Irish Play Host To Mountaineers Saturday On Senior Day

Feb. 25, 2005

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

(#10 AP/#10 ESPN/USA Today) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (23-4, 11-3)
vs.
West Virginia Mountaineers (16-9, 7-7)

The Date and Time: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2005, at 2 p.m. ET.

The Site: Joyce Center (11,418) in Notre Dame, Ind.

The Tickets: Still available through the Notre Dame athletics ticket office (574-631-7356) or at the Joyce Center Gate 10 ticket windows on game day.

The TV Plans: Comcast Local regional broadcast with Ben Holden (play-by-play), Bob Nagle (analysis) and Andy Greathouse (producer/director). Comcast SportsNet Chicago will air the game on a delayed basis (4 p.m. ET) and is available nationally on DirecTV (Channel 640).

The Radio Plans: Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1580) and WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend with Shawn Lewallen (play-by-play) calling the action. These broadcasts also are available through the Notre Dame athletics web site at www.und.com.

Real-Time Statistics: Live in-game statistics, courtesy of College Sports Online’s GameTracker, are available for the West Virginia game, via the Notre Dame (www.und.com) athletics web site.

Web Sites: Notre Dame (www.und.com), West Virginia (www.msnsportsnet.net).

#10 NOTRE DAME PLAYS HOST TO WEST VIRGINIA SATURDAY ON SENIOR DAY
For the final time in their brilliant college careers, Notre Dame seniors Jacqueline Batteast and Teresa Borton will step onto the Joyce Center hardwood Saturday afternoon when the 10th-ranked Irish welcome West Virginia to town for a 2 p.m. (ET) BIG EAST Conference contest. Both Batteast and Borton, along with senior managers Kathleen Tallmadge and Caitlin Early, will be honored in a pregame ceremony.

Notre Dame (23-4, 11-3 BIG EAST) has not played since Feb. 19, when the Irish saw their 10-game winning streak snapped with a 59-48 loss at then-No. 10 Rutgers. Notre Dame picked the wrong time to have its worst shooting and ballhandling game of the year, connecting on 33.3 percent of its shots and committing a season-high 23 turnovers. Batteast and junior guard Megan Duffy led the Irish with 14 points.

West Virginia (16-9, 7-7) has won three in a row and four of its past five games following a 99-59 rout of Providence at home on Tuesday night. The Mountaineers shot a staggering 65.5 percent from the floor (57.1 percent from three-point range) to easily dispatch the Friars. Sophomore guard Meg Bulger led five WVU players in double figures with 28 points.

Bulger, the BIG EAST’ s leading scorer, is averaging 20.5 points per game while shooting .490 from the floor and .463 from the three-point line. Senior guard Yolanda Paige is averaging 11.3 points and 9.1 assists per game, leading the nation in the latter category.

WVU head coach Mike Carey has a 66-47 (.584) record in four years at the school.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE FIGHTING IRISH
One of the primary goals for Notre Dame this season has been to put itself in position to contend for a national championship. As the regular season winds down, the Irish certainly have done just that, posting a 23-4 record (11-3 in the BIG EAST) with seven victories over ranked opponents, including four against top-10 foes. Notre Dame also won the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT in mid-November, claiming its first regular-season tournament title since 2000-01.

Below the surface, it’s apparent the Irish have been strong in nearly all facets of their game. They are 10-2 on the road, making big strides from last year’s struggles away from home. Notre Dame also has shown excellent resiliency, losing back-to-back games just once all season and rebounding from those two losses with a season-long 10-game winning streak (the program’s longest since the ’00-01 campaign). And, the Irish have displayed an ability to win games in numerous different ways – last-second buzzer beaters (Marquette), thrilling second half comebacks (Duke, Ohio State, Rutgers, Boston College), gritty road victories (Connecticut, USC), defensive battles (Seton Hall) and high-scoring shootouts (Purdue, Illinois State).

Despite the added focus shown to her by opposing teams, senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast was a major catalyst for the Irish this season, averaging 17.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. A four-time BIG EAST Player of the Week and a leading midseason candidate for both the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Women’s Award, Batteast has scored in double digits 24 times this season, has earned game-high scoring honors on 16 occasions and has six double-doubles. She also moved into the top five on Notre Dame’s career lists for points (1,794), rebounds (926), blocks (161) and double-doubles (38). In addition, with 10 rebounds at Providence Feb. 9, she became the third Irish player to amass 1,700 points and 900 rebounds in her career, joining All-Americans Katryna Gaither and Ruth Riley.

Junior guard Megan Duffy also has stepped up her play this season, registering 11.7 points per game with a team-high 5.4 assists (second in the BIG EAST and 28th in the nation as of Feb. 22) and 2.7 steals per game (first in the BIG EAST). Duffy also leads the league and is second nationally with a .919 free throw percentage (113-123) this season, sparking the Irish to a BIG EAST-best .749 free throw ratio, which also ranks 21st in the nation.

In the post, senior center Teresa Borton is showing capable leadership by example. A veteran post and tri-captain, Borton has not missed a game, nor a practice in her entire four-year career at Notre Dame. For the season, she has posted career-best numbers in almost every statistical category, ranking third on the team in scoring (8.8 ppg.), second in rebounding (5.9 rpg.) and first in both blocked shots (1.59 bpg.) and field goal percentage (.567).

