notre Dame also is 11th in scoring margin (+17.2), 12th in assist/turnover ratio (1.12), 16th in field goal percentage (.464), 17th in steals (11.8) and 18th in fewest turnovers (14.4).
A full recap of Notre Dame’s positions on the NCAA statistics charts (and its relation to the national leaders) can be found on page 11 of this notes package.
Thirty Deeds
Nearly half (7) of Notre Dame’s 15 wins this season have come by at least 30 points, while the Irish have held 30-point leads late in the second half against Western Kentucky and Richmond. This marks the first time in school history that Notre Dame has fashioned seven 30-point wins in its first 20 games.
It’s also the first time since the 2000-01 national championship season that the Irish have logged at least seven 30-point wins in a single season. That year, Notre Dame collected a school-record 10 30-point victories, but only six of those came in the first 20 games.
What’s more, the Irish had a streak of four consecutive 30-point wins from Nov. 20-Dec. 2. The last time Notre Dame did that was Jan. 20-30, 1999, when the Irish had four straight 30-point victories, all during BIG EAST Conference play — at Seton Hall (87-47), home vs. St. John’s (99-60), at Syracuse (94-61) and at Providence (97-59).
Put A Tiger In Your Tank
Less than two seasons after posting the program’s lowest scoring output (64.5 ppg) since 1980-81 (its first as a Division I program), Notre Dame has reversed that trend in a big way.
The Irish currently rank third in the BIG EAST Conference in scoring (and eighth in the nation) at 78.7 points per game, having tallied at least 80 points 11 times this season. What’s more, Notre Dame also has the fourth-highest scoring average through 20 games in program history, and highest since the 1998-99 squad averaged 84.7 points at this juncture on the way to the single-season school scoring record (81.0).
What’s more, Notre Dame has scored at least 90 points five times this season. That’s the most 90-point games for the Irish in one year since 1998-99, when they tied the school record with seven 90-point games. In fact, during the six seasons prior to the current one (2001-02 through 2006-07), Notre Dame had a combined total of four 90-point games.
Notre Dame also ranks third in the conference (and 11th in the nation) in scoring margin at +17.2 points per game.
McGraw’s Shock Troops
During his coaching tenure with the Notre Dame football team in the 1920s, Knute Rockne was at the forefront of the two-platoon system, using his “shock troops” — a full team of second stringers — at the start of most games.
While Irish women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw may not quite be following Rockne’s philosophy to the letter, she could easily rotate in much of her second unit and not see much decline in productivity. In fact, Notre Dame’s bench is averaging 30.6 points per game (compared to 48.1 ppg. by the starters) and has outscored all 20 opponent benches this season by an average of +15.7 points per night.
Leading the way for this year’s Irish “shock troops” is freshman forward Devereaux Peters, who is averaging 8.6 points, and a team-high 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game (second in the BIG EAST and 38th in the nation) with a .504 field goal percentage (11th-best in the conference). Peters has come off the bench in 18 of 20 games this year, dropping in a season-high 15 points and seven steals vs. Villanova before collecting her first career double-double (10 points, season-high 12 rebounds) on Sunday against top-ranked Connecticut.
Youth Movement
Last year’s Irish rookie class (aka the “BMW” trio of guards Ashley Barlow and Melissa Lechlitner and center Erica Williamson) became the first threesome from one school ever to be named to the BIG EAST Conference All-Freshman Team in the same season. Following on the heels of that success, Notre Dame has a new freshman trio that is aiming to make an early splash at the college level — the “BBD” lineup of guards Brittany Mallory and forwards Becca Bruszewski and Devereaux Peters.
All three Irish rookies have done their part to help Notre Dame to its 15-5 record, with each one averaging at least 11 minutes and having scored in double figures at least three times. Peters is fourth on the team in scoring (8.6 ppg.) and has scored in double digits 11 times, while also placing second in the BIG EAST Conference and 38th in the nation in blocked shots (2.1 bpg.). Mallory is averaging 6.7 points per game, is second on the team with 20 three-pointers and chalked up a season-high 15 points on Jan. 19 at Georgetown. Bruszewski is logging 4.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, carding her third double-digit scoring game of the year with 10 points at Georgetown.
