Irish Look To Keep Up Momentum At West Virginia

Jan. 16, 2004

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NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (9-6, 2-1) VS. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (10-5, 2-2)

The Date and Time: Saturday, Jan. 17, 2004, at 4 p.m. ET.
The Site: WVU Coliseum (14,000) in Morgantown, W.Va.
The Tickets: Still available by calling the West Virginia Ticket Office (1-800-988-4263).
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). 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 West Virginia game through the Notre Dame (www.und.com) and West Virginia (www.msnsportsnet.com) athletics web sites.
Web Sites: Notre Dame (www.und.com), West Virginia (www.msnsportsnet.com).

IRISH LOOK TO KEEP UP MOMENTUM SATURDAY AT WEST VIRGINIA
After logging back-to-back wins over Top 25 opponents in a four-day period earlier this week, Notre Dame will try to continue its recent surge Saturday when it pays a visit to West Virginia for a 4 p.m. (ET) tipoff at WVU Coliseum. The Irish also will be out to try and solve some of their problems on the road < notre=”” dame=”” is=”” 2-6=”” away=”” from=”” the=”” joyce=”” center=”” this=”” season.=””>

• The Irish (9-6, 2-1 BIG EAST) put a charge into the rest of the college basketball world Tuesday night with a stunning 66-51 victory over No. 4 Connecticut before a crowd of 8,574, the seventh-largest in school history at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame led virtually the entire way, opening up a 14-point lead in the first half and then holding off the Huskies down the stretch to preserve the win.
• Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast set the pace for the Irish, ringing up her fifth double-double of the season with game highs of 23 points (10 of 13 shooting) and 11 rebounds. Sophomore forward Courtney LaVere added 14 points and senior guard Le’Tania Severe chipped in with 12 points and six assists for Notre Dame.
• As a team, the Irish shot a season-best 59.5 percent (25 of 42) in the win and held Connecticut to its lowest shooting percentage of the year (.309). Notre Dame also had two lengthy defensive lockdowns in the game, limiting the Huskies to two field goals over a combined span of 22:01.
• West Virginia (10-5, 2-2) enters Saturday’s game on the heels of a 69-67 win at St. John’s on Tuesday night. The Mountaineers trailed by two at the half, but rallied to take the lead and then held off a late Red Storm comeback for the victory. Senior guard Sherell Sowho posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead WVU.
• Notre Dame owns an 11-0 edge in the all-time series with West Virginia, including a 5-0 mark in Morgantown. The Irish won both meetings last year by scores of 66-59 and 69-64.

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 first two months of the season, 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 (12.3 ppg., team-high 4.73 apg., .459 3FG%, .821 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 1.51 assist/turnover ratio (10th in the BIG EAST). In addition, she is showing offensive diversity, knocking down 28 of 61 three-pointers this season. She also has eight double-figure scoring games to her credit this year, including a career-high 25 points vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 4, and 22 points at Georgetown on Jan. 7. Her ball handling skills have not diminished, as she also has registered eight games with five-or-more assists, including a career-high nine assists on Dec. 7 at Washington, and seven assists in each of her last two games (wins over nationally-ranked Virginia Tech and Connecticut).
• Senior captain Le’Tania Severe (8.7 ppg., 3.3 apg., .477 FG%, .793 FT%) has slid over to the shooting guard position in place of Ratay and has stepped in admirably. 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 tied for second on the team with 1.47 steals per game and has been a vital piece of Notre Dame’s transition game. She collected 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 then poured in a season-high 15 points to tie for team-high honors at Purdue and contributed a strong all-around effort (12 points, six assists, four rebounds) in the win over Connecticut.
• Senior guard Jeneka Joyce (4.2 ppg., .459 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 (.389).
• Junior forward and preseason All-American Jacqueline Batteast (15.5 ppg., 8.1 rpg., five double-doubles) has lived up to her accolades this season, ranking among the BIG EAST leaders in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage (.462) and blocked shots (1.27 bpg.). 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 then collected her fourth double-double with game highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds against Virginia Tech. However her best performance to date came Tuesday night against fourth-ranked Connecticut, when she picked up her fifth double-double with 23 points (10-13 FG) and 11 rebounds. She now has 59 career double-figure scoring games and 24 career double-doubles. Also in the Virginia Tech game, she became the 20th Notre Dame player to score 1,000 career points and was the fourth-fastest ever to reach that milestone, hitting the mark in just 72 games.
• Junior center Teresa Borton (7.6 ppg., 4.7 rpg., .523 FG%, .857 FT%) and sophomore forward Courtney LaVere (8.5 ppg., 5.3 rpg.) also have made important contributions at times this season. Borton has recovered well from off-season heel surgery, averaging 10.8 ppg. and 5.6 rpg. with a .577 FG% during Notre Dame’s last eight games. She was at her best vs. Colorado State and Marquette, ringing up 14 points on both occasions. Borton then added 11 points and eight rebounds at Georgetown, followed by 14 points and six boards against Virginia Tech. In fact, after not scoring in double figures once in her first six games, Borton has had 10 or more points six times in her last nine outings. 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. LaVere also was a critical contributor against Connecticut, coming off the bench to score 14 points.

A QUICK LOOK AT WEST VIRGINIA
After posting back-to-back seasons of .500 or better for the first time in more than a decade, West Virginia has its eye on larger goals this year. Specifically, the Mountaineers are intent on breaking into the upper eschelon of the BIG EAST Conference and competing for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1992. Behind a solid core of seven returning letterwinners, including four starters, WVU appears to have all the pieces in place to make those goals a reality in the not-so-distant future.