SOME POTENT NOTABLES ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH

• Notre Dame won its first seven games this season, the second-best debut in the program’s history. The 2000-01 squad opened with a 23-game win streak en route to school’s first national championship. The Irish also reached the double-digit win mark Dec. 19 at Marquette, getting their 10th win faster than any team in school history (the ’00-01 team did it two days later on Dec. 21, 2000).
• Notre Dame’s 10-game winning streak from Jan. 16-Feb. 15 was its longest since a school-record 23-game run to open the 2000-01 season. It also was the ninth double-digit winning streak in school history and the seventh in Muffet McGraw’s 18 seasons as head coach.
• The Irish are 10-2 on the road this year, and won their first five road games this season for the second time in school history. The 2000-01 club opened with a 10-game road winning streak to set the school standard. Ironically, Notre Dame struggled in true road games last year, losing its first four and six of its first seven on the opposition’s floor.
• Notre Dame picked up its 20th win of the season Feb. 5 at Pittsburgh. The Irish have now posted 12 consecutive 20-win seasons (one of only six schools in the nation that can make that claim) and 16 in the 18-year Muffet McGraw era. In addition, Notre Dame reached the 20-win mark in its 23rd game this season, marking the fourth-fastest run to 20 victories in school history. The 2000-01 club opened with 23 consecutive wins, while the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 squads each did it in 22 games. However, in terms of calendar dates, the Irish logged their 20th win faster than any Notre Dame team except the 2000-01 unit, which reached the mark on Jan. 31.
• The Irish have been a fixture near the top of the RPI charts this year. Through Feb. 23, Notre Dame is fourth in the WBCA/Summerville RPI rankings, with the nation’s 17th-toughest schedule.
• Notre Dame has appeared in the top 10 of the AP balloting 14 times in the 16 polls this year, checking in at No. 10 this week. On three other times in school history have the Irish spent longer in the AP top 10 during one season – 1998-99 (16 weeks), 1999-2000 (15 weeks) and 2000-01 (18 weeks). All told, Notre Dame has now spent 70 weeks in the AP top 10 in the program’s 28-year history and has a 107-19 (.849) all-time record when it’s ranked in the top 10.
• The Irish have posted 37 wins over AP Top 25 opponents in the past seven seasons (1998-99 to present), including seven this year (No. 6 Duke, No. 10 Ohio State, No. 20 Purdue, No. 6 Rutgers, No. 9 Connecticut, No. 16 Boston College and No. 25 Boston College). Notre Dame is tied for the fourth-most Top 25 wins this season, exceeded only by Duke’s nine wins and eight victories each by Ohio State and Michigan State. During the past two years, the Irish have 14 wins over ranked opponents.
• Notre Dame has defeated 23 top-10 opponents in its history, adding to that total with four victories this season. The four top-10 wins represent the second-highest total in school history (and tie Penn State for the second-most by any team in the nation this season behind Rutgers’ five wins) – the 2000-01 squad holds the Irish record with seven top-10 victories.
• Notre Dame owns a unique distinction with victories over both the No. 2 (Duke) and No. 4 (Ohio State) teams in this week’s Associated Press poll. In fact, the Irish are one of only two teams to defeat Duke so far this season, and one of just three squads to solve OSU in 2004-05.
• Head coach Muffet McGraw has a 407-153 (.727) record in 18 seasons with the Irish, having logged the milestone 400th victory Jan. 23 against Rutgers. She also has a 495-194 (.718) overall record in 23 seasons, leaving her only five victories shy of the 500-win plateau for her career.

A QUICK LOOK AT WEST VIRGINIA
Entering the 2004-05 season, West Virginia found itself in largely unfamiliar territory. The Mountaineers were coming off a 21-11 record and the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth in 12 seasons, and the obvious question became whether WVU could build upon its success of ’03-04.

Early on this season, the answer appeared to be a resounding “yes” for the Mountaineers, who reeled off nine consecutive victories to open the season, adding the FIU/Herald Thanksgiving Classic title along the way. However, West Virginia’s momentum took a hit around the Christmas holiday, when 6-foot-5 center Yelena Leuchanka went down with her second season-ending knee injury in as many years. That setback led to a three-game losing streak for the Mountaineers and has had WVU battling their way back to their early-season form ever since.

West Virginia (16-9, 7-7 BIG EAST) appears to be peaking at the right time, as the Mountaineers come to South Bend on a three-game winning streak, their longest since that season-opening nine-game run. They last took the floor Tuesday night and pounded Providence, 99-59, in Morgantown, shooting an astronomical 65.5 percent from the field (38-for-58), including 57.1 percent from three-point range (12-for-21). Sophomore guard Meg Bulger led five WVU players in double figures with 28 points, knocking 12-of-14 shots, including all four of her three-point tries, in just 27 minutes of action.

Bulger is the BIG EAST’s leader in scoring, field goal percentage and three-point percentage this season, averaging 20.5 points per game while connecting at a .490 rate from the field and a .463 clip from beyond the arc. She is complemented by senior guards Sherell Sowho (12.6 ppg., 2.0 spg.) and Yolanda Paige (11.3 ppg., 9.1 apg., 3.15 assist/turnover ratio), with Paige leading the nation in assists this season.

Head coach Mike Carey is in his fourth season at West Virginia, sporting a 66-47 (.584) record at the school. A former men’s coach for 13 seasons, Carey has an overall college coaching record of 354-149 (.704), although he is 1-3 all-time against Notre Dame.

