Jan. 2, 2004
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BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-4)
vs. (#7 AP/#8 ESPN/USA Today) Purdue Boilermakers (9-2)
The Date and Time: Sunday, Jan. 4, 2004, at 3 p.m. ET.
The Site: Mackey Arena (14,123) in West Lafayette, Ind.
The Tickets: Still available by calling the Purdue Ticket Office (765-494-3194).
The TV Plans: ESPN2 live national broadcast with Mark Jones (play-by-play), Nancy Lieberman (analysis), Todd Kulis (producer) and Tim Sutton (director).
The Radio Plans: All Notre Dame games are broadcast live on WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1620) and/or WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend with Sean Stires (play-by-play) and Shawn Lewallen (analysis). These broadcasts also are available through the Notre Dame athletics web site at www.und.com.
Real-Time Statistics: Live in-game statistics are available for the Purdue game through the Notre Dame (www.und.com) and Purdue (www.purduesports.com) athletics web sites.
Web Site: Notre Dame (www.und.com), Purdue (www.purduesports.com).
The next chapter in one of the nation’s best rivalries will be written Sunday when Notre Dame pays a visit to No. 7/8 Purdue for a 3 p.m. (ET) contest at Mackey Arena. The game will be televised to a nationwide audience on ESPN2 as part of the inaugural BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge.
- Notre Dame (7-4) currently is riding a four-game winning streak after a 72-64 victory over Marquette on New Year’s Day at the Joyce Center. Sophomore guard Megan Duffy led a quartet of Irish players in double figures with 18 points, adding a game-high seven assists for good measure.
- Thursday’s win was not easy by any stretch, as Marquette took a 35-32 lead at halftime. However, Notre Dame used a 14-3 run midway through the second half to take the lead for good. The Irish salted away their hard-earned win at the foul line, making a season-best 90 percent (27 of 30) of their free throws, including eight of 10 in the final five minutes.
- Purdue (9-2) had its eight-game winning streak snapped Friday with a 47-42 loss at home to No. 10/9 Penn State. Senior forward Shereka Wright piled up a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman guard/forward Katie Gearlds chipped in with 11 points off the bench for the Boilermakers.
- Purdue leads the all-time series with Notre Dame, 12-4, including a 6-0 mark in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers also have won the last three games in the series, including both meetings a year ago.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE FIGHTING IRISH
Coming into this season, one of the bigger question marks surrounding Notre Dame was its perimeter play. The Irish figured to count on their post offense in the early part of the year while their outside shooting developed to fill in the void left by the graduation of Alicia Ratay. Yet, during the non-conference portion of the schedule, the Notre Dame backcourt has sparkled with regularity while the Irish post game has had to work out some of the off-season kinks.
- Sophomore Megan Duffy (12.4 ppg., team-high 5.0 apg., .512 3FG%, .825 FT%) is in her first season as the everyday point guard for the Irish and she is proving to be a key cog in the Notre Dame offensive arsenal. After averaging only three points and 2.3 assists per game last year, the Dayton, Ohio, native has more than quadrupled her scoring output and she owns a team-best 1.62 assist/turnover ratio (ninth in the BIG EAST). In addition, she is showing offensive diversity, knocking down 21 of 41 three-pointers this season. She also posted a career-high 25 points on Dec. 4 vs. Wisconsin and has six double-figure scoring games to her credit this year. Her ball handling skills have not diminished, as she also has registered six games with five-or-more assists, including a career-high nine assists on Dec. 7 at Washington.
- Senior captain Le’Tania Severe (8.5 ppg., 3.0 apg., .475 FG%, .805 FT%) has slid over to the shooting guard position in place of Ratay and has filled in admirably thus far. While not putting up the three-point numbers Ratay had in her remarkable career, Severe is getting her points as a slasher, driving to the basket and creating havoc for opposing defenses. She also is third on the Irish with 1.4 steals per game and has been a vital piece of Notre Dame’s transition game. She collected a season-high 14 points in the loss to Colorado, earning a spot on the WBCA Classic All-Tournament Team, before adding 13 points at third-ranked Tennessee and Colorado State, and 12 points vs. USC. She has honed her shooting eye lately, hitting at a .529 clip (18-34) in her last seven games. In addition, the Pembroke Pines, Fla., product has been deadly accurate at the foul line of late, hitting 90 percent of her free throws (18 of 20) during Notre Dame’s current winning streak.