West Virginia (10-5, 2-2 BIG EAST) has had to deal with its share of adversity this season, mainly in the form of the injury bug. Two of the Mountaineers’ primary inside threats, junior center Yelena Leuchanka and junior forward Ramika McGee have been sidelined for the year with knee injuries. Leuchanka’s malady was especially critical, as she was the top-rated junior college player in the nation last season.

Still, WVU pressed on, winning six of its first seven games, highlighted by an impressive 75-61 victory over ACC stalwart Georgia Tech at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, a confounding 59-56 overtime loss at Delaware State in mid-December started the Mountaineers into a skid that saw them lose four of their next seven games.

That stretch appeared to end Tuesday night at St. John’s, as West Virginia held off a late Red Storm rally for a 69-67 victory. Senior guard Sherell Sowho notched a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while senior forward Michelle Carter also carded 16 points and junior guard Yolanda Paige dished out a game-high 14 assists.

West Virginia is paced by its all-BIG EAST shooting guard, senior Kate Bulger. She ranks 11th in the conference in scoring (14.7 ppg.), seventh in three-point percentage (.385) and second in three-pointers per game (2.80). Sowho is 13th in the BIG EAST in scoring (14.4 ppg.) and fourth in three-point percentage (.404), while Paige is the conference’s assist leader, averaging 7.73 handouts per game. She also is second in the loop with a 2.27 assist/turnover ratio.

Mike Carey is in his third season as the head coach at West Virginia, sporting a 39-32 (.549) record. He also is in his 16th season as a collegiate head coach and owns a career mark of 327-134 (.709). He is 0-3 all-time against Notre Dame.

THE NOTRE DAME-WEST VIRGINIA SERIES
Notre Dame and West Virginia had never played one another until the Irish joined the BIG EAST Conference in time for the 1995-96 season. Since then, the teams have met 11 times with Notre Dame winning on each occasions. The Irish also have won all five series matchups in Morgantown, including a 66-59 victory last season (see recap in next note).

Among current Notre Dame players, junior forward Jacqueline Batteast has had the most individual success against West Virginia, averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in two career games vs. the Mountaineers. A complete rundown of the statistics current Irish players have compiled against West Virginia can be found on page 17 of this notes package.

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND WEST VIRGINIA MET
Alicia Ratay and Jacqueline Batteast each scored a game-high 21 points to lift No. 24 (ESPN/USA Today ) Notre Dame to a 69-64 BIG EAST Conference win over West Virginia on Feb. 1, 2003, before a crowd of 6,975 at the Joyce Center. The victory pushed the Irish to 11-0 in their series against the Mountaineers.

Batteast added six rebounds, a team-high five assists and a (then) career-best four blocked shots for Notre Dame. Meanwhile, Ratay scored 16 of her points in the first half, and center Teresa Borton made all seven of her shots to finish with 14 points. Her perfect field goal percentage tied for the second-best shooting performance by an Irish player in Joyce Center history (Sandy Botham was nine for nine from the field against Evansville in 1986).

Kate Bulger led three WVU players in double figures with 15 points. Liz Holbrook tallied 12 points and Michelle Carter picked up second consecutive double-double (and third of the season) with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Irish seized the early lead against the Mountaineers, but could not shake the pesky visitors. West Virginia (11-7, 0-7) twice rallied to tie the score before Notre Dame took its largest lead of the first half at 32-25 on a pair of Batteast free throws with 5:28 remaining in the period. However, the free throw line would be the only source of offense for the Irish over the final seven minutes, as the Mountaineers closed the period on a 12-3 run to take a 37-35 lead at the break.

A baseline jumper by Holbrook 45 seconds into the second half boosted the West Virginia lead to four points. From there, Notre Dame went on a 19-5 run, sparked by 11 points from Batteast, to take a 54-44 lead with 10:19 to play. Sherell Sowho hit for five straight points to cut the WVU deficit in half, but the Irish answered with an 11-4 charge to put the Mountaineers on their heels. Guard Megan Duffy closed out the win by canning all four of her free throws in the final 24 seconds.

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND WEST VIRGINIA MET IN MORGANTOWN
Le’Tania Severe scored a career-high 21 points, and led No. 16 Notre Dame’s big second-half comeback to a 66-59 victory on Jan. 8, 2003, that ended West Virginia’s season-opening 10-game winning streak. Severe scored 14 points in the second half, and Alicia Ratay had 12 of her 14 after the break as the Irish (9-3) erased a 14-point deficit in the teams’ BIG EAST Conference opener. Kate Bulger led West Virginia with 22 points.

WVU showed no early problems from a 10-day layoff. Instead, the Irish were flat in the first half. Notre Dame missed its first six shots and committed five early turnovers. Bulger scored 11 of her team’s first 12 points to put the Mountaineers ahead by five, and it stayed that way until teammate Liz Holbrook hit four of her 15 points to push the lead to 24-13 with 4:37 left in the first half.

The Irish were held to their second-lowest point total for a half this season, and things looked bleak after Bulger’s three-pointer gave West Virginia its biggest lead at 36-22 a minute into the second half. But the Mountaineers went cold and Notre Dame got strong rebounding play and used the three-point shot to go on a 18-2 run and tie the game at 40 with 14:23 left. Ratay’s triple with 12:26 left gave the Irish the lead for good at 47-45.