THE NOTRE DAME-WEST VIRGINIA SERIES
As has been the case with most of its BIG EAST Conference series, Notre Dame had never faced West Virginia on the hardwood prior to the Irish joining the league for the 1995-96 season. Since then, the two clubs have played 12 times, with Notre Dame coming out ahead by an 11-1 count. The Irish also have won all six matchups at the Joyce Center, site of Saturday’s game.

The early history of the series was largely one-sided in Notre Dame’s favor, with the Irish winning the first eight series games in convincing fashion. In that time, Notre Dame scored at least 80 points against the Mountaineers six times, including two 100-point outings, and won seven of those first eight contests by double-digit margins.

The tenor of the series began to shift in the 2001-02 season, when Mike Carey took over as the head coach at West Virginia. Under their fiery mentor, the Mountaineers played Notre Dame close in three consecutive matchups during his first two years, including a narrow five-point loss in their second meeting of the 2002-03 campaign (the closest series margin to date). That set the stage for WVU’s first-ever win over the Irish on Jan. 17, 2004, as the Mountaineers jumped on Notre Dame and never looked back en route to a 64-51 victory in Morgantown.

Unlike West Virginia, which has only four players on its roster who have ever faced Notre Dame and only two that have visited South Bend, the Irish have seven players with experience against WVU (four with at least three games against the Mountaineers under their belt). Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast has the best numbers of any current Notre Dame player against West Virginia, averaging 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds with a .479 field goal percentage in three career contests (she missed the 2001-02 matchup after suffering a knee injury earlier in her freshman season).

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND WEST VIRGINIA MET
The roller coaster of emotions took another dip for the Notre Dame women’s basketball team, as the Irish dropped a 64-51 decision to West Virginia on Jan. 17, 2004 in BIG EAST Conference action at WVU Coliseum. It was the first win in 12 tries for the Mountaineers against Notre Dame and it was a disappointing postscript to a week that had seen the Irish defeat back-to-back ranked opponents (No. 16/15 Virginia Tech and No. 4/4 Connecticut) in a four-day span.

Jacqueline Batteast posted her third consecutive double-double and sixth of the 2003-04 season with game highs of 22 points and 10 rebounds, connecting on 10-of-14 shots from the floor. Unfortunately, Batteast did not receive much offensive assistance, as Courtney LaVere was the only other Notre Dame player to score in double figures, coming off the bench to tally 10 points. Megan Duffy passed out a game-high six assists for the Irish, but was held scoreless for the second time in three career games against the Mountaineers.

The Irish did shoot 50 percent (22-of-44) from the field, but they were done in at the foul line (a season-low .250 percentage, three of 12) and by the turnover bug (23 giveaways converted into 21 WVU points).

Kate Bulger led a trio of Mountaineers in double digits with 20 points, while Yolanda Paige had 14 points and six assists, and Janell Dunlap added 10 points. West Virginia won the rebounding battle, 33-32 and turned the ball over only nine times. The Mountaineers managed a .367 field goal percentage (22-of-60), but made up for it at the free throw line by canning an opponent season-best 94.4 percent of their foul shots (17 of 18).

Notre Dame looked sharp in the early going, jumping out to a 10-4 lead when Batteast rattled in a short jumper at the 13:40 mark. That’s when the Irish offense went cold and West Virginia took advantage, reeling off 24 consecutive points over the next 8:41 to take command of the contest. Notre Dame did manage to get back within 30-17 on a Batteast layup with 2:28 remaining, but WVU closed the period on a mini 6-2 run to take a 19-point lead, its largest of the game at the intermission.

Remembering the 14-point deficit it faced in the same building early in the 2002-03 season and the ensuing comeback victory, Notre Dame felt it could rally once again against the Mountaineers. The Irish methodically began to trim the WVU lead, getting it down to 13 points at the first media timeout and eventually carding an 18-5 run to open the second half. When Teresa Borton hit a layup with 11:53 to play, Notre Dame was within 41-35 and seemingly had the momentum in its corner.

Following another media timeout, Dunlap stopped the Irish rally with a jumper, which ignited a 13-4 West Virginia run that wiped out virtually all of Notre Dame’s hard work to that point. Still, the Irish doggedly pursued their hosts and twice whittled their deficit down to eight points, the second coming when LaVere hit a jumper with 3:32 remaining to make the score 56-48. Notre Dame had a chance to creep even closer but misfired on its next possession. Paige then came up with a steal and layup on the following Irish trip to finally put Notre Dame down for the count. WVU iced its win by making all six of its free throws in the final 67 seconds.

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND WEST VIRGINIA MET AT THE JOYCE CENTER
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.

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, en route to tying her (then) season-high scoring output. Teresa Borton made all seven of her shots and finished 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 9-for-9 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 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. Megan Duffy closed out the win by canning all four of her free throws in the final 24 seconds.

OTHER NOTRE DAME-WEST VIRGINIA SERIES NOTES

• Notre Dame scored at least 70 points against West Virginia in the first nine games in the series. However, the Irish have failed to reach that mark in the past three outings against the Mountaineers, averaging 62.0 ppg., including a series-low 51 points in their last matchup (Jan. 17, 2004 in Morgantown).
• On the other hand, West Virginia has reached the 70-point plateau just twice against Notre Dame and has been held under 60 points by the Irish five times.
• 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.
• Notre Dame won the first eight games in the series by an average of 23.0 ppg., with only one of those contests decided by single digits (86-78 on Jan. 14, 1998 at the Joyce Center).
• The winning margin in the past four series games has been just 8.5 ppg., with WVU getting steadily closer to Notre Dame in the first three outings before winning its first game vs. the Irish in 2004.
• Notre Dame has won all six matchups with West Virginia at the Joyce Center by an average of 18.2 points per game. However, three of those six games in South Bend have resulted in single-digit Irish victories, including the past two Mountaineer visits (72-63 on Feb. 19, 2002; 69-64 on Feb. 1, 2003).