- Senior guard Jeneka Joyce (4.8 ppg., .500 3FG%) also has been a pleasant surprise this season. After missing more than 20 months with recurring leg injuries, Joyce returned to action Nov. 21 vs. Valparaiso and promptly drained all three of her three-point attempts. She then knocked down three more treys to begin the Michigan State game and now ranks fifth on the school’s career charts in three-point percentage (.391).
- Junior forward and preseason All-American Jacqueline Batteast (15.0 ppg., 7.5 rpg., 1.36 bpg., three double-doubles) has lived up to her accolades this season, ranking among the BIG EAST leaders in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. She was named to the WBCA Classic All-Tournament Team on Nov. 15 after a superb weekend that included a career-high 27 points against 22nd-ranked Auburn. She then piled up back-to-back double-doubles vs. No. 20 Colorado (13p, 10r) and Valparaiso (15p, 10r) before logging team bests of 16 points and seven caroms at No. 3 Tennessee, 19 points at Washington and a game-high 13 points with six assists vs. Dayton. She then chalked up her third double-double vs. USC (20p, 13r) to earn the first BIG EAST Player of the Week honor of her career. She now has 55 career double-figure scoring games and 22 career double-doubles. In addition, she needs only 32 points to become the 20th Notre Dame player to score 1,000 career points.
- Junior center Teresa Borton (7.0 ppg., 4.7 rpg., .552 FG%) and sophomore forward Courtney LaVere (9.5 ppg., 5.7 rpg.) also have made important contributions at times this season. Borton has recovered well from off-season heel surgery, averaging 12.3 ppg. and 6.8 rpg. with a .677 FG% during Notre Dame’s current four-game winning streak. She has been at her best in the last two Irish games, ringing up 14 points on both occasions. Meanwhile, LaVere, a freshman All-American last year, has had an up-and-down second season. She tied Batteast for team-high scoring honors with 12 points at Michigan State before rising up and carding season highs of 22 points and nine rebounds vs. Wisconsin. It took nearly a month, but she once again cracked double figures on New Year’s Day against Marquette, tossing in 16 points on six of 11 shooting.
A QUICK LOOK AT PURDUE
One year after advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight and finishing in the Top 10 in both national polls, Purdue is looking for more with four starters and nine letterwinners back in place this season. The Boilermakers have appeared in three Final Fours and with their solid corps of veterans, coupled with a solid group of freshmen, they are poised to make another trip back to college basketball’s biggest stage.
Purdue (9-2) had its eight-game winning streak snapped Friday with a 47-42 loss to No. 10/9 Penn State at Mackey Arena in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams. Senior forward Shereka Wright posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds and freshman guard/forward Katie Gearlds added 11 points off the bench, but it was not enough as the Boilermakers saw their 37-game regular-season home winning streak go by the wayside.
Wright is Purdue’s top scorer at 18.5 points per game and she is second on the squad in rebounding (6.1 rpg.). Gearlds has proven her worth in her rookie season, ranking second on the team in scoring (10.6 ppg.), while junior forward Emily Heikes has capably filled the post for the Boilermakers, pulling down a team-best 6.4 rebounds per game.
Kristy Curry has been very successful in her five seasons as Purdue’s head coach, compiling a 116-29 (.800) record that includes two Big Ten titles and two conference tournament crowns. She is 4-2 all-time against Notre Dame.
THE NOTRE DAME-PURDUE SERIES
Purdue owns a 12-4 edge in the all-time series with Notre Dame, including a 6-0 edge at Mackey Arena. This intrastate rivalry began back in 1984, when the Boilermakers claimed a 62-59 win at the Joyce Center. The teams played again the following year in West Lafayette, but the series then went dormant for the next five seasons. The Irish renewed acquaintances with Purdue in 1991, and the series has been played annually since then, with the exception of the 1998-99 season.
Although Notre Dame came close against Purdue, they did not break through with their first win until the 1996 NCAA Tournament, when the Irish toppled the Boilermakers, 73-60, in the first round of the Midwest Regional at Lubbock, Texas. It also was the first-ever NCAA Tournament win for the Irish, and it coincided with Notre Dame’s first season as a member of the BIG EAST Conference.
Beginning with that postseason contest nearly eight years ago, the rivalry has steadily grown in intensity. The Notre Dame-Purdue series reached a fever pitch on April 1, 2001, in St. Louis, Mo., when the two sides met to decide the NCAA championship. The Irish came out on top with a narrow 68-66 victory, getting two free throws from consensus national player of the year Ruth Riley with 5.8 seconds left to pull out the win.