Severe made a pair of free throws to push the lead to 56-49 with 6:17 remaining before West Virginia crept back. Bulger’s three-pointer made it 62-59 with 43 seconds left, but West Virginia didn’t score again in falling to 0-10 all-time against Notre Dame. The Mountaineers had just 10 second-half rebounds and were outrebounded 42-28 for the game.

Jacqueline Batteast added 12 points for Notre Dame, while Ratay became just the sixth player in Notre Dame history to score 1,500 career points.

OTHER NOTRE DAME-WEST VIRGINIA SERIES TIDBITS

• West Virginia is one of four BIG EAST Conference opponents against whom Notre Dame has never lost, going 11-0 all-time against the Mountaineers. The others are Pittsburgh (13-0), Providence (11-0) and St. John’s (13-0).
• Morgantown is one of four BIG EAST cities where Notre Dame has never lost, going 5-0 all-time on the WVU campus. The other friendly road stops for the Irish have been Pittsburgh (6-0), Providence (6-0) and St. John’s (6-0).
• Notre Dame have scored at least 70 points against West Virginia in nine of the 11 games in the series after narrowly missing the mark in both matchups last season (wins by scores of 66-59 and 69-64). Conversely, the Mountaineers have reached the 70-point plateau just twice against Notre Dame.
• The Irish have scored 100 points in a game twice against WVU, making the Mountaineers the only BIG EAST opponent to see Notre Dame crack triple digits more than once.
• Four games in the series have been decided by less than 10 points, including the last three (ND 86-78 on Jan. 14, 1998; ND 72-63 on Feb. 19, 2002; ND 66-59 on Jan. 8, 2003; and ND 69-64 on Feb. 1, 2003) with the Irish winning all 11 series games by an average margin of 18 points.

THE BEASTS OF THE BIG EAST
Notre Dame is 114-25 (.820) in regular-season competition against the rest of BIG EAST Conference, owning the best conference winning percentage of any current member of the BIG EAST since joining the circuit for the 1995-96 campaign. The Irish also have won 70 of their last 85 regular-season conference games (.824), and claimed a share of their first-ever BIG EAST regular-season championship in 2001. When including postseason competition (BIG EAST and NCAA tournaments), Notre Dame is 126-33 (.792) against league opponents < when=”” factoring=”” in=”” these=”” 20=”” postseason=”” tilts,=”” the=”” irish=”” are=”” 63-7=”” (.900)=”” at=”” home,=”” 51-21=”” (.708)=”” on=”” the=”” road=”” and=”” 12-5=”” (.706)=”” at=”” neutral=”” sites=”” all-time=”” against=”” big=”” east=”” foes.=””>

PROTECTING PERFECTION
Coming into the 2003-04 season, Notre Dame had a perfect all-time record against six of the opponents on its schedule (Valparaiso, Washington, West Virginia, Providence, St. John’s and Pittsburgh). West Virginia represents the third foe in that list, with the Irish holding an 11-0 series record against the Mountaineers. In fact, WVU is one of five foes the Irish have defeated at least 10 times without a loss < the=”” others=”” are=”” pittsburgh=”” (13-0),=”” providence=”” (11-0),=”” st.=”” john’s=”” (13-0)=”” and=”” valparaiso=”” (17-0).=””>

Last season, Notre Dame went 8-1 when protecting its unbeaten series marks < the=”” irish=”” maintained=”” their=”” erfect=”” series?=”” against=”” cleveland=”” state,=”” ipfw,=”” pittsburgh=”” (twice),=”” providence,=”” st.=”” john’s=”” (twice)=”” and=”” west=”” virginia.=”” however,=”” notre=”” dame=”” saw=”” its=”” unblemished=”” record=”” vs.=”” virginia=”” tech=”” fall=”” by=”” the=”” wayside=”” when=”” the=”” hokies=”” slipped=”” past=”” the=”” irish,=”” 53-50,=”” last=”” season=”” in=”” blacksburg.=””>

STREAKING ACROSS THE BIG EAST
The Irish have winning streaks of 10-or-more games against five of their 13 BIG EAST Conference opponents. Their longest active conference winning streak is 13 games vs. St. John’s and Pittsburgh. Notre Dame also has an active 12-game success string against Seton Hall and 11-game runs vs. Providence and West Virginia. The longest current Irish winning streak vs. any opponent is 17 games against Valparaiso.

ON THIS DATE
The Irish have played four times on Jan. 17 in their 27-year history, logging a 2-2 record on this date with an 0-1 mark on the road. Notre Dame last played on Jan. 17 in 1998, falling at BIG EAST Conference foe Boston College, 78-76.

IF NOTRE DAME WINS …

• Notre Dame will remain unbeaten in its series with West Virginia, improving to 12-0 all-time against the Mountaineers (6-0 in Morgantown).
• The Irish will pick up their seventh win in the last nine games after opening the year with a 3-4 record.
• Notre Dame will earn its second true road victory of the season (Colorado State was the first).
• The Irish will improve to 115-25 (.821) all-time in regular-season games against the BIG EAST Conference, maintaining the best winning percentage in conference history.
• Head coach Muffet McGraw will see her record at Notre Dame rise to 373-144 (.721) in 17 seasons under the Golden Dome. She also will watch her career ledger improve to 461-185 (.714) in 22 years at the college level.
• The Irish will raise their all-time record to 537-243 (.688) in 27 seasons of varsity competition.

