Megan Duffy and the Irish host St. John's this Wednesday.

Irish Set To Take On Orange On Wednesday

Jan. 18, 2005

Complete Release in PDF Format

(#11 AP/#10 ESPN/USA Today) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-3, 2-2) vs. Syracuse Orange (10-5, 2-2)

The Date and Time: Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005, at 7 p.m. ET.
The Site: Manley Field House (9,500) in Syracuse, N.Y.
The Tickets: Still available through the Notre Dame athletics ticket office (574-631-7356), the Syracuse athletics ticket office (315-443-2121) or at the door on game night.
The Radio Plans: Wednesday’s game will be broadcast live on WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1580) and WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend with Sean Stires (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 are available for the Syracuse game, via the Syracuse (www.suathletics.com) athletics web site.
Web Sites: Notre Dame (www.und.com), Syracuse (www.suathletics.com).

#11/10 IRISH STEP BACK INTO CONFERENCE PLAY WEDNESDAY AT SYRACUSE
Bolstered by a solid victory over a top-25 opponent last weekend, No. 11/10 Notre Dame will look to capitalize on its rediscovered resolve Wednesday when it travels to Syracuse for a 7 p.m. (ET) BIG EAST Conference matchup. It will be the second of two games between the Irish and Orange this season – Notre Dame defeated SU, 75-58 back on Jan. 5 at the Joyce Center.

The Irish (14-3, 2-2 BIG EAST) got back in the win column this past Sunday with an 86-69 victory over No. 20 Purdue in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame used a 23-7 run late in the first half and rolled up its highest single-half point total of the year (54) in the opening period en route to the win, its first over Purdue since the 2001 NCAA championship game.

Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast picked up her fourth double-double of the season with game highs of 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Irish. Junior guard Megan Duffy added 19 points (17 in the first half) and senior center Teresa Borton contributed a season-high 18 points and nine rebounds for Notre Dame.

Syracuse (10-5, 2-2) has won two in a row since its loss at Notre Dame earlier this month. The Orange are coming off a 68-55 victory at Pittsburgh last Sunday as four players scored in double figures. Freshman guard Jessica Richter led the way with a career-high 18 points. Senior forward/center Chineze Nwagbo, who leads SU in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, logged a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Head coach Keith Cieplicki is in his second season at Syracuse with a 16-26 (.381) record. He is 0-3 in his career against Notre Dame.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE FIGHTING IRISH
It’s hard to say a 13-3 team was at a crossroads in its season, but Notre Dame found itself in such a situation entering last Sunday’s game with No. 20 Purdue. The Irish had opened with wins in 13 of their first 14 games, including a memorable run to the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT title that included victories over a pair of top-10 opponents (No. 6 Duke and No. 10 Ohio State). However, after rising as high as third in the polls, a pair of bitter losses to BIG EAST Conference foes Villanova and No. 16 Connecticut had sapped some of the team’s confidence and left them searching for answers heading into the Purdue contest.

After a tense struggle through the first 10 minutes, Notre Dame pulled away and put together its second-highest offensive production of the season while ending a four-game losing streak to its in-state rival. The victory renewed Irish spirits and have left them hungry for more success with six weeks remaining in the regular season.

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 18.5 points (27th in the nation as of Jan. 10), 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. She was named the Preseason WNIT Most Valuable Player and BIG EAST Player of the Week on Nov. 22 after logging a career-high 32 points in the WNIT championship game against Ohio State. She has scored in double digits in 15 Irish games this season, has earned game-high scoring honors eight times and has three double-doubles. With her 22-point effort at Villanova on Jan. 9, Batteast also moved into fifth place on Notre Dame’s career scoring list (1,609 points), giving her top-five placement on the school’s all-time points, rebounds and blocks charts.

Junior guard Megan Duffy also has stepped up her play this season, registering 11.6 points per game with a team-high 5.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Duffy also leads the BIG EAST and is ninth in the nation with a .914 free throw percentage (64-for-70) this season, sparking the Irish to a league-leading .755 free throw ratio (18th in the NCAA as of Jan. 10).