Spreading The Wealth
One of the hallmarks of Notre Dame’s squad this season is its balance and depth. That’s been particularly evident through the first 22 games of the season (counting the exhibitions), with six different players from all five floor positions and all four classes leading the team in scoring.
Double Trouble
Another example of Notre Dame’s balance this season is seen in its point distribution. No fewer than 10 of the 11 Irish players on this year’s roster have scored in double figures at least once this season, with only senior guard Amanda Tsipis yet to crack the 10-point mark.
Notre Dame also has had at least three double-figure scorers in all but three games (Purdue, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 16 West Virginia) this year, with a season-high seven in double digits at Georgetown (the most in one game for the Irish since Feb. 6, 1997 vs. Syracuse).
What’s more, the Irish fielded five double-figure scorers in three consecutive games from Nov. 20-27. It’s believed to be the first time in school history (and certainly the first time in the Muffet McGraw era) the Irish have pulled off that feat of three straight games with five double-digit scorers, although records are incomplete prior to the 1983-84 season.
Protecting The Pill
Notre Dame has gotten off to a strong start this season, thanks in large part to its ability to take care of the basketball. The Irish rank 18th in the nation with just 14.4 turnovers per game and have been charged with 20 or more turnovers just once in the past 36 games (20 at Louisville on Jan. 8).
The Irish took ball protection to a new level in their loss at No. 3 Maryland on Nov. 16. Notre Dame set a school record with only three turnovers against the Terrapins, with two of those giveaways coming on offensive fouls. The previous school record for fewest turnovers was six, set on Feb. 12, 2006 at DePaul.
With only three turnovers, it probably comes as no surprise that Maryland did not register a steal against Notre Dame. However, what is surprising is that it was the first time in the 31-year history of the Irish program that an opponent did not record a steal against Notre Dame. Several opponents had only one steal vs. the Irish, with the most recent being Boston College on March 19, 2006 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament (played at West Lafayette, Ind.).
Piping Hot Turnovers
Notre Dame is forcing 22.6 turnovers per night and currently leads the BIG EAST with a +8.15 turnover margin, more than three takeaways better than second-place Connecticut. The Irish have caused at least 20 turnovers in 14 games this season, including a season-high 33 takeaways against Boston College on Nov. 24.
Notre Dame has made even the strongest ball-handling teams struggle this season. In fact, Villanova came into its Jan. 16 game at the Joyce Center leading the nation with only 11.2 turnovers per game. However, the Wildcats left town with 24 turnovers, their highest single-game giveaway mark in more than six years (Dec. 1, 2001 at Temple).
The Five-Finger Discount
Notre Dame ranks second in BIG EAST in steals, averaging 11.75 thefts per game, including seven games this season where the Irish have collected at least 15 steals. What’s more, Notre Dame’s season-high 21 steals vs. Boston College were the most for the Irish in a single game since Dec. 13, 1997 (22 vs. South Florida at the Joyce Center).
Individually, the Irish have seven players with at least 20 steals this season. Sophomore guard Ashley Barlow leads the way with 39 steals, ranking 14th in the BIG EAST in that category (1.95 spg). Freshman forward Devereaux Peters is next with 36 steals (1.8 spg.), and her seven thefts vs. Villanova on Jan. 16 were the most for an Irish player in a game since Jan. 30, 2005, when Megan Duffy had the last of her three seven-steal games that season in a 65-59 win at No. 9/10 Connecticut.
Keeping It On The Plus Side
Notre Dame has registered a positive assist-to-turnover ratio in 12 games this season and ranks fourth in the BIG EAST (12th nationally) with a 1.12 assist-to-turnover ratio. Notre Dame also has assisted on 53.8 percent of its field goals this year (322 assists on 598 baskets), ranking fourth in the conference and 30th in the country with 16.1 assists per game.
Off And Running
Notre Dame has wasted little time in jumping ahead of its opponents this season. In nearly half (7) of their 15 wins, the Irish have opened up a double-digit lead less than 10 minutes into the game, while other first-half runs against Central Michigan (20-0), Bowling Green (18-3), Villanova (16-6) and Georgetown (15-3) aided those wins.