RECAPPING THE CONNECTICUT GAME
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast posted her fifth double-double of the season with game highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds, lifting Notre Dame to a convincing 66-51 victory over No. 4 Connecticut on Tuesday night before a crowd of 8,574 fans, the seventh-largest in school history, at the Joyce Center.

Batteast turned in perhaps the finest performance of her three-year Irish career, ringing up her second double-double in four days, both against ranked opponents. The South Bend native knocked down 10 of 13 shots from the floor and deftly navigated through second-half foul trouble to help Notre Dame snap the Huskies’ 45-game BIG EAST regular-season winning streak.

Sophomore forward Courtney LaVere provided strong support off the bench, tallying 14 points in a season-high 33 minutes of action. Senior guard Le’Tania Severe offered up a stellar all-around effort with 12 points, six assists and four rebounds with only one turnover in just 23 minutes on the floor.

As a team, the Irish shot a blistering 59.5 percent (25 of 42) from the field and won the rebounding battle by a slender 33-32 margin. Notre Dame also continued its success against UConn’s All-America guard Diana Taurasi, holding the reigning national player of the year to only 11 points on four of 15 shooting, including two of nine from three-point range. Taurasi is averaging 8.0 ppg. in seven career meetings with the Irish.

The Huskies (11-2, 2-1 BIG EAST) closed to 53-51 when Taurasi drove the baseline and hit a pull-up jumper with 4:50 left. But the Huskies didn’t score again, missing six straight shots down the stretch and turning the ball over twice. The most decisive miss came with 3:17 left, when Batteast < playing=”” with=”” four=”” fouls=””>< blocked=”” a=”” jumper=”” by=”” taurasi=”” and=”” came=”” down=”” with=”” the=”” rebound.=”” seconds=”” later,=”” she=”” powered=”” her=”” way=”” inside=”” for=”” a=”” second=”” straight=”” time=”” for=”” a=”” basket=”” inside,=”” giving=”” the=”” irish=”” a=”” 59-51=”” lead.=”” batteast=”” scored=”” five=”” points=”” during=”” a=”” decisive=”” 13-0=”” game-ending=”” run=”” for=”” notre=”” dame.=””>

Connecticut took an early 10-7 lead when Taurasi nailed her second (and final) three-pointer with 15:19 left in the first half. From there, Notre Dame went to work, going on a 21-4 run over the next 8:22 to seize a 28-14 lead. LaVere had seven points and Severe added six during the spurt, which saw the Huskies manage only one field goal.

Connecticut put together a run of its own, scoring 10 of the final 13 points in the first half to close within 33-26 at the break. Still, it marked the second consecutive conference game in which the Huskies trailed at halftime after they had gone more than three years since their last deficit. Notre Dame wound up shooting 60.7 percent (14 of 23) from the floor in the first 20 minutes.

UConn got steadily closer in the second half, eventually pulling within a point twice, the second time at 44-43 on a pair of free throws by Liz Sherwood at the 11:23 mark. However, Batteast drilled a three-pointer on Notre Dame’s next possession to regain some momentum for her side and the Huskies were forced to play from behind the rest of the way.

NOTING THE IRISH WIN OVER #4 CONNECTICUT

• Notre Dame’s win over Connecticut snapped the Huskies’ 121-game winning streak against unranked opponents, a string that dated back to Jan. 23, 1999 (a 78-66 loss at Boston College).
• Since the start of the 1998-99 season, Connecticut has lost by 15-plus points only three times and each time, those losses have come to Notre Dame (twice in 2000-01, once in 2003-04).
• Notre Dame is one of only two teams in the nation (and the first BIG EAST squad) to defeat Connecticut more than once in the past 11 seasons (1993-94 to present). During that 11-year stretch, Tennessee is the only other program with multiple wins over the Huskies.
• In the past four seasons (2000-01 to present), half of Connecticut’s six losses have come at the hands of Notre Dame.
• Over the past five seasons (1999-2000 to present), the Joyce Center is the only arena to see multiple losses by Connecticut.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
One of the big reasons for Notre Dame’s back-to-back wins over ranked opponents in the last week has been the strong play of its defense. The Irish allowed just 45.5 points in their victories over No. 16/15 Virginia Tech and No. 4/4 Connecticut, holding those two teams to a combined .320 field goal percentage (33 of 103), including a .231 three-point percentage (six of 26).

In the Virginia Tech game, Notre Dame limited the Hokies to just 40 points, their lowest scoring output in nearly three years (Feb. 7, 2001 in a 90-38 loss to Connecticut). At the same time, it was the best Irish defensive performance since Feb. 13, 2002, when they put the clamps on St. John’s in a 66-31 win at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame also dominated Virginia Tech on the boards in the second half, outrebounding the Hokies, 22-9. Even more impressive was the fact that the Irish did not allow Virginia Tech to grab a single offensive rebound over the final 22 minutes and 45 seconds, including the entire second half.

Four days later against Connecticut, Notre Dame kept the Huskies’ perimeter game off-balance throughout the contest and forced UConn into a pair of long dry spells from the field. In fact, the Irish held Connecticut to one field goal over an 8:34 span in the first half, then limited the Huskies to one basket over the final 13:27 of the game, pulling away down the stretch for the victory. When put together, Notre Dame held Connecticut to a total of two field goals for a span of 22:01 and the Huskies wound up with their lowest field goal percentage of the year (.309), including a .167 three-point percentage that saw UConn misfire on 16 of their final 17 three-point attempts.