Duffy’s backcourt mate, sophomore Breona Gray, has also shown great improvement this year. Moviing effortlessly into the starting lineup, the Las Vegas native has nearly tripled her scoring average from last season (6.2 ppg.), highlighted by a career-high 17-point effort vs. Syracuse on Jan. 5, and she ranks second on the team with 24 steals (1.41 spg.).

In the post, senior center Teresa Borton is showing capable leadership by example. In her past four games, Borton is averaging 14.8 ppg. with a .742 field goal percentage (23-for-31) and has scored in double figures three times. She is third on the team in scoring this season (8.9 ppg.), second in rebounding (5.7 rpg.) and first in both blocked shots (1.6 bpg.) and field goal percentage (.592).

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).
  • The Irish are 5-1 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 has been a fixture near the top of all major RPI charts this season. Through Jan. 16, the Irish are sixth in the WBCA/Summerville RPI rankings, with the nation’s ninth-toughest schedule.
  • Notre Dame has appeared in the top 10 of the AP balloting nine times in the first 11 polls of the year, just missing that level this week at No. 11. On three other times in school history have the Irish spent longer in the AP top 10 – 1998-99 (16 weeks), 1999-2000 (15 weeks) and 2000-01 (18 weeks). All told, Notre Dame has spent 65 weeks in the AP top 10 and has a 100-17 (.855) all-time record when it’s ranked in the top 10.
  • The Irish have posted 33 wins over Top 25 opponents in the past seven seasons (1998-99 to present). Two of those wins came in Notre Dame’s first four games this year (76-65 vs. No. 6 Duke and 66-62 vs. No. 10 Ohio State), while the third came last Sunday vs. No. 20 Purdue (86-69) in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge.
  • The Irish have defeated 20 top-10 opponents in their history, adding to that total with their victories over sixth-ranked Duke and 10th-ranked Ohio State in the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT.
  • Head coach Muffet McGraw has a 398-152 (.724) record in 18 seasons with the Irish, which puts her just two victories shy of the 400-win mark for her Notre Dame career.

A QUICK LOOK AT SYRACUSE
If the mark of an improving team is how it deals with challenges, then Syracuse is certainly a team on the rise. The Orange came into this season having to figure out a way to deal with the graduation of all-BIG EAST guard Julie McBride, the program’s all-time leading scorer (1,605 points), three-point shooter (229 made) and playmaker (574 assists). They also had to shrug off the after-effects of a 6-21 record last season that included 13 consecutive losses to end the campaign. On top of all that, the Orange entered the year with a revamped roster that included five new but inexperienced faces, part of the program’s first-ever Top 25 recruiting class.

Syracuse (10-5, 2-2 BIG EAST) has overcome these obstacles with a flourish this season, already rolling up more victories than it had all of last year. Opening the campaign on a five-game winning streak, the Orange also went on to record their highest non-conference win total (8) since the 1989-90 season.

Since losing at Notre Dame on Jan. 5, Syracuse has won its last two games, defeating Providence at home (72-51) on Jan. 12, followed by a 68-55 win at Pittsburgh last Sunday. In their most recent outing, the Orange fielded only seven players, but four of them scored in double figures, led by a career-high 18 points from freshman guard Jessica Richter. Senior guard Rochelle Coleman narrowly missed a double-double with 15 points and nine assists, while senior forward/center Chineze Nwagbo did pull of a double dip with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore guard Lauren Kohn completed the high-scoring quartet with 13 points.

Nwagbo has been a mainstay for SU, leading the team in scoring (11.3 ppg.), rebounding (8.7 rpg.) and field goal percentage (.475) to go along with five double-doubles. Kohn is second on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg.) and tops in three-pointers made (30), while Richter has come on strong lately and is now averaging 9.0 points per game. Meanwhile, Coleman leads the team in three-point percentage (.413), assists (3.3 apg.) and steals (2.1 spg.).