BOUNCING BACK
In recent years, the Irish have shown exceptional resiliency when it comes to responding to a double-digit loss. Since joining the BIG EAST Conference 10 seasons ago, Notre Dame is 35-5 (.875) in “bounce back” games, including a 22-1 (.957) record at home. During that span, the only time the Irish have lost at the Joyce Center immediately after a double-figure loss was Dec. 6, 1997, when they dropped a 78-59 decision to No. 3/2 Connecticut three days following an 80-67 defeat at Rutgers.

Overall, Notre Dame is 60-22 (.732) in the Muffet McGraw era (1987-present) in the first game after a loss of 10-or-more points.

GOING OUT ON TOP
Notre Dame is 22-5 (.815) all-time on Senior Day, including a 15-2 record in the Muffet McGraw era (1987-present). In fact, the Irish lost their first Senior Day game under McGraw (69-68 vs. DePaul in 1988), but have proceeded to win on 15 of the past 16 Senior Days, with the only setback coming in 2002 (a last-second 48-45 loss to Villanova that also broke Notre Dame’s school-record 51-game home winning streak).

THE BEAST OF THE BIG EAST
Notre Dame is 135-31 (.813) 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 finished either first or second in the BIG EAST eight times in their nine-year membership, and claimed a share of their first-ever regular-season conference championship in 2001.

When including postseason competition (BIG EAST and NCAA tournaments), Notre Dame is 148-40 (.787) against league opponents – when factoring in these 22 postseason tilts, the Irish are 75-8 (.904) at home, 60-26 (.698) on the road and 13-6 (.684) at neutral sites all-time vs. BIG EAST foes.

POLLING PLACE
Notre Dame is 184-44 (.807) all-time when it is ranked in the Associated Press poll at tipoff (the Irish are 10th entering Saturday’s game against West Virginia). When playing at home, Notre Dame has been especially strong, going 86-10 (.896) as a ranked host after posting a 13-2 record at the Joyce Center this season. Conversely, the Irish are 74-26 (.740) all-time when they play on the road as a ranked team.

Upon closer inspection, Notre Dame has been very sharp when it’s ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll. The Irish are 107-19 (.849) as a top-10 squad, including a 52-4 (.929) record at home. In fact, prior to its Dec. 2 overtime loss to then-No. 15 Michigan State, Notre Dame had a 41-game home winning streak when it was ranked in the AP top 10, dating back to December of 1998.

SOLID AS A ROCK
The Irish have fielded just two different starting lineups this season, a testament to the team’s consistency throughout the campaign. In fact, four players – senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast, senior center Teresa Borton, junior guard Megan Duffy and sophomore guard Breona Gray – have started every game for Notre Dame this season. The fifth starting spot has been split between junior forward Courtney LaVere and sophomore forward Crystal Erwin, due in part to LaVere’s knee surgery and subsequent recovery period earlier this season.

Batteast’s regularity in the starting lineup is especially notable. Saturday’s game vs. West Virginia will represent her 92nd consecutive start, dating back to the opening game of the 2002-03 season against Cleveland State. The school record for consecutive games started in 95 by Katryna Gaither from 1994-97.

THE SEASON FOR SHARING
One of the key elements in Notre Dame’s success this season has been its penchant for distributing the ball well. In fact, the Irish have 442 assists (16.37 apg.; third in the BIG EAST and 28th in the nation as of Feb. 15) on 646 field goals made (24.8 per game), including a Preseason WNIT-record 29 handouts in the season opener vs. Illinois State.

Junior guard Megan Duffy leads the way at 5.41 assists per game (second in the BIG EAST and 28th in the nation), with at least five dimes in 17 contests this year, including a career-high 11 assists vs. Rutgers on Jan. 23. Duffy also is second in the BIG EAST with 6.14 apg. in conference play.

ROAD WARRIORS
The Irish are 10-2 on the road this season, a far cry from last year’s struggles away from the Joyce Center, when they lost their first four and six of their first seven true road contests. In fact, Notre Dame won its first five road games this year, marking only the second time in school history the Irish opened with five or more road victories (they won 10 in a row to begin the 2000-01 campaign).

Accenting Notre Dame’s play on the road has been its defensive prowess. The Irish are holding opponents to 53.2 ppg., a .341 field goal percentage (226-for-662) and a .250 three-point percentage (52-for-208) away from home and have allowed more than 60 points only once in their 12 road games this year (61 by Syracuse on Jan. 19, although SU needed a Rochelle Coleman bucket with five seconds left to reach the mark).

PINE TIME PLAYERS
Notre Dame is 15-0 this year (6-0 vs. BIG EAST Conference opponents) when its bench outscores the opposition’s reserves. For the season, the Irish understudies are averaging 16.6 ppg., compared to 14.6 ppg. for Notre Dame opponents. Freshman guard Charel Allen has been the top Irish reserve this season, logging 7.8 ppg.