The Boilermakers have exacted a measure of revenge by winning each of their last three matchups with Notre Dame. However, the Irish have been within striking distance at halftime in all three games, trailing by no more than seven points in each instance before Purdue turned up the defensive heat in the second half to produce a victory.
Among current Irish players, sophomore forward Courtney LaVere has had the most success against the Boilermakers, averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in two games, along with a .524 field goal percentage. In her first-ever game against Purdue on Jan. 4, 2003, at the Joyce Center, she posted a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast is the only other active Notre Dame player to average in double digits vs. the Boilers, logging 10.7 ppg., a team-high 7.0 rpg. and 3.0 bpg. in three career games. A complete rundown of the statistics compiled by current Irish players in the Purdue series may be found on page 16 of these notes.
THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND PURDUE MET
Purdue opened the second half on a 22-4 run and never looked back en route to a 66-47 win over Notre Dame on March 30, 2003, in an NCAA East Regional Semifinal game at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
Guard Alicia Ratay scored 16 points in her final game in an Irish uniform, while forward Jacqueline Batteast contributed eight points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. Center Teresa Borton also had a solid outing with eight points, 10 rebounds and a career-high five blocks. Erika Valek led four Purdue players in double figures with 19 points and Shereka Wright added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Notre Dame played from behind the entire game, but did manage to erase a nine-point first-half deficit, tying the game at 27-27 on Ratay’s left-wing jumper with 1:03 left in the period. However, Beth Jones canned a three-pointer on Purdue’s next possession and Valek followed by nailing a trey of her own with two seconds to go, giving the Boilermakers a 33-29 halftime lead.
The Irish saw their offense dry up in the second half, making only two field goals and turning the ball over five times in the first seven minutes of the period. After falling behind 55-33 with 12:36 left, Notre Dame put together a defensive stop of its own, going on a 10-0 run over the next seven minutes to get within 12 points with 5:09 remaining. In the end, that would be as close as the Irish would get, thanks to Purdue’s proficient free throw shooting (7-8, .875) down the stretch.
OTHER NOTRE DAME-PURDUE SERIES TIDBITS
- The 70-point mark seems to be a magic figure in the series. One or both teams have scored 70 points in 12 of the 16 matchups, with the first team to reach that milepost winning each time.
- Two of Notre Dame’s four wins in the series have come in postseason play < a=”” 73-60=”” victory=”” in=”” the=”” first=”” round=”” of=”” the=”” 1996=”” ncaa=”” tournament,=”” and=”” a=”” 68-66=”” triumph=”” in=”” the=”” 2001=”” ncaa=”” championship=”” game.=”” the=”” 1996=”” win=”” also=”” was=”” notre=”” dame’s=”” first-ever=”” ncaa=”” tournament=”” victory.=””>
- The Irish and Boilermakers are the first and only teams from the same state to play for the NCAA championship.
- Irish head athletic trainer Jim Russ < now=”” in=”” his=”” 18th=”” season=”” at=”” notre=”” dame=””>< served=”” as=”” an=”” assistant=”” athletic=”” trainer=”” at=”” purdue=”” from=”” 1977-82=”” (when=”” the=”” boilers=”” went=”” 2-4=”” against=”” the=”” irish).=””>
- Third-year Notre Dame assistant athletic trainer Tricia Matasyk is a 1999 Purdue graduate.
COMMON GROUND
Notre Dame and Purdue have one common opponent < valparaiso.=”” the=”” irish=”” defeated=”” the=”” crusaders,=”” 74-57=”” on=”” nov.=”” 21=”” at=”” the=”” joyce=”” center,=”” while=”” purdue=”” won=”” at=”” valparaiso,=”” 68-57=”” on=”” dec.=”” 3.=””>
NOTRE DAME AGAINST THE BIG TEN
Notre Dame is 27-40 (.403) all-time against the current alignment of the Big Ten Conference, although the Irish have won six of their last 11 games against Big Ten schools. Notre Dame is 9-22 (.290) when playing on a Big Ten campus, with six of those losses coming at Purdue.
Notre Dame has played all 11 members of the Big Ten, owning winning records against Indiana (5-3), Wisconsin (4-2), Northwestern (2-1) and Iowa (1-0). Purdue is the last of three Big Ten opponents on this year’s Irish schedule < notre=”” dame=”” lost=”” at=”” michigan=”” state=”” (92-63)=”” on=”” nov.=”” 26=”” before=”” rebounding=”” to=”” defeat=”” wisconsin=”” (82-64)=”” on=”” dec.=”” 4=”” at=”” the=”” joyce=”” center.=””>
ON THIS DATE
The Irish have played nine times on Jan. 4 in their 27-year history, logging a 5-4 record on this date. Notre Dame also is 2-3 on the road when playing on Jan. 4 and Sunday’s game at Purdue will mark the fifth time the Irish have faced a ranked opponent on this day.