Head coach Keith Cieplicki is in his second season at Syracuse with a record of 16-26 (.381) at the school. Prior to his tenure with the Orange, Cieplicki spent six years as the head coach at Vermont, leading the Catamounts to four 20-win seasons and two postseason berths, including the 2000 NCAA Tournament. He has an overall record of 143-79 (.644) in eight seasons as a collegiate head coach, with an 0-3 record against Notre Dame.

THE NOTRE DAME-SYRACUSE SERIES
Notre Dame and Syracuse will be meeting for the 20th time in their series on Wednesday night, with the Irish owning a 17-2 lead in the rivalry. It also will represent the ninth time the schools have tangled at Manley Field House, with Notre Dame going 7-1 in upstate New York.

The Irish and Orange first played one another back in the 1987-88 season, Muffet McGraw’s first as the head coach at Notre Dame, and the Irish came away with an 81-64 win at home. A year later, Notre Dame visited Syracuse for the first time and the host Orange weren’t very accommodating, dealing the Irish a 63-56 setback. However, Notre Dame bounced back in the next two matchups, squeezing out a narrow 71-66 win at home in 1990 and an 81-60 triumph at Syracuse on New Year’s Eve 1991.

Since the Irish joined the BIG EAST in 1995-96 and began playing the Orange annually, the series has been tipped in Notre Dame’s favor. In fact, the Irish have won 14 of the 15 times the teams have met under the BIG EAST banner, including all 13 regular-season conference contests. Syracuse’s only victory in that time came at the 2002 BIG EAST Championship, when the seventh-seeded Orange upset the No. 2 seed Irish, 84-79 in Piscataway, N.J., breaking Notre Dame’s 12-game series winning streak.

Wednesday’s game is the second of two between the Irish and Orange during the past two weeks. Back on Jan. 5, Notre Dame came away with a 75-58 victory at the Joyce Center. This season’s dual meeting mark the fifth time in the past nine years that the Irish will have faced the Orange twice in the same season. The same thing occurred last year, when Notre Dame swept Syracuse (64-35 on the road; 54-33 at home).

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND SYRACUSE MET
Behind a balanced scoring effort that included four players scoring in double figures, fourth-ranked Notre Dame beat Syracuse 75-58 on Jan. 5 at the Joyce Center, never letting the Orange get within single digits in the second half.

Sophomore guard Breona Gray, senior center Teresa Borton and junior guard Megan Duffy each scored a team-high 17 points for the Irish. Gray shot 6-for-12 and finished with a career-high point total. Borton shot 6-for-7, and the Irish outscored Syracuse 28-18 in the paint.

The Irish (13-1, 2-0 BIG EAST) broke the game open with a 16-3 run in the first half and continued their best start since opening 23-0 in 2000-01, their NCAA championship season. Meanwhile, Syracuse (8-5, 0-2) fell to 0-13 against Notre Dame in BIG EAST play and 2-17 overall.

Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Irish, who outrebounded the Orange 45-37. Jessica Richter shot 5-for-13 from three-point range and finished with a (then) career-high 17 points for Syracuse. The Orange made a season-high nine three-pointers on a season-best 29 attempts. Lauren Kohn added 11 points and Amanda Adamson had 10 for SU.

Syracuse shot 31 percent, its second-worst outing of the season.

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND SYRACUSE MET AT MANLEY FIELD HOUSE
Behind a record-setting defensive performance and a balanced offensive attack, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team eased past Syracuse, 64-35 on Jan. 21, 2004, at Manley Field House. The 35 points allowed were the fewest ever allowed by the Irish in a BIG EAST Conference road game, and they were the second-fewest ever yielded by Notre Dame on the road, topped only by a 27-point lockdown at Valparaiso exactly 22 years earlier (Jan. 21, 1982).

Jacqueline Batteast led the Irish at both ends of the floor, posting her fourth consecutive double-double and seventh of the 2003-04 season with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes of action. Courtney LaVere continued to provide solid play off the bench, notching 10 points for her third consecutive double-digit game. Notre Dame saw 10 of its 12 players in uniform put points on the board, as the Irish reserves matched Syracuse’s total offensive output (35 points) in the contest.