Notre Dame’s bench play has been especially important during the past 11 games. The Irish are getting an average of 19.8 ppg. from their reserves in that stretch, compared to 15.7 ppg. from the opposition’s bench. Allen (9.5 ppg.) has been the key bench contributor in that stretch with four double-figure games – 17 points at Syracuse (Jan. 19), 16 points at Pittsburgh (Feb. 5), 14 points vs. Georgetown (Feb. 12) and 11 points at No. 9/10 Connecticut (Jan. 30).

THE FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNT
Notre Dame ranks second in the BIG EAST Conference in steals this season, averaging 9.41 thefts per game (254 total). The Irish have come up with at least 10 steals in 11 games and had a season-best 20 thefts on Nov. 22 vs. Colorado State, the most by a BIG EAST team this season.

Individually, junior guard Megan Duffy is tops in the conference in steals (2.7 spg., 73 total), while her backcourt mate, sophomore Breona Gray is second on the team with 1.22 steals per game (33 total). Two other Notre Dame players have at least 30 steals this year – senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (31) and freshman guard Charel Allen (30).

LOTS OF FREE STUFF
When given the opportunity, Notre Dame has taken advantage of its trips to the free throw line this season. The Irish lead the BIG EAST Conference and rank 21st in the nation (as of Feb. 22), shooting 74.9 percent from the charity stripe. In fact, they set a school record by going a perfect 18-for-18 on Nov. 30 at Valparaiso, which also matches the best mark by any team in the country this season.

Notre Dame has been led at the gift line by junior guard Megan Duffy (.919, 113-123), senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (.831, 113-136) and freshman guard Charel Allen (.823, 51-62). Duffy currently ranks first in the BIG EAST and second in the nation in free throw percentage (as of Feb. 22), while Batteast is second in the conference and has shown the greatest improvement among all Irish players this season with a better than 20-percent jump from last year’s career low .627 mark.

One side note about Duffy’s free throw prowess – the Irish junior struggled at the line early in her freshman season, shooting just 59.3 percent (16-27) during her first 15 collegiate games. However, in the 75 games since then (Jan. 20, 2003 to present), Duffy is connecting at an .877 clip (228-260) on her foul shots. She also has made 18 consecutive foul shots and 25 of her last 26 free throws (.962) in the past five Irish games.

STILL MORE FREE STUFF
Notre Dame nearly has made more free throws (438) than its opponents have attempted (439) this season. The Irish have cracked that mark in BIG EAST Conference action, where they have converted 217 foul shots, while their opponents have tried only 208 free throws.

McGRAW’S MILESTONES
Entering this season, Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw had the opportunity to reach three career coaching milestones. Here’s a look at her progress toward each landmark:

• Winningest basketball coach at Notre Dame – picked up 394th victory with the Irish on Dec. 19 at Marquette, passing longtime men’s coach Digger Phelps (393 wins from 1971-91).
• 400th victory at Notre Dame – registered 400th win at Notre Dame on Jan. 23 vs. Rutgers (current record: 407-153, .727)
• 500th victory overall – needs five wins (current record: 495-194, .718)

BATTEAST NAMED TO NAISMITH TROPHY/WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON LISTS
Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast took another step in her quest to be named the nation’s top collegiate women’s basketball player on Tuesday when she was one of 30 players selected as midseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by Cingular Wireless. It’s the second time in the past month Batteast has been tapped as a leading midseason contender for a major national player of the year award – in January, she was named to the John R. Wooden Women’s Award Midseason Top 20 List.

The Naismith Trophy is presented annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, with the Naismith midseason top 30 list being chosen by the group’s Board of Selectors, a cross-section of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from across the country. Those 30 players, and others who may distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final Naismith Trophy ballot in March, when four finalists are announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors.

Like the Naismith Trophy, the John R. Wooden Women’s Award goes to the nation’s top college women’s basketball player. In March, approximately 15 finalists for the Wooden Women’s Award will be placed on the voting ballot by the award’s National Advisory Board, which is comprised of some of the country’s leading sportswriters and sportscasters who cover women’s basketball on a regular basis. Those ballots will then be mailed to more than 250 voters across the nation, with the top five vote-getters earning Wooden Award All-America honors, as well as a trip to the Wooden Award trophy presentation ceremony April 9 at the Omni Hotel in Los Angeles.

A four-time BIG EAST Player of the Week and the Most Valuable Player of the 2004 Preseason WNIT, Batteast ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring (17.7 ppg.), and also stands among the conference leaders in rebounding (10th – 6.6 rpg.), assists (14th – 2.96 apg.), free throw percentage (2nd – .831), double-doubles (6th – 6) and 20-point games (2nd – 10). In addition, Batteast ranks in the top five on the Irish career lists for points (4th – 1,794), scoring average (4th – 15.3 ppg.), rebounds (4th – 926), rebounding average (3rd – 7.9 rpg.), blocks (3rd – 161) and double-doubles (2nd – 38). She also has started 91 consecutive games, needing to start her next five contests to break Katryna Gaither’s school record for consecutive starting assignments (95 from 1994-97).

DUFFY SELECTED TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT SECOND TEAM
Junior guard Megan Duffy has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V Second Team, it was announced Feb. 17. Duffy continues a long line of successful student-athletes in the Irish women’s basketball program, with her selection marking the sixth time in the past seven seasons a Notre Dame female cager has received academic all-district honors. Ruth Riley was a three-time all-district pick, going on to earn Academic All-America® recognition in 2000 and 2001 (being named the ’01 Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year), and Alicia Ratay was a two-time academic all-district choice in 2002 and 2003.