NO CUPCAKES FOR THE IRISH
Notre Dame has fought through a brutal schedule that has included playing six games against Top 25 opponents. The Irish have handled the challenge well, going 3-3 in those contests with victories over No. 22/25 Auburn (77-64), No. 16/15 Virginia Tech (53-40) and No. 4/4 Connecticut (66-51). Notre Dame narrowly missed a fourth win over a Top 25 foe, as No. 20/20 Colorado rallied to defeat the Irish, 67-63 in overtime in the championship game of the season-opening WBCA Classic in Boulder, Colo.

The rugged Irish schedule has not gone unnoticed by the national media. The latest Sagarin/Collegiate Basketball News and Massey ratings both have pegged the Notre Dame docket as the third-toughest in the nation, while the current CollegeRPI.com rankings have tabbed the Irish schedule as the fifth-toughest in the country (through Jan. 15).

A HALF TO REMEMBER
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 AT HER BEST AGAINST THE BEST
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast has played very well in Notre Dame’s six games against Top 25 opponents this year. She is averaging 17.7 points and 8.8 rebounds with three double-doubles in those matchups against ranked opponents in 2003-04.

BATTEAST REACHES 1,000-POINT MARK AGAINST VIRGINIA TECH
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast scored a game-high 14 points on Jan. 10 against No. 16/15 Virginia Tech, becoming the 20th player in school history to score 1,000 career points. She also was the fourth-fastest Irish player ever to reach that milestone, doing so in her 72nd career game.

Batteast also is one of only five Irish players to score 800 points in her first two seasons at Notre Dame, joining Morgan, Matvey, Riley and Ratay. For her career, the South Bend native ranks sixth in school history with a 14.2 ppg. scoring average, and 18th in total points (1,036), having passed Mollie Peirick (1,034 from 1994-98) in the latter category during Tuesday’s win over No. 4 Connecticut.

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 12.3 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 .459 percentage (28-61) from the three-point line. She’s also quadrupled 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 eight double-figure games this season, with all eight matching or surpassing her previous career best and two topping the 20-point mark. Her best outing to date was 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 ranks fifth in the BIG EAST with 4.73 assists per game, more than doubling last year’s output. She also has just 47 turnovers, giving her a healthy 1.51 assist/turnover ratio (10th in the BIG EAST). She has dished out at least five assists eight times this year, including a career-high nine dimes on Dec. 7 at Washington, and seven assists in Notre Dame’s last two wins, both over ranked opponents (No. 16/15 Virginia Tech and No. 4/4 Connecticut).

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 second in the BIG EAST (and 26th in the nation) with a .380 three-point percentage, hitting 62 of 163 shots from beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Megan Duffy has been a major contributor from beyond the arc, connecting at a .459 clip (28-61), which would rank second in the BIG EAST, but she has not made enough field goals to qualify for statistical ranking (minimum of 2.0 per game). Nevertheless, she stands 12th in the BIG EAST with 1.87 triples made per game.

Another long distance specialist for Notre Dame has been senior guard Jeneka Joyce, which is a pleasant surprise when you consider the Topeka, Kan., native has spent the better part of the past two seasons trying to recover from numerous leg injuries. Joyce has knocked down 17 of 37 treys for a .459 three-point percentage, but she also has not yet made enough field goals to qualify for the rankings.

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 two 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 seven 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.

This season, Notre Dame has faced or will face no less than nine teams that are currently ranked in both major polls (No. 4/4 Connecticut, No. 5/5 Tennessee, No. 9/10 Purdue, No. 15/15 Colorado, No. 19/24 Villanova, No. 21/21 Miami, No. 22/20 Boston College, No. 23/19 Virginia Tech and No. 25/23 Michigan State). In addition, Auburn is ranked 20th in the latest AP poll. Four Notre Dame opponents also presently are receiving votes in one or both major polls this week < rutgers,=”” seton=”” hall,=”” usc=”” 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 68-5 (.932) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when they go into the dressing room with the lead, including a 6-1 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 119-4 (.967) record when they hold their opponents to less than 60 points in a game. Notre Dame has added five more wins to that ledger this season by holding down Valparaiso (74-57), Dayton (78-41), Colorado State (63-59), Virginia Tech (53-40) and Connecticut (66-51).

… 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 105 of their last 114 games (.921) at the 11,418-seat Joyce Center, including a current 12-game winning streak. Notre Dame also has a 63-7 (.900) 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 255-70 (.785) 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 6,475 fans for their seven home games, including a season-high 8,574 fans on Tuesday night vs. fourth-ranked Connecticut. According to the latest unofficial national attendance rankings compiled by the Wisconsin Sports Information Office (as of Jan. 12), Notre Dame ranks 12th 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 190 games over the last eight seasons (23.8 victories per year), which stands as the ninth-most wins of any school in the country during that time. Here’s where the Irish rank in terms of their wins since the start of the 1996-97 campaign (totals through games of Jan. 15):

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).

NOTRE DAME ON THE SMALL SCREEN
Based on its success in recent years, Notre Dame continues to be a favorable television draw and the 2003-04 season will be no exception. The Irish are slated to play on the small screen no less than nine times in the coming campaign, including four appearances on national television.

Notre Dame made its ’03-04 television debut on Dec. 7 at Washington in a matchup that was shown to a national cable audience on Fox Sports Net. The Irish returned to coast-to-coast television on Jan. 4 when they visited Purdue for the inaugural BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge on ESPN2.