As a team, Notre Dame shot 46.4 percent from the field (26 of 56), marking the third consecutive game in which the Irish connected at 45 percent or better. Notre Dame also won the rebounding battle by a 47-26 margin and only committed 11 turnovers.

Chineze Nwagbo led the Orange with a game-high 13 points, nine of those coming in the second half. Meanwhile, Syracuse’s leading scorer, all-BIG EAST guard Julie McBride, was held in check by the Notre Dame defense, tallying eight points (less than half of her season average of 17.8 ppg.). The Orange also posted a .231 field goal percentage (12 of 52) in the game.

Notre Dame jumped out to early leads of 6-0 and 8-3, the latter margin coming when Batteast knocked down a jumper four minutes into the game. Syracuse came back and squared the game at 8-8 when Nwagbo hit a layup with 13:48 remaining in the period. That would be the first and only tie in the contest, as Notre Dame outscored the Orange, 20-8 over the final 13 minutes of the first half, holding their hosts to just two field goals in that time. A pair of free throws by Megan Duffy with 22 seconds left in the half handed the Irish a 28-16 lead at the intermission.

Syracuse made a run at Notre Dame in the opening moments of the second half, scoring five of the first eight points and pulling within 31-21 when McBride hit a layup and was fouled with 17:18 to play. However, the veteran guard missed the ensuing free throw and the Orange would never trim the margin to single digits the rest of the way. Syracuse did get as close as 15 points on three occasions in the second half, the last coming at 45-30 on a jumper by Nwagbo with 9:23 to go. The Irish then responded by going on a 19-5 charge to end the game, holding the Orange to one basket over that final nine-minute span.

OTHER NOTRE DAME-SYRACUSE SERIES NOTES

  • Notre Dame has won all 13 matchups between the teams in BIG EAST Conference regular-season play. Syracuse’s lone win since the Irish joined the BIG EAST 10 seasons ago came on March 3, 2002 in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Championship (84-79 at Piscataway, N.J.).
  • Only four times has Notre Dame failed to score at least 70 points in its 19-game series with Syracuse. On the other hand, the Orangewomen have topped the 70-point mark just twice all-time against the Irish, most recently do so in their last win over Notre Dame (84-79 on March 3, 2002 at the BIG EAST Championship in Piscataway, N.J.).
  • All but two of Notre Dame’s 17 wins in the series have come by double-digit margins, with an average Irish margin of victory of 20.2 points per game in the 19-game rivalry. Notre Dame’s margin of victory is slightly larger at Manley Field House, where Notre Dame has won seven of eight series games by an average of 21.4 points per contest.
  • Notre Dame has held Syracuse to its two lowest point totals in the series in the two 2003-04 matchups (35 on Jan. 21, 2004; 33 on March 2, 2004). Ironically, the Irish were held to their lowest offensive output in the second of those two games, scoring only 54 points in the March 2, 2004 contest.
  • Notre Dame is 8-1 all-time when it is ranked heading into the Syracuse game, including a 75-58 victory over the Orange back on Jan. 5 at the Joyce Center.
  • Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast leads all current Irish players with 10.8 points and 9.5 rebounds in six career games against Syracuse. She also has collected double-doubles in four of her five regular-season matchups against the Orange, only missing the mark in the team’s last meeting back on Jan. 5, when she ended up with 15 points and seven rebounds.

SHADES OF GRAY
Two of the best games in the young career of sophomore guard Breona Gray have come against Syracuse. In last year’s regular-season finale, the Las Vegas product scored a (then) career-high 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting as the Irish defeated the Orange, 54-33. Then, two weeks ago, Gray erupted for career bests of 17 points and seven rebounds, hitting six of 12 shots from the floor as Notre Dame downed Syracuse, 75-58 at the Joyce Center.

In three career games vs. the Orange, Gray is averaging 9.3 points per game while shooting 55.6 percent (10-for-18) from the field.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Notre Dame owns a superb 33-2 (.943) record all-time against schools from the state of New York, going 17-2 vs. Syracuse, 14-0 vs. St. John’s and 1-0 vs. both Army and Fordham.