The last time Notre Dame played on Jan. 4 was just last season, when this same Purdue squad handed the Irish a 71-54 loss at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame’s most recent victory on this date came in 1996, when the Irish won 74-48 at St. John’s.
IF NOTRE DAME WINS …
- Notre Dame will extend its winning streak to a season-high five games and register its second consecutive road win after opening the year with four straight road losses.
- The Irish will chalk up their second win over a Top 25 team this season, with both coming away from home. Notre Dame downed #22 Auburn, 77-64 at the season-opening WBCA Classic in Boulder, Colo.
- The Irish will pick up their first win at Mackey Arena and snap a three-game losing streak to Purdue.
- Notre Dame will earn its first regular-season road win over a Top 25 opponent since a 58-56 win at No. 20/24 Villanova on Jan. 25, 2003.
- The Irish will improve to 28-40 (.412) all-time against the Big Ten Conference and card their seventh win in the past 12 games vs. that league.
- Head coach Muffet McGraw will see her record at Notre Dame rise to 371-142 (.723) in 17 seasons under the Golden Dome. She also will watch her career ledger improve to 459-183 (.715) in 22 years at the college level.
- The Irish will raise their all-time record to 535-241 (.689) in 27 seasons of varsity competition.
RECAPPING THE MARQUETTE GAME
The Notre Dame women’s basketball team fought through a rocky first half and used timely free throw shooting down the stretch to register its fourth consecutive victory, 72-64 over Marquette on New Year’s Day at the Joyce Center. The Irish now have won five of their last six games and are a perfect 5-0 at home this season.
Sophomore guard Megan Duffy was one of four Irish players to score in double figures on Thursday, connecting for a game-high 18 points. She also dished out a game-best seven assists, marking the sixth time this season she has recorded at least five handouts in a game.
Duffy’s classmate, forward Courtney LaVere chipped in with 16 points on six of 11 shooting, while junior center Teresa Borton matched her season high with 14 points and added a game-best seven rebounds. Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast rounded out the double-digit quartet for Notre Dame with 12 points and seven rebounds.
Notre Dame (7-4) secured the victory based on two key statistics < rebounding=”” and=”” foul=”” shooting.=”” the=”” irish=”” won=”” the=”” battle=”” on=”” the=”” boards=”” by=”” a=”” 40-24=”” margin,=”” including=”” a=”” 20-7=”” spread=”” in=”” the=”” second=”” half.=”” the=”” hosts=”” also=”” shot=”” a=”” season-best=”” 90=”” percent=”” (27=”” of=”” 30)=”” from=”” the=”” free=”” throw=”” line,=”” knocking=”” down=”” 20=”” of=”” 22=”” (.909)=”” charities=”” in=”” the=”” second=”” half.=””>
It was evident from the opening tip that Thursday’s game would be closely contested as the teams combined for five ties and five lead changes in the first half. Notre Dame opened up a pair of four-point leads in the early stages, the last coming at 16-12 when Duffy canned a long three-pointer from the top of the key with 11:52 to go in the period.
Marquette (8-3) answered right back with a 23-12 run over the next nine and a half minutes, taking its largest lead of the game at 35-28 on a layup by Sarah Shouse with 2:23 to play until the break. Notre Dame cut more than half of the fat off its deficit, scoring the last four points, but a pair of missed layups in the waning moments left the Irish down by three (35-32) heading to the dressing room.
Notre Dame had not won a game this season in which it trailed at halftime, but the Irish seemed determined to reverse that trend in the second half, opening the period on an 8-0 run to take a 40-35 lead on two LaVere free throws at the 17:25 mark. Yet, that momentum quickly dissipated in the face of a strong Golden Eagle squad, which put together an 11-2 burst and grabbed a 46-42 edge with 12:05 remaining.
Backed into a corner, Notre Dame came out swinging and rocked Marquette with a game-turning 14-3 run over the following 5:30, building up a 56-49 lead when Duffy buried a long jumper on the left wing. Batteast helped pace the comeback with six consecutive points in a span of 64 seconds.