In addition, Notre Dame has been selected to appear on the BIG EAST Conference television package four times this season, including three home games. The Irish already have taken on Virginia Tech (Jan. 10), and will also face Villanova (Jan. 24) and Boston College (Jan. 31) at home, as well as travel to Rutgers (Feb. 28) for games in front of the BIG EAST TV cameras. Those games may be seen on a regional basis in several major East Coast markets, including New York, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia and Washington, as well as South Bend, where WHME-TV (Channel 46) will show the games on a delayed basis.

Furthermore, the Jan. 13 BIG EAST matchup between Notre Dame and two-time defending national champion Connecticut was televised by Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) with College Sports Television (CSTV) picking up the broadcast and airing it nationally.

Both Notre Dame-Miami games also will be televised this season. The Jan. 28 matchup in Coral Gables, Fla., has been picked up by the Sunshine Network and will be shown regionally beginning at 7 p.m. (ET). Meanwhile, the Feb. 25 rematch at the Joyce Center will be broadcast live to a nationwide audience on CSTV. That contest will tip off at 8 p.m. (ET) < some=”” early=”” schedules=”” initially=”” had=”” this=”” game=”” listed=”” one=”” hour=”” earlier.=””>

In addition, the semifinals of this year’s BIG EAST Championship presented by State Farm will be broadcast on the BIG EAST television package Monday, March 8 at 6 and 8 p.m. (ET) from the Hartford (Conn.) Civic Center. WHME-TV in South Bend will carry those games live. The championship game will air live on ESPN2 on Tuesday, March 9 at 7 p.m. (ET).

NOTRE DAME TO PLAY HOST TO NCAA TOURNAMENT ACTION IN 2004
After a two-year absence, the Joyce Center once again will be home to NCAA Tournament competition as Notre Dame was selected to be one of 16 sites for first- and second-round games in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Action at the South Bend subregional will take place Sunday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 23, with exact tipoff times and potential television broadcasts to be determined by the NCAA during the week leading up to the competition.

Should Notre Dame qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time in school history (and the ninth consecutive season), the Irish are guaranteed to play at home. Notre Dame has played five NCAA tourney games at the Joyce Center in its history, going 4-1 and and advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2000 and 2001 (the Irish went on to win the national championship in the latter season).

Single-session ticket books for NCAA Tournament games at the Joyce Center currently are available to the general public (one ticket for both Sunday games, one ticket for Tuesday’s only game). Single-game tickets will not be made available until after the field of 64 is announced on March 14. For more information on how to purchase tickets for the 2004 NCAA Notre Dame subregional, contact the Irish athletics ticket office at (574) 631-7356 or visit the ticket windows located on the second floor of the Joyce Center at Gate 1.

NOTRE DAME ON THE AIRWAVES
Once again this season, every Irish women’s basketball game (home and away) will air on the flagship stations of the Artistic Media Partners (AMP) Network < wdnd-am=”” (espn=”” radio=”” 1620)=”” and=”” wndv-am=”” (1490)=”” in=”” south=”” bend.=”” veteran=”” broadcaster=”” and=”” amp=”” sports=”” director=”” sean=”” stires=”” is=”” now=”” in=”” his=”” fourth=”” season=”” handling=”” the=”” play-by-play=”” for=”” notre=”” dame.=”” the=”” irish=”” also=”” can=”” be=”” heard=”” on=”” the=”” internet=”” at=”” notre=”” dame’s=”” official=”” athletics=”” website=”” (www.und.com)=”” by=”” subscribing=”” to=”” fighting=”” irish=”” pass,=”” which=”” gives=”” listeners=”” full=”” access=”” to=”” a=”” variety=”” of=”” irish=”” athletics=”” events=”” on=”” radio=”” for=”” only=”” $6.95=”” per=”” month.=””>

THE Muffet McGraw SHOW
Muffet McGraw’s half-hour, weekly television show is produced by LeSea Broadcasting and hosted by Bob Nagle. The show, now in its seventh season, is carried by WHME-TV (Channel 46) in South Bend and airs at 6:30 p.m. (ET) Saturdays through the end of the 2003-04 season. The show also is available via satellite (Galaxy 6, Transponder 15) each Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (ET), and may be seen on LeSea Broadcasting stations in Denver, Honolulu, Indianapolis, New Orleans and Tulsa (check local listings).

BATTEAST NAMED JOHN R. WOODEN WOMEN’S AWARD PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast (South Bend, Ind.) is one of 30 players who were named to the 2003-04 John R. Wooden Women’s Award Preseason All-America Team on Aug. 13. Based on a vote of the Wooden Women’s Award National Advisory Board, these 30 players are considered the top candidates for the inaugural Wooden Women’s Award, which will be presented to the most outstanding female collegiate basketball player at the conclusion of the ’03-04 season.

Batteast is a two-time all-BIG EAST Conference selection who started every game for the Irish last season, leading the team in scoring (13.9 ppg.), rebounding (8.3 rpg.) and blocked shots (1.56 bpg.). She also ranked among the top 15 in the BIG EAST in those categories, as well as steals (1.97 spg.) and double-doubles (8). In addition, the 6-2 wing scored in double figures 26 times, topped the 20-point mark five times, and earned game-high rebounding honors of 14 occasions. She ranks among Notre Dame’s career leaders in scoring average (6th – 13.8 ppg.) and rebounding average (tie-2nd – 8.1 rpg.), and she is one of only five players in school history to amass at least 800 points in her first two seasons under the Golden Dome.