The Irish also have traveled to the state of New York 15 times in its history, posting a 14-1 (.933) mark. The only time Notre Dame lost within the New York state lines was on its first-ever visit to the Empire State – Feb. 4, 1989 at Syracuse (63-56).

THE BEAST OF THE BIG EAST
Notre Dame is 126-30 (.808) 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 139-39 (.781) against league opponents – when factoring in these 22 postseason tilts, the Irish are 71-8 (.899) at home, 55-25 (.688) on the road and 13-6 (.684) at neutral sites all-time vs. BIG EAST foes.

POLLING PLACE
Notre Dame is 175-43 (.803) all-time when it is ranked in the Associated Press poll at tipoff (the Irish are 11th entering Wednesday’s game at Syracuse). When playing at home, Notre Dame has been especially strong, going 82-10 (.891) as a ranked host after posting a 9-2 record at the Joyce Center this season. Conversely, the Irish are 69-25 (.734) all-time when they play on the road as a ranked team.

IT’S “T” FOR TWO
Senior center Teresa Borton has been a solid presence in the middle for the Irish this season, but the past four games (beginning with the first Syracuse contest) have been especially productive for the Yakima, Wash., resident. Borton scored a (then) season-high 17 points in both a win over SU and a loss at Villanova, added seven points vs. No. 16 Connecticut and came back with a season-best 18 points and nine rebounds in Sunday’s win over 20th-ranked Purdue. She is averaging 14.8 points per game in those four outings, shooting a combined 74.2 percent from the floor (23-for-31).

During the early part of BIG EAST Conference play, Borton has been a big factor for Notre Dame, ranking second on the team in scoring (11.3 ppg.) and posting a .708 field goal percentage (17-for-24) that would be leading the conference if she had three more made field goals to her credit (minimum five FG per game to qualify).

DUFFY LENDS A HAND
During the past four games (starting with the first matchup vs. Syracuse), junior guard Megan Duffy is averaging 7.0 assists per game, with at least six handouts in each contest. In that time, she also has posted a sharp 1.87 assist/turnover ratio (28 assists, 15 turnovers).

NO SOPHOMORE JINX HERE
Bucking the traditional “sophomore jinx,” second-year forward Crystal Erwin and guard Breona Gray both have emerged as important contributors to Notre Dame’s success this season. Erwin ranks fourth on the team in scoring (7.0 ppg.) and rebounding (3.9 rpg.), along with the second-best field goal percentage (.495) on the squad. Her biggest games have come at home, where she is logging 8.6 ppg. and 4.4 rpg. with a .543 field goal percentage and five double-digit scoring games (she had one in her career prior to this season).

Meanwhile, Gray has started every game and averages nearly 26 minutes per night at the off-guard spot for the Irish this season, collecting 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Those are a far cry from her numbers as a freshman, when she played only 11.4 minutes per contest while posting 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds a game.

ROAD WARRIORS
The Irish are off to a 5-1 start 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 51.5 ppg., a .328 field goal percentage (111-for-338) and a .176 three-point percentage (18-for-102) away from home and have not allowed more than 59 points in any of their six road games this year.

THREE-FENSE
In the past 14 games, Notre Dame has limited its opponents to a .226 three-point percentage (55-for-243), after Irish foes were shooting .333 from beyond the arc (17-for-51) in the first three games of the season. On Dec. 9, Notre Dame held Dayton to an opponent season-low .071 three-point percentage (1-for-14), with the Flyers missing their final 13 three-point attempts.

For the season, Notre Dame leads the BIG EAST in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to a .245 mark (72-for-297) from long range.

THE FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNT
Notre Dame ranks fourth in the BIG EAST Conference in steals this season, averaging 9.47 thefts per game (161 total). The Irish have come up with at least 10 steals in seven 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 (2.71 spg., 46 total), while her backcourt mate, sophomore Breona Gray is second on the team with 1.41 steals per game (24 total). Five other Notre Dame players have at least 10 steals this year – senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (22), freshman guard Charel Allen (15), senior center Teresa Borton (14), sophomore forward Crystal Erwin (13) and freshman guard Tulyah Gaines (12).