Still, the Golden Eagles would not be dismissed easily, closing the gap to four points on four occasions down the stretch, the last time coming when Katie O’Grady made the first of two foul shots with 1:29 to play. However, the Marquette veteran missed her second free throw and Duffy hit a runner in the lane on Notre Dame’s next possession to effectively end the Golden Eagles’ chances for victory. The Irish made eight of their 10 free throws inside the final five minutes, including five of six in the last two minutes to preserve their 25th win in 29 career meetings with Marquette.
NO CUPCAKES FOR THE IRISH
Notre Dame has quickly learned how it rates against the rest of the nation’s elite programs. The Irish have fought through a brutal non-conference schedule that included playing five of their first seven games away from home, all against teams that were either ranked or receiving votes in both major national polls. Notre Dame defeated No. 22 Auburn (77-64), lost a narrow overtime decision at No. 20 Colorado (67-63) after leading much of the way in that game, before falling at Michigan State (92-63), third-ranked Tennessee (83-59) and Washington (85-74). Both MSU and UW were receiving votes at tipoff, with Michigan State since vaulting to 23rd in the current Associated Press poll and 22nd in the latest ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll.
The tough Irish schedule has not gone unnoticed by the national media. The latest CollegeRPI.com rankings have placed the Irish schedule as the eighth-hardest in the land, while the Sagarin/Collegiate Basketball News ratings have pegged the Notre Dame docket as the 10th-toughest in the nation (through Jan. 1).
BATTEAST NAMED BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast was selected as the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. It was the first time Batteast won the award in her three-year Irish career, although she was a six-time BIG EAST Rookie of the Week in 2001-02 and subsequently was named the league’s Rookie of the Year.
Batteast, a two-time all-BIG EAST selection, rang up her third double-double of the season on Dec. 22 against USC, finishing with a game-high 20 points and a season-best 13 rebounds. She also registered four assists and three steals without a turnover as Notre Dame led virtually wire-to-wire in a 73-62 win over the Women of Troy. It was Batteast’s second 20-point game and fourth double-digit rebounding game of the year.
STREAK STATS
Notre Dame has reeled off four consecutive wins, thanks in large part to the strength of its defense. The Irish have limited Dayton, USC, Colorado State and Marquette to an average of 56.5 points per game and a .356 field goal percentage. In addition, Notre Dame has won the rebounding battle by an average of seven boards per game and the Irish are forcing 20.5 turnovers per game during their win streak.
Individually, junior center Teresa Borton has been one of the key components in her team’s recent success string. The Yakima, Wash., native is averaging 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in the last four games and she is shooting 67.7 percent (21-32) from the floor during that time. Borton has scored in double figures in three of her last four games, including a season-high 14 points against both Colorado State and Marquette.
At the same time, a pair of freshmen also have been important contributors coming off the bench. Forward Crystal Erwin is carding 6.8 points per game during the win streak and is shooting an even 50 percent (8-16) in that span. Meanwhile, guard Breona Gray continues her rapid maturation, logging 5.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game with a .571 field goal percentage (8-14) in the last four games.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Notre Dame put together one of the best defensive performances in school history on Dec. 13 vs. Dayton, rolling over the Flyers, 78-41 at the Joyce Center. In that game, the Irish held UD to just 11 first-half points, which matches the third-lowest mark in school history and equals the lowest opponent total ever at the Joyce Center (11 in the second half by Grace College on Jan. 31, 1978 < pre-ncaa=”” era).=”” the=”” fewest=”” points=”” notre=”” dame=”” has=”” ever=”” allowed=”” in=”” one=”” half=”” is=”” seven=”” (first=”” half)=”” at=”” maryland=”” on=”” jan.=”” 9,=”” 1985.=”” the=”” irish=”” also=”” gave=”” up=”” just=”” 10=”” first-half=”” points=”” to=”” georgetown=”” on=”” march=”” 4,=”” 2001,=”” in=”” a=”” big=”” east=”” conference=”” championship=”” quarterfinal=”” game=”” at=”” storrs,=”” conn.=””>
In addition, Notre Dame limited Dayton to an opponent record-low .050 field goal percentage (one for 20) in the first half, breaking the old Irish opponent record of .115 (three for 26), which had been set twice < in=”” the=”” first=”” half=”” of=”” the=”” aforementioned=”” maryland=”” game,=”” and=”” by=”” depaul=”” in=”” the=”” first=”” half=”” on=”” dec.=”” 31,=”” 2001=”” at=”” the=”” joyce=”” center.=””>
RUNAWAY TRAIN
The Irish have often opened games in strong fashion, but nothing like what they turned out on Dec. 13 vs. Dayton. Notre Dame began the game on a 26-0 run, the largest game-opening surge in 27 seasons of Irish basketball. The previous record for the best start to a game was 17-0 vs. Texas Tech in the 2000 NCAA Mideast Regional Semifinal in Memphis.