Duffy currently holds a 3.454 cumulative grade-point average in the College of Arts and Letters, where she is pursuing a double major in psychology and computer applications. During the fall 2004 semester, she earned Dean’s List honors after compiling a 3.833 GPA.

DETHRONING THE CHAMPS
Notre Dame achieved a historic basketball feat on Jan. 30, becoming the first school ever to defeat both the reigning men’s and women’s NCAA champions in the same season on two occasions. On that Sunday night, the Irish women ousted Connecticut, 65-59 in Storrs, a mere three hours after the Notre Dame men also toppled the Huskies, 78-74 in South Bend.

Last season, Notre Dame became just the fourth school since the inception of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament in 1982 to have both its men’s and women’s basketball teams beat the defending national champions in the same season. The Irish women did their part by ousting Connecticut (66-51) on Jan. 13, 2004, while the Notre Dame men completed the double with an 84-72 win at Syracuse on Feb. 16, 2004.

The only other schools that can lay claim to this accomplishment are Duke (1998-99), Tennessee (1999-2000), Michigan State (1999-2000) and North Carolina (2004-05), with Notre Dame, Michigan State and UNC being the only institutions to turn the trick in the regular season (Duke’s women beat Tennessee in the ’99 NCAAs, while Tennessee’s men downed Connecticut in the ’00 NCAAs).

THE RUTGERS RECAP
Chelsea Newton had 14 points and eight assists and No. 10 Rutgers posted its fifth win over a top-10 team this season with a 59-48 victory over No. 5/7 Notre Dame on Feb. 19, snapping a season-high 10-game Irish winning streak.

Cappie Pondexter added 13 points as the Scarlet Knights (20-5, 11-2 BIG EAST) stayed unbeaten at home (12-0) and took over a share of first place in the league with Connecticut (18-6, 11-2), a half game ahead of Notre Dame (23-4, 11-3).

Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast and junior guard Megan Duffy had 14 points apiece to lead Notre Dame, which was held to a season-low point total by Rutgers’ tenacious and physical defense. The previous low was 50 in a loss to Connecticut and a win over Marquette.

Rutgers forced 23 turnovers, including 10 by Duffy, Notre Dame’s usually reliable point guard. The Irish didn’t find enough open room to attempt a three-pointer until Duffy launched an NBA-length trey with 4:17 to play.

Still Notre Dame had a chance. Trailing 32-19 at the half after hitting only five field goals and shooting 25 percent, the Irish opened the second half with an 11-1 spurt by combining an aggressive defense on Pondexter with a few good plays inside.

A layup by junior forward Courtney LaVere got the Irish to 33-31 with 15:05 to play, and it seemed they would get a chance to tie the game when Rutgers fumbled the ball in the final seconds of the next possession. However, freshman Matee Ajavon managed to pick up the loose ball and threw in an off-balance floater. The basket started a 12-2 run that featured a steal and layup by Ajavon and a basket and three-pointer by Newton, who had 12 points in the second half.

Pondexter was the difference in the first half, hitting all five of her field goals, including two three-pointers, in helping Rutgers jump to an early lead it never lost. Batteast, the BIG EAST’s second-leading scorer, was three-of-14 from the field and also suffered a swollen and cut right eye after taking an elbow from Rutgers’ Rebecca Richman.

NOTING THE RUTGERS GAME

• Notre Dame sees its 10-game winning streak snapped, losing for the first time since Jan. 12 (67-50 vs. #16 Connecticut).
• The Rutgers loss was only the second road defeat of the season for the Irish, who are now 10-2 away from the Joyce Center.
• Despite the setback, Notre Dame still has allowed only one of its 12 road opponents to break 60 points (Syracuse had 61 after a last-second bucket on Jan. 19).
• The Irish have held each of their last seven opponents to less than 60 points, allowing only 54.9 ppg. in that span.
• Notre Dame posted season lows for points (previous: 50 on two occasions) and field goal percentage (previous: .345 at Boston College Feb. 15).
• The 23 Irish turnovers also matched a season high (previous: at USC Nov. 26).
• Notre Dame continues to be rock solid at the foul line, shooting .818 (54-for-66) from the charity stripe in the past three games.
• Junior guard Megan Duffy, the nation’s second-best free throw shooter, has made 25 of her last 26 charities (including all four at Rutgers) and is connecting at a .919 clip this season (113-for-123).
• Duffy also posted her ninth 40-minute game of the season.

HALF AND HALF
Over the past five seasons, Notre Dame has been nearly unbeatable when it has the lead at halftime. The Irish are 94-7 (.931) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when they go into the dressing room with the lead. Notre Dame is 17-0 in such games this season, including a 7-0 record in BIG EAST Conference play.

THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD DEFENSE …
During the past decade, 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 146-9 (.942) record when they hold their opponents to less than 60 points in a game, including a 17-2 mark this season (9-2 in BIG EAST games, including a 6-1 record in the past seven games).

… 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 past decade (1995-96 to present), the Irish are 90-3 (.968) 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 has tacked two more wins onto that ledger with its victories this season over Illinois State and Purdue.

NOTRE DAME AMONG RECENT WINS LEADERS
Notre Dame has won 225 games over the past nine seasons, which is tied for the sixth-most wins of any school in the country during that time.

SWEET SUCCESS
Notre Dame is one of only five schools in the country to have appeared in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen six times in the past eight seasons (1997-2004). The others are Connecticut (eight times), Tennessee (eight times), Duke (seven times) and Louisiana Tech (seven times).