Batteast is one of five BIG EAST players named to the Wooden Preseason All-America Team, joining Rebekkah Brunson of Georgetown, Cappie Pondexter of Rutgers, and the Connecticut duo of Ann Strother and Diana Taurasi.

In mid-January, the Wooden Women’s Award Committee will release its Midseason Top 20 List, followed in March by the official voting ballot which will consist of the top 10-15 players who have proven their success in the classroom (minimum 2.0 grade-point average) as well as on the court. More than 250 voters, comprised of sports media members and women’s college basketball experts around the country, will then cast their votes for the five-member Wooden All-America Team and the Wooden Award winner.

Although the 2003-04 season marks the debut of the Wooden Women’s Award, the honor initially was created in 1976 to recognize the top male collegiate basketball player in the nation. Past winners include Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84) and Tim Duncan (’97).

BATTEAST CHOSEN FOR STATE FARM/WBCA WADE TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast is one of 35 players who were selected to the 2003-04 State Farm Wade Trophy Preseason Watch List on Aug. 20 by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Based on a vote of committee members which include leading coaches, journalists and basketball administrators, these 35 players are considered the top candidates for the State Farm Wade Trophy, which will be presented to the most outstanding female collegiate basketball player at the conclusion of the ’03-04 season.

Batteast is a two-time all-BIG EAST Conference selection who started every game for the Irish last season, leading the team in scoring (13.9 ppg.), rebounding (8.3 rpg.) and blocked shots (1.56 bpg.). She also ranked among the top 15 in the BIG EAST in those categories, as well as steals (1.97 spg.) and double-doubles (8). In addition, the 6-2 wing scored in double figures 26 times, topped the 20-point mark five times, and earned game-high rebounding honors of 14 occasions. She ranks among Notre Dame’s career leaders in scoring average (6th – 13.8 ppg.) and rebounding average (tie-2nd – 8.1 rpg.), and she is one of only five players in school history to amass at least 800 points in her first two seasons under the Golden Dome.

Batteast was one of five BIG EAST players named to the ’03-04 Wade Trophy Preseason Watch List, joining Rebekkah Brunson of Georgetown, Ieva Kublina of Virginia Tech, Cappie Pondexter of Rutgers and last year’s Wade Trophy recipient, Diana Taurasi of Connecticut.

The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 27th year, is named after Margaret Wade, the late Delta State University coach who won three national championship in the mid-1970s. The Wade Trophy is considered the one of the most prestigious individual awards in women’s college basketball and is organized by the WBCA and the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS).

STREET & SMITH’S TAPS BATTEAST AS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Adding to her armload of preseason hardware, junior forward Jacqueline Batteast (South Bend, Ind.) was named a preseason honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith’s in the magazine’s annual basketball preview issue. It’s the third preseason honor for the talented 6-2 wing, who is a two-time all-BIG EAST Conference selection. She also was the 2001-02 United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) National Freshman of the Year and a WBCA/Kodak honorable mention All-American that season, as well as the unanimous choice for BIG EAST Rookie of the Year.

BATTEAST, ERWIN EARN PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast and freshman forward Crystal Erwin both received preseason recognition in a vote of the BIG EAST Conference coaches that was released at the league’s annual Media Day on Oct. 30 at the Newark (N.J.) Liberty Airport Hilton. Batteast was a preseason first-team all-BIG EAST selection, while Erwin was named the Preseason BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year, sharing the honor with Connecticut’s Liz Sherwood.

Batteast led the Irish in scoring (13.9 ppg.), rebounding (8.3 rpg.), blocked shots (1.56 bpg.) and double-doubles (8), ranking among the BIG EAST leaders in all four categories. She is a two-time second-team all-conference selection and is one of only five players in school history to score 800 points in her first two seasons at Notre Dame.

As a senior last year at St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., Erwin earned All-America honors from Parade, Street & Smith’s and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), and also was selected to play in the McDonald’s All-America Game in Atlanta. She averaged 22.3 points, 13.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game during her storied prep career, averaging double-doubles during both her junior (24.9 ppg., 14.9 rpg.) and senior seasons (21.2 ppg., 10.2 rpg.). She holds career records at St. Paul for points (2,720), rebounds (1,630) and blocks (380), as well as the school single-season scoring mark (869 in 2001-02). She follows Batteast as the second Irish rookie in three years to be chosen the BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year.

BATTEAST PICKED FOR NAISMITH AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast is among 30 preseason candidates named to the watch list for 2003-04 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Awards which are presented annually by the Atanta Tip-Off Club. The Naismith Awards program, now in its 36th year, honors the outstanding male and female college basketball players in the United States. The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of student-athletes in basketball. The candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists and basketball analysts.

The Naismith Award is the latest in a series of preseason honors for the Batteast. She was named a preseason All-American by both the John R. Wooden Women’s Award and Street & Smith’s magazine, and she also was selected to the State Farm/WBCA Wade Trophy Preseason Watch List. In addition, she was a first-team all-BIG EAST choice, according to a vote of the league’s head coaches.

IRISH INK THREE STUDENT-ATHLETES IN EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw announced Nov. 18 that three of the nation’s top high school student-athletes have chosen to continue their careers with the Irish, signing national letters of intent to attend Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2004. Charel Allen , a 5-10 guard from Monessen, Pa., Melissa D’Amico, a 6-5 forward/center from Manorville, N.Y., and Tulyah Gaines (pronounced too-LIE-uh) , a 5-8 guard from North Las Vegas, Nev., all committed to the Irish during the early signing period, which lasted from Nov. 12-19.