The 26 unanswered points also tied for the second-longest run of consecutive markers by Notre Dame. The school record is 31 straight points, which the Irish achieved on Jan. 18, 1997 vs. Pittsburgh < notre=”” dame=”” trailed=”” 14-2,=”” but=”” went=”” on=”” a=”” 31-0=”” run=”” over=”” the=”” next=”” 13:14=”” to=”” seize=”” control=”” of=”” the=”” game.=”” the=”” irish=”” also=”” had=”” a=”” 26-point=”” spree=”” on=”” jan.=”” 31,=”” 1998=”” against=”” seton=”” hall,=”” turning=”” a=”” 56-29=”” score=”” into=”” an=”” 82-29=”” margin=”” over=”” a=”” 9:44=”” span=”” in=”” the=”” second=”” half.=””>
BATTEAST CLOSING IN ON 1,000-POINT CLUB
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast needs only 32 points to become the 20th player in school history to score 1,000 career points. Batteast already is one of only five Irish players to have scored 800 points in her first two seasons at Notre Dame and at her current 15.0 ppg. pace, she should reach the millennium milestone later this month. For her career, the South Bend native ranks sixth in school history with a 14.0 ppg. scoring average (968 points in 69 games).
BIG THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES
Based on her play this season, sophomore point guard Megan Duffy is making a strong case to be named the BIG EAST Conference Most Improved Player. Last season, the Dayton native averaged 3.0 points and 2.3 assists per game while still shaking off the rust caused by off-season knee surgery. She also struggled to find her shooting touch, hitting at a .242 clip from the floor and making only seven of 35 three-point attempts (.200).
Fast forward to this season, where Duffy has been an impact player from the outset. She is second on the team in scoring at 12.4 ppg., which more than quadruples her production from last year.
However, her biggest improvement has come in her shooting numbers, where she’s connecting at a sharp .512 percentage (21-41) from the three-point line. She’s also tripled the number of treys she made all of last year and after cracking double digits just twice in 2002-03 (career high was 12 points), she has six double-figure games this season, with all six matching or surpassing her previous career best (led by a 25-point outburst on Dec. 4 vs. Wisconsin, where she shattered her career standard from beyond the arc, going six for 10 from downtown).
But lest we forget her primary duties at the point, Duffy is leading the Irish and ranking fifth in the BIG EAST with 5.0 assists per game, more than doubling last year’s output. She also has just 34 turnovers, giving her a healthy 1.62 assist/turnover ratio (ninth in the BIG EAST). She has dished out at least five assists six times this year, including a career-high nine dimes on Dec. 7 at Washington.
PROTECTING THE PILL
Notre Dame appears to have cured one of its early-season problems < turnovers.=”” in=”” their=”” last=”” six=”” games,=”” the=”” irish=”” have=”” averaged=”” only=”” 15.2=”” turnovers,=”” including=”” a=”” season-low=”” 10=”” giveaways=”” vs.=”” wisconsin=”” on=”” dec.=”” 4.=”” it=”” should=”” be=”” noted=”” that=”” bulk=”” of=”” notre=”” dame’s=”” 23=”” turnovers=”” vs.=”” dayton=”” on=”” dec.=”” 13=”” came=”” late=”” in=”” the=”” second=”” half=”” with=”” many=”” of=”” the=”” irish=”” freshmen=”” and=”” reserves=”” on=”” the=”” floor.=”” at=”” the=”” same=”” time,=”” notre=”” dame=”” has=”” been=”” doing=”” a=”” better=”” job=”” of=”” distributing=”” the=”” basketball=”” lately,=”” averaging=”” 17.7=”” assists=”” per=”” game=”” in=”” that=”” span.=”” that=”” works=”” out=”” to=”” a=”” solid=”” 1.16=”” assist/turnover=”” ratio=”” over=”” the=”” past=”” six=”” weeks=”” (106=”” assists,=”” 91=”” turnovers).=””>
DISTANCE LEARNING
One of the supposed question marks surrounding this year’s Notre Dame squad was its perimeter shooting. Through the first two months of the season, the Irish have had an emphatic response to that question. Notre Dame is third in the BIG EAST and 19th nationally with a .393 three-point percentage, hitting 48 of 111 shots from beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Megan Duffy has been a major contributor from beyond the arc, connecting at a .512 clip (21-41), although she has not quite made enough treys (2.0 per game) to qualify for the BIG EAST rankings < she=”” would=”” be=”” leading=”” the=”” league=”” if=”” she=”” had=”” one=”” more=”” three-pointer=”” to=”” her=”” credit.=”” still,=”” she=”” ranks=”” 10th=”” in=”” the=”” big=”” east=”” with=”” 1.91=”” triples=”” per=”” game.=””>
Another long distance specialist for Notre Dame has been senior guard Jeneka Joyce, which is a pleasant result when you consider the Topeka, Kan., native spent the better part of the past two seasons trying to recover from numerous leg injuries. Joyce has knocked down 13 of 26 treys for a .500 three-point percentage, but she also has not yet made enough field goals to qualify for statistical rankings.