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 286 assists (16.82 apg.; third in the BIG EAST) on 420 field goals made (24.7 per game), including a Preseason WNIT-record 29 handouts in the season opener vs. Illinois State. Junior guard Megan Duffy leads the way at 5.0 assists per game (third in the BIG EAST), with at least five dimes in 10 contests this year, including a career-high 10 assists vs. Washington on Dec. 11.

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 are 18th nationally (as of Jan. 10), shooting 75.5 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 (.914, 64-70), freshman guard Charel Allen (.825, 33-40) and senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (.818, 72-88). Duffy currently ranks first in the BIG EAST and ninth in the nation in free throw percentage, while Batteast is third in the conference and has shown the greatest improvement among all Irish players this season with more than a 19-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 65 games since then (Jan. 20, 2003 to present), Duffy is connecting at an .865 clip (179-207) on her foul shots. She also has made 72 of her last 79 free throws (.911) in the past 23 Irish games, dating back to Feb. 28, 2004.

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 – needs two wins (current record: 398-152, .724)
  • 500th victory overall – needs 14 wins (current record: 486-193, .716)

THE PURDUE RECAP
Notre Dame found the answers to its problems. Purdue simply found more questions.

Junior guard Megan Duffy sparked seventh-ranked Notre Dame by scoring 17 of her 19 points in the first half and senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Irish past No. 20 Purdue 86-69 Sunday. “It’s been these two who have gotten us to where we are now, and I think the team thought it was time for them to step up,” Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said.

Batteast was held to eight points and Duffy six in Notre Dame’s 17-point loss to No. 16 Connecticut last Wednesday. But they surpassed those numbers in the first 15 minutes against the Boilermakers.

“Coming off two losses, we were angry more than anything,” Duffy said. “Whatever it takes to get a win, we did it tonight.”

The Irish (14-3) beat the Boilermakers for the first time since the 2001 NCAA championship game, ending a four-game losing streak to Purdue. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers (10-6), beaten at home by 20 points three nights earlier by No. 11 Minnesota, lost consecutive games for the first time since December 2001, when they lost to the Irish and LSU.

Purdue coach Kristy Curry said her team didn’t play well enough to win. “You lose by 17, but you have to understand when you’re playing someone as good as Notre Dame you can’t have lapses defensively or offensively,” Curry said.

It was the 36th career double-double for Batteast, tying her with Ruth Riley for second place on Notre Dame’s career list. Senior center Teresa Borton added a season-high 18 points, and Notre Dame outscored the Boilermakers 38-24 in the paint.

McGraw said Duffy’s play in the first half was the key.

“Once Megan got started, that opened up everything for everyone else,” she said.

Erin Lawless led Purdue with 16 points, Katie Gearlds had 14 and Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, Emily Heikes and Tyeisha Jackson had 10 points each.

The Irish led 54-38 at halftime, scoring four more points than they had in the entire game against UConn. Duffy shot 4-for-4 in the first half, including three from three-point range, and 6-for-6 from the foul line.

“It felt good out there,” Duffy said. “It’s been a little tough for me to find my shot and I’ve been working on that.”

The Irish made seven free throws in the final 63 seconds to take a 16-point halftime lead – matching their biggest mid-game margin of the season.

Purdue cut the lead to 62-51 when Heikes stole the ball and hit a fast-break layup with 14:32 left. But Duffy answered with a pair of free throws, Borton scored inside and freshman guard Tulyah Gaines scored on a 15-foot jumper as the Irish regained control, leading by 21 points late in the game.

The six losses for the Boilermakers are the most at this point in the season since they had six by Jan. 5, 1997, and finished 17-11.