THE GOLD STANDARD
Having clinched their 12th consecutive 20-win season with a 75-47 victory at Pittsburgh on Feb. 5, the Irish are one of just six teams nationwide to have an active streak of at least 11 consecutive 20-win seasons. The others in these elite club are Tennessee (29), Texas Tech (16), Louisiana Tech (13), Old Dominion (13) and Connecticut (11) – Tennessee and Texas Tech also have extended their streaks this season (through Feb. 24).

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 126 of their last 137 games (.920) at the 11,418-seat Joyce Center. Notre Dame also has a 75-8 (.904) home record in BIG EAST play.

The Irish have been particularly strong when it comes to non-conference games at home, winning 54 of their last 57 non-BIG EAST contests (.947) at the Joyce Center, dating back to the 1994-95 season. The only three losses in that span all came against Big Ten Conference teams – Wisconsin in 1996 (81-69), Purdue in 2003 (71-54) and Michigan State in 2004 (82-73 in OT).

Since its inaugural season in 1977-78, Notre Dame has played all of its games at the Joyce Center, posting a 276-72 (.793) record at the venerable facility. In three of the past five seasons (1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2003-04), 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 20 in the nation in attendance each of the past four years, and current returns indicate this season may be no different. According to the Feb. 21 unofficial national attendance rankings (as compiled by the University of Wisconsin Sports Information Office), Notre Dame is 17th in the nation with an average of 5,690 fans per game.

All of the top 20 crowds in the Irish record book have occurred during the 18-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 past six seasons (1999-2000 to present), including 12 audiences of 8,000 or more fans, and 64 of the past 66 home games with at least 5,000 fans filing into the Joyce Center.

NOTRE DAME ON THE SMALL SCREEN
The Irish are scheduled to make at least 13 appearances on regional or national television during the 2004-05 season (additional broadcasts may be announced at a later date).

Notre Dame made its TV debut this season on Nov. 20 when it defeated No. 10/9 Ohio State, 66-62 in the championship game of the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT. That contest was shown globally via broadband Internet connection at www.sportsview.tv, as well either live or delayed on several Comcast SportsNet outlets nationwide. The American Forces Network, which broadcasts to more than one million U.S. service men and women in 176 countries, also aired the game.

The Irish returned to the airwaves Dec. 2 when they dropped an 82-73 overtime decision to No. 15 Michigan State on College Sports Television (CSTV). That was the first of three Notre Dame games that aired nationally on the fledgling cable network, which has signed an agreement with the BIG EAST Conference to carry a national women’s basketball Game of the Week eight times in 2004-05. The Irish also lost to No. 16 Connecticut, 67-50 on Jan. 12 at the Joyce Center and won at No. 25/22 Boston College, 54-47 on Feb. 15 in front of the CSTV cameras.

In addition, Notre Dame played twice on ESPN2 this year. On Jan. 16, the Irish downed No. 20 Purdue, 86-69 in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge at the Joyce Center. Two weeks later on Jan. 30, Notre Dame was back on ESPN2 as it defeated No. 9/10 Connecticut, 65-59 at Gampel Pavilion.

The BIG EAST also added two Irish games to its regional television package this season. Notre Dame lost at Villanova, 59-54 on Jan. 9 and defeated No. 6/7 Rutgers, 63-47 on Jan. 23, both on BIG EAST Television. Among those affiliates carrying the BETV package are Comcast SportsNet outlets in Chicago, Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as Fox Sports Net outlets in New York, New England and Pittsburgh.

Detroit-based Comcast Local (Channel 3 on Comcast cable systems in South Bend) is the latest television outlet to select Notre Dame women’s basketball games for broadcast. The newly-formed network will air five Irish games this season – at USC (Nov. 26), and home games vs. Washington (Dec. 11), St. John’s (Jan. 26), Georgetown (Feb. 12) and West Virginia (Saturday).

NOTRE DAME ON THE AIRWAVES
Once again this season, every Irish women’s basketball game (home and away) airs on the flagship stations of the Artistic Media Partners (AMP) Network – WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1580) and WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend. Veteran broadcaster and AMP sports director Sean Stires is now in his fifth season handling the play-by-play for Notre Dame. The Irish also can be heard on the Internet at Notre Dame’s official athletics web site (www.und.com) by subscribing to College Sports Pass, which gives listeners full multimedia access to a variety of Irish athletics events for only $6.95 per month.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
For the fourth time in school history (all during the Muffet McGraw era), Notre Dame will have three players sharing the captain’s duties this year. Senior forward Jacqueline Batteast, senior center Teresa Borton and junior guard Megan Duffy all were accorded the honor based upon a vote of their teammates prior to the season. All three are serving as captains for the first time in their respective careers.

IRISH ADD TWO PLAYERS DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw has announced that Lindsay Schrader, a 6-0 guard from Bartlett, Ill., and Chandrica Smith, a 6-1 forward from Stone Mountain, Ga., have chosen to continue their careers with the Irish, signing National Letters of Intent to attend Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2005.

With the additions of Schrader and Smith, Notre Dame’s newest recruiting class is ranked 16th in the nation by Blue Star Index. That marks the ninth consecutive year the Irish have had a top-20 class, according to that publication, which makes Notre Dame one of only three schools in the nation that can claim that distinction (Connecticut and Tennessee are the others).