A TIME TO RE-JOYCE
Despite not having seen any meaningful action since March 17, 2002 at Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, senior guard Jeneka Joyce has looked very comfortable in her return this season. The Topeka, Kan., native missed Notre Dame’s two games at the WBCA Classic, but came back to the hardwood Nov. 21 vs. Valparaiso and promptly canned all three of her three-point attempts (including the last from nearly 25 feet out), finishing with nine points. Five nights later on Nov. 26 at Michigan State, Joyce nailed her first three three-point shots before missing her last two and again wound up with nine points. She is 13 of 26 from beyond the arc this season, good for a .500 percentage, while averaging 4.8 points per game.
For her career, Joyce ranks fifth in school history with a .391 three-point percentage and she also stands ninth with 61 career treys and 156 career three-point attempts.
HARDWARE HAUL
Although they didn’t come away with the trophy they wanted at the WBCA Classic, junior forward Jacqueline Batteast and senior guard Le’Tania Severe did receive individual honors as members of the WBCA Classic All-Tournament Team. Batteast averaged 20 points and 7.5 rebounds in the two-game tournament, while shooting .529 from the field. Severe carded 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in the tournament and posted a stellar .857 free throw percentage (12 of 14). It was the first career all-tournament team selection for both players.
IRISH APPEARING IN BOTH MAJOR NATIONAL POLLS
Notre Dame is receiving eight votes in the latest Associated Press poll after spending the first three weeks of this season in the AP Top 25 poll. The Irish were ranked 15th in the preseason AP poll, marking the seventh time in the last eight seasons that the Irish were tapped in the initial AP survey of the year.
Notre Dame also is earning four votes in the most recent ESPN/USA Today coaches poll after appearing in the Top 25 for the first three weeks of 2003-04. The Irish were pegged No. 16 in the preseason coaches poll, also the seventh time in eight years that they had shown up in the first ESPN/USA Today poll of the year.
Notre Dame has faced or will face seven teams that are currently ranked in both major polls (No. 1/1 Connecticut, No. 5/5 Tennessee, No. 7/8 Purdue, No. 13/13 Colorado, No. 16/15 Virginia Tech, No. 22/20 Boston College and No. 23/22 Michigan State). In addition, Auburn is ranked 21st in the latest AP poll. Four Notre Dame opponents also presently are receiving votes in one or both major polls this week < miami=”” (fla.),=”” rutgers,=”” villanova=”” and=”” washington.=””>
HALF AND HALF
Over the last four seasons, Notre Dame has been nearly unbeatable when it has the lead at halftime. The Irish are 67-5 (.931) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when they go into the dressing room with the lead, including a 5-1 mark this year. One of those rare losses occurred vs. Colorado in the WBCA Classic on Nov. 15. Notre Dame led 37-33 at the intermission before the Buffaloes rallied for a 67-63 overtime win.
THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD DEFENSE …
Over the last nine seasons, Notre Dame has discovered that a solid defensive effort can almost certainly guarantee a victory. In fact, since the beginning of the 1995-96 season (Notre Dame’s first in the BIG EAST Conference), the Irish have an amazing 117-4 (.967) record when they hold their opponents to less than 60 points in a game. Notre Dame has added three more wins to that ledger this season by holding down Valparaiso (74-57), Dayton (78-41) and Colorado State (63-59).
… BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SCORE IF YOU WANT TO WIN
Not resting solely on its defensive laurels, Notre Dame also seemingly has found the magic mark when it comes to outscoring its opponents. Over the last nine seasons (1995-96 to present), the Irish are 86-3 (.966) when they score at least 80 points in a game. The only blemishes on that record are a pair of overtime losses to Texas A&M (88-84) and Michigan State (87-83) in 1995 and a 106-81 loss to Connecticut in 1998. Notre Dame tacked on another win to this tally on Dec. 4 with its 82-64 win over Wisconsin.
SWEET SUCCESS
Notre Dame is one of only eight schools in the country to have appeared in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen five times in the past seven seasons (1997-2003). The others are Connecticut (seven times), Tennessee (seven times), Duke (six times), Louisiana Tech (six times), North Carolina (five times), Old Dominion (five times) and Texas Tech (five times).
THE GOLD STANDARD
The Irish are one of just six teams nationwide to have an active streak of 10 consecutive 20-win seasons. The others in these elite club are Tennessee (27), Texas Tech (14), Louisiana Tech (12), Old Dominion (12) and Connecticut (10).
CHECK OUT THE THREADS
For the first time since the 1998-99 season, the Irish are wearing white uniforms at home this season, eschewing the golden togs they sported for the past four seasons. Notre Dame has worn white uniforms on numerous occasions on the past, dating as far back as the school’s first varsity women’s basketball squad, which took the floor in 1977-78. Blue continues to be the primary color for the Irish road uniforms.
NOW THAT’S A HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
One of the hallmarks of Notre Dame’s success has been its stellar play at home. In fact, the Irish have been virtually untouchable at home in recent years, winning 103 of their last 112 games (.920) at the 11,418-seat Joyce Center, including a school-record 51-game winning streak from 1998-2002 (at the time, it was the 10th-longest string in NCAA history). Notre Dame also has a 61-7 (.897) record in BIG EAST Conference play at the Joyce Center, sporting a 31-game winning streak at home before it was snapped with a 48-45 loss to Villanova in the 2002 home finale.
The Irish have been particularly strong when it comes to non-conference games at home, winning 45 of their last 47 non-BIG EAST contests (.957) at the Joyce Center, dating back to the 1994-95 season. The only two losses in that span came to Wisconsin in 1996 (81-69) and Purdue in 2003 (71-54). The Purdue loss snapped a 33-game non-conference home winning streak which began after the UW setback.
Since its inaugural season in 1977-78, Notre Dame has played all of its games at the Joyce Center, posting a 253-70 (.783) record at the venerable facility. In both the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons, the Irish were a perfect 15-0 at home, setting a school record for home wins in a season.
JAMMIN’ THE JOYCE
Beginning with its national championship season of 2000-01, Notre Dame has ranked in the Top 10 in the nation in attendance each of the past three years. The Irish are looking to extend that streak to a fourth straight season and have gotten off to a good start, averaging 6,138 fans for their five home games, including a season-high 6,571 fans on Dec. 22 vs. USC. According to the latest unofficial national attendance rankings compiled by the Wisconsin Sports Information Office (as of Dec. 29), Notre Dame ranks 10th in the country in attendance.
The Irish averaged 7,132 fans for their 13 home games last season, good for their second consecutive eighth-place finish in the final NCAA attendance rankings. Last year also saw Notre Dame register two of the top 10 crowds in school history, including a season-high gathering of 9,483 fans, the fifth-largest in school history for the nationally-televised matchup with Purdue on Jan. 4.
All of the top 20 crowds in the Irish record book have occurred during the 17-year tenure of head coach Muffet McGraw (1987-present). And, as more evidence of Notre Dame’s rapid elevation to ?hot ticket? status in South Bend, 19 of the top 20 crowds in school history have been recorded in the last four seasons.
NOTRE DAME AMONG RECENT WINS LEADERS
Notre Dame has won 188 games over the last eight seasons (23.5 victories per year), which is tied for the eighth-most wins of any school in the country during that time.
NOTRE DAME FACING ONE TOUGH SLATE
Historically, Notre Dame has always played a difficult schedule and 2003-04 is more evidence of that fact. The Irish will play no less than 17 teams that qualified for postseason play last year, including 12 NCAA Tournament squads and six that advanced to the Sweet Sixteen (highlighted by two-time defending national champion Connecticut and NCAA runner-up Tennessee). In addition, five opponents (Connecticut, Purdue, Tennessee, Valparaiso and Villanova) won the regular-season or tournament title in their respective conference. Furthermore, 19 of the 26 possible Irish opponents finished with records of .500 or better last season, including 12 squads that posted 20-win campaigns. All told, Notre Dame opponents had a combined winning percentage of .610 last season (490-313).