NOTING THE PURDUE WIN

  • Notre Dame snaps a four-game series losing streak vs. Purdue, defeating the Boilermakers for the first time since the 2001 NCAA championship game (68-66).
  • It’s also the first regular-season win for the Irish over Purdue since Dec. 9, 2000 (72-61 at the Joyce Center).
  • Notre Dame’s 86 points are the most it has ever scored against the Boilermakers, and are one shy of the most by either team in the 18-game series (both marks set in an 87-83 Purdue win on Nov. 30, 1994 at Notre Dame).
  • The 17-point margin of victory also is the largest by Notre Dame in the series (previously: 73-60 on March 15, 1996 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lubbock, Texas).
  • Sunday’s win is the third of the season for Notre Dame vs. a top 25 opponent and the 33rd victory over a ranked opponent for the Irish in the past seven seasons (1998-99 to present).
  • The Irish posted their second-highest point total of the season (92 vs. Illinois State on Nov. 12).
  • Notre Dame’s 54 first-half points were a season high for markers in either half, and were the most in the opening period since a school-record 61 points vs. Cleveland State on Nov. 26, 2002 at the Joyce Center.
  • The Irish tallied a season-high six three-point field goals, all in the first half, to top the mark of five set against both Illinois State (Nov. 12) and No. 6 Duke (Nov. 17).
  • The Irish are 35-5 (.875) in “bounce back” games – the first contest after a double-digit loss – and 22-1 (.957) in home “bounce back” games since joining the BIG EAST Conference in 1995-96.
  • Notre Dame finishes the regular season with a winning record (2-1) vs. the Big Ten Conference for the first time since the 2000-01 campaign, when it would up going 4-0 against Big Ten teams (1-0 vs. Georgia and Michigan, 2-0 vs. Purdue) en route to the national championship.
  • Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast collected her fourth double-double of the season and 36th of her career, tying her with Ruth Riley (1997-2001) for second place on the Irish career double-doubles list; Katryna Gaither holds the record with 40 double-dips from 1993-97.
  • Batteast also notched the 28th 20-point game of her career, pulling her within one of Trena Keys (1982-86) for fourth place on the Notre Dame all-time 20-point game list.
  • Junior guard Megan Duffy scored 19 points, one off her season high (20 at Valparaiso on Nov. 30).
  • Duffy also dished out a team-high six assists, giving her 28 handouts (7.0 apg.) in her last four games.
  • Senior center Teresa Borton narrowly missed her second double-double of the season, finishing with a season-high 18 points and nine rebounds; in her last four games, Borton is averaging 14.8 ppg. with a .742 field goal percentage (23-for-31).
  • Sophomore guard Breona Gray delivered a career-high five assists.

SPORTSVIEW.TV PRESEASON WNIT REWIND
Punctuated by emotional second-half rallies in the semifinal and final, Notre Dame won four consecutive games to claim the 2004 Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT championship. The Irish capped off their season-opening charge with a 66-62 victory over No. 10/9 Ohio State in the title game, scoring the final 12 points of the contest to erase an eight-point Buckeye lead with a little more than five minutes remaining. That win came on the heels of a 76-65 semifinal conquest of No. 6 Duke, a victory that also saw Notre Dame come back from an eight-point deficit late in the second half.

Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast was named the tournament Most Valuable Player after averaging 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists with a .507 field goal percentage in the four-game series. Batteast was at her best in the final two games, scoring a game-high 17 points vs. Duke (including a personal 10-0 run that put the Irish ahead for good) and then rolling up a career-best 32 points in the championship game against Ohio State. In that latter contest, she had another 10-point run in the first half and later scored seven of her team’s last 12 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 2:45 to play. However, her biggest contribution came with two seconds remaining, when she raced from beyond the top of the key all the way to the deep corner, blocking OSU’s potential game-tying three-pointer to cement Notre Dame’s title.

Not to be overlooked, junior guard Megan Duffy earned a place on the Preseason WNIT all-tournament team after recording 15.0 points and 6.0 assists per game with a .500 field goal percentage (.600 from beyond the arc). She was the catalyst for an Irish offense that averaged nearly 77 points per game and dished out better than 20 assists per night in the tournament, including a Preseason WNIT-record 29 assists in the first round vs. Illinois State.