Even in its defeat at third-ranked Maryland on Nov. 16, Notre Dame made a statement early with a 10-0 run in the first five minutes of action and led by as many as five points in the first half before the Terrapins rallied back for the win.
Allen Climbing Irish Points Ladder
Senior guard Charel Allen continues to make her way up Notre Dame’s all-time scoring list, currently standing 12th with 1,338 points. Next up for Allen is Shari Matvey, who is in 11th place with 1,373 points from 1979-83.
What’s more, Allen is 92 points away from moving into the top 10 on the Irish career scoring charts. The person currently holding down that 10th position? First-year assistant coach Niele Ivey, who had 1,430 points from 1996-2001.
Polling Station
Notre Dame is ranked 20th in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll, falling four spots from last week’s survey. The season-high No. 14 rankings on Dec. 31-Jan. 7 were the highest for the Irish in the media poll since the week of Jan. 2, 2006, when they were ranked 12th prior to losses at St. John’s (66-63) and home vs. Seton Hall (74-61).
Notre Dame now has been ranked in the AP poll for 152 weeks during the program’s history, with every one of those appearances coming in the Muffet McGraw era. McGraw currently ranks 14th among all active NCAA Division I head coaches for weeks in the AP poll, and also stands 25th all-time in that category.
The Irish also are in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll for the 12th consecutive week, dropping four places to 20th in this week’s balloting. Notre Dame’s No. 14 rankings on Jan. 2-8 were the highest poll position for Notre Dame in two years, when the Irish were tabbed 12th by the coaches prior to the aforementioned losses to St. John’s and Seton Hall.
More Polling Data
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw is one of 23 people in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history who have both played for and coached a team that has appeared in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Besides her 152 AP poll appearances while coaching at Notre Dame, McGraw was the starting point guard at Saint Joseph’s (Pa.) as a senior in 1977, helping the Hawks rise to No. 3 in the nation.
Of the 23 people on this elite list, 12 are currently NCAA Division I head coaches.
Clutch When It Counts
Notre Dame is 49-of-62 (.790) from the free throw line in the final two minutes (plus overtime) this season. Leading the way is sophomore guard Ashley Barlow, who is 8-of-8 this year and 18-of-20 (.900) in her career when toeing the line down the stretch.
Crowded House
Sunday’s game vs. Connecticut was the fifth women’s basketball sellout (11,418) in school history and second this season (also Jan. 5 vs. Tennessee). It also is the second time in school history Notre Dame has posted multiple sellouts in one season, having also done so in 2000-01 (Connecticut and Georgetown).
In addition, Sunday’s crowd represents the first time the Irish have attracted three crowds of 10,000 fans in the same season, as 10,825 fans took in the Dec. 2 win over Michigan.
Start Me Up
Notre Dame’s 13-2 start matched the second-best 15-game mark in the program’s 31-year history. In 2000-01, the Irish opened with 23 consecutive victories, en route to their first-ever No. 1 ranking and eventually, the program’s first national championship.
The last time Notre Dame got off to a 13-2 start was the 2004-05 season, when the Irish won their first seven games (including the Preseason WNIT title) before a Dec. 2 overtime loss to 15th-ranked Michigan State. Notre Dame (which rose as high as third in the national polls that season) then reeled off six more wins before suffering consecutive loss at Villanova (59-54) and home vs. No. 16 Connecticut (67-50). However, the Irish rebounded with a 10-game win streak, finishing the year at 27-6 and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Notre Dame posted a 13-2 record on three other occasions, also doing so in 1999-2000 (27-5, NCAA Sweet 16), 1998-99 (26-5, NCAA second round) and 1977-78 (13-4, program’s first varsity season when playing at AIAW Division III level).
We’re Going Streaking!
Notre Dame’s 10-game win streak from Nov. 20-Jan. 2 was its longest since a similar 10-game run from Jan. 16-Feb. 15, 2005. The Irish now have amassed 10 double-digit win streaks in program history (eight in the Muffet McGraw era), led by the school-record 23-game success string to open the 2000-01 national championship season.