Schrader has been widely regarded as one of the top all-around players in the state of Illinois while attending Bartlett High School the past three seasons. She is a three-time all-state selection, a two-time Illinois Miss Basketball finalist, and a two-time Street & Smith’s All-America selection who has averaged 20.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in her prep career. Her finest all-around season came as a junior in 2003-04, when she averaged 20.8 ppg., 10.8 rpg. and 2.0 bpg. while earning first-team all-state honors from the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune and Champaign News-Gazette. She also was a sixth-team All-America selection by Street & Smith’s and was a finalist for Illinois Miss Basketball honors, an award she will likely contend for once again this season.

On the summer camp circuit, Schrader was an Underclass All-Star at the 2002 adidas Top Ten Camp, before attending the Nike All-America Camp in both 2003 and 2004. She is ranked among the top 30 high school seniors in the nation by three separate recruiting services – Blue Star Index (14th), All-Game Sports (21st) and All-Star Girls Report (26th overall – eighth among shooting guards).

In addition, Schrader made a significant impact at the 2004 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. Playing for the North Team that won the silver medal, she ranked third at the Festival in scoring (14.8 ppg.) and rebounding (8.6 rpg.), as well as second in field goal percentage (.542). All three figures were team highs, as were her 2.2 steals per game. For her efforts, Schrader was invited to attend the 2004 USA Women’s Junior World Championship Qualifying Team Trials, where she was one of 17 finalists for the 12-player team that won the gold medal this past August.

Smith currently attends Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., where she transferred prior to her senior season. Previously, she was a standout at Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., where she averaged 12.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.4 blocks per game with a .620 field goal percentage. She also was a key component in the Jaguars’ run to a 32-1 record and the Georgia 5A state championship last year. In fact, during her first three prep seasons, her teams posted a combined 89-7 (.927) record with three trips to the Georgia state championship and one state title.

Smith herself has received numerous accolades during her high school career. She is a two-time honorable mention All-America selection by Street & Smith’s and was a Student Sports All-American in 2004. In addition, she attended the adidas Top Ten Camp three consecutive years and was named to its prestigious all-star team all three years (Underclass All-Star in 2002 & 2003; Upperclass All-Star in 2004). Last season, she was an honorable mention 5A all-state selection and a first-team all-county choice. She is ranked as high as 29th in the nation among high school seniors by All-Star Girls Report.

Like Schrader, Smith also attended the 2004 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. Playing for the South Team, she averaged 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, scoring a personal-best 13 points in the bronze-medal game victory over the East squad.

Muffet McGraw SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION THROUGH 2010-11 SEASON
On Nov. 6, Notre Dame announced that Muffet McGraw has signed a two-year extension to continue as head coach of the Notre Dame women’s basketball program through the 2010-11 season.

McGraw, who is now in her 18th season with the Irish, most recently signed a four-year contract extension in July 2002 that took her through the 2008-09 season. Her first 17 seasons at Notre Dame have been highlighted by 15 20-win campaigns (including a current string of 11 straight), 11 NCAA tournament appearances (including a current streak of nine straight) and the 2001 NCAA title. Entering the 2004-05 season, she had a 384-149 (.720) record at Notre Dame.

In 2003-04, McGraw skillfully guided her team to a 21-11 record and a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen (the fourth for the Irish in five years). McGraw’s charges placed second in the BIG EAST Conference, their eighth top-two finish since joining the league nine years ago. In addition, the Irish went 15-0 at home, their third perfect record at the Joyce Center in the past five seasons, and extended their overall home win streak to 20 games, the second-longest in school history and eighth-longest active string in the nation heading into the 2004-05 campaign.

McGraw has continued to enhance her reputation as one of the nation’s outstanding big-game coaches and tacticians, piloting Notre Dame to a school-record seven wins over top 25 teams during the 2003-04 regular season. During her 17-year tenure with the Irish, McGraw has compiled 40 victories over nationally-ranked opponents, including 30 in the past six seasons (an average of five per year).

Under McGraw’s guidance, the past nine years have been the most successful in Notre Dame’s history as the Irish have compiled an impressive 225-69 (.765) record, including a sparkling 124-28 (.816) regular-season mark in BIG EAST play, the best winning percentage in league history. Notre Dame also has averaged 25 victories per campaign during that span, with two 30-win seasons to its credit. The Irish have won at least one NCAA tournament game every season over that time, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen six times (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004) and the Final Four twice (1997 and 2001).

NEXT GAME: SETON HALL
Notre Dame will close out the regular season Tuesday when it travels to Seton Hall for a 7 p.m. (ET) contest at Walsh Gym. The Irish and Pirates will be meeting for the second time this season, having opened BIG EAST Conference play back on Jan. 2 at the Joyce Center (a 54-33 Notre Dame win).

Seton Hall (14-11, 6-8) currently is tied with St. John’s for seventh place in the league standings, one game behind West Virginia and one ahead of Georgetown. SHU has had much better success at home than on the road this season, going 8-4 at Walsh Gym, although the Pirates are 4-3 at home in BIG EAST games. Seton Hall has lost three of its last four games, including its last two, and is averaging 44.5 ppg. in that time. The Pirates will look to right their ship Saturday night when they pay a visit to Syracuse before returning home next week to take on Notre Dame.

The Irish lead the all-time series with Seton Hall, 13-3, including a 5-2 mark at Walsh Gym. However, the last time the two teams met in South Orange, N.J., the Pirates came away with a 51-45 victory, snapping a 12-game Notre Dame winning streak in the series.