Allen will arrive at Notre Dame next fall as one of the top college prospects from western Pennsylvania. She is a three-time Street & Smith’s honorable mention All-American who averaged 29.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 7.2 steals and 4.8 assists per game last season at Monessen High School. She also is a two-time Associated Press first-team all-state pick and was named the 2003 AP Class A Player of the Year. In addition, she is a two-time all-Pittsburgh metro area selection and a ’03 AAU 16-and-under All-American. As a freshman in 2001, she was a fifth-team AP all-state choice when she averaged 23.6 points per game. In her first three seasons at MHS, Allen has piled up 2,302 points (26.2 ppg.), 995 rebounds (11.3 rpg.), 600 steals (6.8 spg.), 426 assists (4.8 apg.) and 102 blocks (1.2 bpg.). She was ranked 27th in the nation by Blue Star Index and she will be the fourth Pennsylvania native to play for the Irish (the first in 13 seasons).

At 6-5, D’Amico will be the tallest player on the Irish roster when she sets foot on the Notre Dame campus in the fall of 2004. A versatile post player, she averaged 16.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game last season for William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, N.Y. (located on Long Island). She burst onto the national scene this past summer at the adidas Top Ten Camp in Suwanee, Ga., and is considered by most recruiting services to be one of the top players on the rise in this year’s class. She currently is ranked 47th in the country by All-Star Girls Report and 91st by Blue Star Index , and she follows in the footsteps of another talented New Yorker who came to Notre Dame < two-time=”” honorable=”” mention=”” all-american=”” and=”” mount=”” vernon,=”” n.y.,=”” product,=”” katryna=”” gaither=”” (1993-97).=””>

Gaines is a playmaking guard who will give the Irish solid depth in the backcourt. Last summer, she moved to North Las Vegas and is attending Cheyenne High School, where she will play for the Desert Shields this year. Gaines previously lived in Burbank, Calif., where she was a three-year starter at John Burroughs High School. She averaged 18.9 points and 5.1 assists per game last season and was a first-team all-CIF SS (Southern California) Division 2A First Team selection. In addition, she is a two-time Street & Smith’s honorable mention All-American and won a bronze medal with the West Team at the 2003 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. Gaines averaged 6.0 points per game during the five-game tournament, which featured the top prep players from around the country. She is ranked 25th nationally by All-Game Sports, 52nd by Blue Star Index and 61st by All-Star Girls Report , and she is the second Las Vegas area resident in as many years to sign with Notre Dame < current=”” irish=”” freshman=”” guard=””>Breona Gray graduated from Bishop Gorman High School last May.

With the addition of Allen, D’Amico and Gaines, Notre Dame has assembled the nation’s 14th-ranked recruiting class according to Blue Star Index. This marks the eighth consecutive year in which the Irish have attracted a Top 20 class, making Notre Dame one of only three schools (along with Connecticut and Tennessee) to have such a consistent run of recruiting success.

NEW BOOK BY McGRAW NOW ON SALE
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw tried her hand at writing during the past year and has co-authored a book with Bradley University professor Paul Gullifor entitled “Courting Success: Muffet McGraw’s Formula For Winning In Sports And In Life.” The book, which currently is in bookstores nationwide and may be purchased through on-line booksellers such as Amazon.com, touches on how, in the shadows of the nation’s most storied football program, McGraw has quietly built the women’s basketball program into a national power.

Women’s basketball has been one of the University’s most consistently successful varsity sport during the past 16 years, qualifying for the postseason 13 times, including 10 trips to the NCAA Tournament, five NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances and two Final Fours berths. The team’s rise to national prominence was then cemented with a national championship in 2001. In short, the Notre Dame women’s basketball program has been steadily built into a perennial national championship contender, and its architect for those 16 years has been McGraw. Entering the 2003-04 season, the Pottsville, Pa., native has won 363 games at Notre Dame, has a stellar .725 winning percentage and was the consensus 2001 national Coach of the Year.

Personal accolades aside, McGraw has always been more concerned with off-court success than the progress of her teams. Accordingly, this book is a motivational and inspirational book in which she shares her ingredients for success < on=”” and=”” off=”” the=”” court.=”” it=”” provides=”” lessons=”” for=”” those=”” aspiring=”” toward=”” success=”” in=”” basketball,=”” and=”” in=”” life,=”” while=”” illustrating=”” why=””>Muffet McGraw is one of college basketball’s most accomplished coaches.

NEXT GAME: SYRACUSE
The Irish will wrap up their two-game road swing next Wednesday (Jan. 21) with a 7 p.m. (ET) game at Syracuse. Notre Dame is 14-2 all-time against the Orangewomen, including a 62-54 win in last year’s regular-season finale at Manley Field House.

Syracuse (5-8, 2-1 BIG EAST) is coming off an emotional 59-57 overtime win over Rutgers at home on Jan. 14. All-BIG EAST guard Julie McBride sent the game to an extra session by canning a three-pointer with six seconds left in regulation. She then scored five of her team’s eight points in overtime and wound up with 25 points for the game.

The win over Rutgers was especially gratifying for Syracuse considering the fact that the Orangewomen are down to just seven players on their active roster (due to injuries, suspensions and defections). The Orangewomen opened the season with a pair of wins, but then lost seven of their next eight games before beginning BIG EAST play with two victories in three outings. Syracuse will travel to Providence Saturday before playing host to Notre Dame next week.