Notre Dame also won six consecutive road games earlier this season (Nov. 20-Jan. 2). That was the longest run for the Irish away from the Joyce Center since a 10-game run from Nov. 17, 2000 to Feb. 14, 2001, a streak that ended with a 54-53 loss at No. 11/14 Rutgers (one of only two defeats for the Irish on their run to the NCAA title).
No Easy Road
Notre Dame has always played a difficult schedule, using it as a means of preparation for future tests in both the BIG EAST Conference and the postseason. However, this year’s slate could be one of the more rugged ones in recent memory.
With the addition of Maryland to the docket in the Preseason WNIT semifinals (75-59 loss on Nov. 16), the Irish now will face four of the top five teams in the latest Associated Press poll. Besides the Terrapins (currently No. 5), Notre Dame also has or will play No. 1 Connecticut (lost 81-64 on Jan. 27 at the Joyce Center), No. 2 Tennessee (lost 87-63 on Jan. 5 at the Joyce Center) and No. 4 Rutgers (Feb. 19 in Piscataway, N.J.). Three of the top five teams in the poll have combined to win five of the past six national championships, with Tennessee currently holding the hardware after defeating Rutgers in last year’s title game.
Irish Fans Crave A Big Mac Attack
Notre Dame has introduced a new promotion this season, offering fans a coupon for a free Big Mac from South Bend-area McDonald’s restaurants if the Irish score at least 88 points in a game. The coupons are issued at the Joyce Center gates as fans leave the arena following the game.
This season’s burger watch is at six, as the Irish have hit the 88-point mark in both exhibition wins, as well as regular-season victories over Miami (Ohio), Boston College, Canisius and Valparaiso.
It’s probably also not a surprise that the Notre Dame player with the most “Big Mac baskets” this season has the same initials as that of the tasty burger — freshman guard Brittany Mallory, who has sent the crowd home happy (and presumably with full bellies) four times, including each of the past three games that the Irish have scored 88 points at home.
Friends In Need
Longtime Irish women’s basketball fan and Notre Dame Office of Information Technologies employee Patricia McAdams remains in critical but stable condition at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne after a Jan. 13 auto accident. While returning from Notre Dame’s game at West Virginia earlier in the day, Patricia was severely injured when she stopped on a highway outside Fort Wayne to help a fellow motorist and was then struck by a car.
A loyal supporter of the Irish for many years, Patricia has assisted Notre Dame’s coordinator of basketball operations Stephanie Menio with numerous marketing and promotional activities, and also coordinated regular bus trips for fans to see the Irish on the road.
Patricia’s OIT colleagues have created a web page to update supporters on her progress: http://oit.nd.edu/patricia.
Notre Dame also lost a treasured friend on Jan. 22, when longtime Joyce Center clock operator Mark Tulchinsky passed away. Mark was a dedicated educator in the South Bend Community School Corporation, most recently serving as principal at Tarkington Traditional School. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, his wife, Nan (the official scorer for Notre Dame basketball), and the Tulchinsky family.
Promotional Corner
Here’s a rundown of some upcoming promotions and giveaways at future Notre Dame women’s basketball games this season. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Irish athletics ticket office (second floor of the Joyce Center through Gate 1; 574-631-7356), on game day at the Gate 10 ticket windows of the Joyce Center, or via the Internet at Notre Dame’s official athletics web site (UND.com). Please note — additional promotions and giveaways may be added at a later date, so consult the Notre Dame promotions web site for the latest information:
- Jan. 30 vs. Providence — Midweek Mania (buy one ticket, get one free) … Long-sleeved t-shirts to the first 1,000 fans, courtesy of Chevy and Notre Dame Federal Credit Union … post-game autograph session courtside with selected Notre Dame players.
Next Game: Cincinnati
Notre Dame tips off the all-important month of Feburary Saturday with a 3 p.m. (ET) game at Cincinnati. The Irish are 71-19 (.789) in February games since joining the BIG EAST Conference 13 seasons ago.
UC (10-9, 1-6) had a pair of four-game winning streaks during non-conference play, but has struggled since the BIG EAST season opened, including its current season-long five-game losing streak. The Bearcats will play host to Louisville Wednesday night before Notre Dame comes in this weekend.
— ND —