HALF AND HALF
Over the past five seasons, Notre Dame has been nearly unbeatable when it has the lead at halftime. The Irish are 89-7 (.927) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when they go into the dressing room with the lead. Notre Dame has added 12 wins to that count this season (Illinois State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Colorado State, USC, Valparaiso, Dayton, Washington, Northern Illinois, Seton Hall, Syracuse and Purdue).

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 139-7 (.952) record when they hold their opponents to less than 60 points in a game, including a 10-1 mark this season.

… 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 216 games over the past nine seasons, which is tied for the seventh-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
The Irish are one of just six teams nationwide to have an active streak of 11 consecutive 20-win seasons. The others in these elite club are Tennessee (28), Texas Tech (15), Louisiana Tech (13), Old Dominion (13) and Connecticut (11).

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 122 of their last 133 games (.917) at the 11,418-seat Joyce Center. Notre Dame also has a 71-8 (.899) 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 272-72 (.791) 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 15 in the nation in attendance each of the past four years, and early returns indicate this season will be no different. According to the Jan. 17 unofficial national attendance rankings (as compiled by the University of Wisconsin Sports Information Office), Notre Dame is 14th in the nation with an average of 5,457 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 60 of the past 62 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 will air 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 faced Connecticut Jan. 12 at the Joyce Center and will visit Boston College on Feb. 15 in front of the CSTV cameras.

In addition, Notre Dame is scheduled to play twice on ESPN2 this season. Last Sunday, the Irish battled Purdue in the second annual BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge at the Joyce Center. In less than two weeks on Jan. 30, Notre Dame is back on ESPN2 when it travels to Storrs, Conn., to meet Connecticut at Gampel Pavilion.

The BIG EAST also added two Irish games to its regional television package this season. Notre Dame already visited Villanova on Jan. 9 and will play host to Rutgers next Sunday, 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 (Feb. 26) – with former Irish All-America center and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Ruth Riley slated to provide color commentary on the final three broadcasts. Comcast Local can be seen in South Bend on Comcast Cable channel 3.

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).

PROMOTIONAL CORNER
Here’s a rundown of some upcoming promotions and giveaways at future Notre Dame women’s basketball games this season (additional promotions and giveaways may be added at a later date):

  • Jan. 23 vs. Rutgers – Notre Dame women’s basketball nesting dolls (first 500 fans)
  • Jan. 26 vs. St. John’s – Notre Dame women’s basketball foam fingers (first 1,500 fans)

NEXT GAME: RUTGERS
Notre Dame returns home Sunday for a 2 p.m. (ET) contest against BIG EAST Conference rival Rutgers at the Joyce Center. The game will be broadcast as part of the BIG EAST syndicated television package with the following outlets airing the game live or on a same-day delayed basis: Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Fox Sports New England, Fox College Sports, Madison Square Garden Network and Comcast Charter Sports Southeast.

No. 6/7 Rutgers (12-3, 3-0) has emerged as one of the top stories in women’s college basketball this season, reeling off three consecutive blockbuster wins over top-10 opponents (No. 8 Tennessee, No. 4 Texas and No. 1 LSU) in an eight-day span that ended earlier this month. The Scarlet Knights had won seven games in a row prior to last Sunday, when they dropped a 52-50 decision at No. 5 Ohio State, despite Matee Ajavon’s 20 points off the bench. Ajavon is averaging a team-high 13.7 points per game, while Michelle Campbell is logging 13.1 ppg., taking much of the pressure off All-America guard Cappie Pondexter, who missed the first eight games of the season for personal reasons.

Rutgers leads the all-time series with Notre Dame, 11-8, including a 4-2 mark at the Joyce Center. The Scarlet Knights also have won the last three games in the series, claiming a pair of victories last season (69-55 in the regular season at Piscataway, N.J.; 51-45 in the BIG EAST Championship quarterfinals at Hartford, Conn.). In the latter contest, the Irish held a 17-2 lead midway through the first half before Rutgers rallied to eliminate Notre Dame from the conference tournament.