Irish Tip Off 30th Anniversary Season Friday Against Central Michigan

Nov. 9, 2006

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2006-07 ND Women’s Basketball: Game 1
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-0 / 0-0 BIG EAST) vs.
Central Michigan Chippewas (0-0 / 0-0 MAC West)

Storylines

• Notre Dame is 21-8 (.724) all-time in season openers, including a 16-3 (.842) mark in the Muffet McGraw era. The Irish also have won their last 10 season openers.
• Notre Dame used some of its signature defensive muscle to post a pair of big exhibition wins. The Irish held their two preseason foes to 45.0 ppg. and forced 67 turnovers.

Irish Set To Open 30th Anniversary Season Friday Against Central Michigan

For the 30th time, Notre Dame will tip off a women’s basketball season when the Irish play host to Central Michigan in the 2006-07 lidlifter Friday at 4 p.m. (ET) at the Joyce Center. The game will be the first of two for Irish basketball fans on Friday night, with the Notre Dame men slated to host IPFW at 8 p.m. (ET).

Notre Dame is coming off a dominating 82-35 exhibition victory over Northwood on Sunday afternoon at the Joyce Center. Freshman guard Ashley Barlow rang up a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) and junior guard Charel Allen added 14 points of her own as the Irish used a 31-7 run midway through the contest to take command. The Irish defense also looked sharp, especially in the second half when they allowed just 14 points and held Northwood to 21.7 percent shooting. In addition, Notre Dame owned a 46-28 edge on the glass and forced 35 turnovers.

Central Michigan split its two exhibition games, most recently downing Windsor (Ontario), 89-71 on Sunday.

Rankings

• Notre Dame is not ranked.
• Central Michigan is not ranked.

Web Sites

• Notre Dame: http://www.und.com
• Central Michigan: http://www.cmuchippewas.com
• BIG EAST: http://www.bigeast.org
• MAC: http://www.mac-sports.com

Setting The Standard
Under the guidance of 20th-year head coach Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame has evolved into one of the country’s leading women’s basketball powers. The Irish have appeared in 13 NCAA Tournaments (including a current streak of 11 in a row) and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 six times in the previous 10 years. Notre Dame also has reached the NCAA Women’s Final Four twice, winning college basketball’s ultimate prize with the 2001 national championship.

In its history, Notre Dame has developed eight All-Americans, nine WNBA players (including six draft picks in the past six years) and four USA Basketball veterans (eight medals won). Now in their 30th season in 2006-07, the Irish own an all-time record of 593-266 (.690).

Notre Dame Head Coach Muffet McGraw
Saint Joseph’s ’77
20th season at Notre Dame

• 429-167 (.720) at Notre Dame.
• 517-208 (.713) in 25 years as head coach.

NOTES

• 2001 consensus National Coach of the Year
• Four-time Naismith Coach of the Year finalist
• Four-time conference Coach of the Year
• BIG EAST Conference (2001)
• Midwestern Collegiate Conference (1991)
• North Star Conference (1988)
• East Coast Conference (@ Lehigh) (1983)

A Quick Look At The Fighting Irish
A large majority of college basketball programs would be pleased with an 18-12 record and an 11th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Then again, those programs aren’t Notre Dame.

The Irish players and coaches alike feel dissatisfied with last season’s performance, which started well with a 9-2 non-conference record and a top-15 national ranking, but ended with an NCAA first-round loss to Boston College. Along the way, Notre Dame also posted an 8-8 record in the rugged BIG EAST Conference, collected three victories over ranked opponents, and won the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas with a convincing victory over eventual NCAA regional finalist Utah (68-55).

The Irish know they will face a host of challenges in 2006-07, with hurdles that include replacing All-America point guard Megan Duffy, tackling a schedule that features 16 postseason qualifiers (and 11 NCAA Tournament participants), and most recently, dealing with the season-ending knee injury to sophomore guard Lindsay Schrader. The Bartlett, Ill., product was slated to be Notre Dame’s top returning scorer this season, having carded 10.5 points and a team-high 5.4 rebounds per game during her rookie campaign.

However, this year’s Irish squad already may be living up to the phrase “expect the unexpected.” When many outside observers dismissed Notre Dame’s chances, the players and coaches have pulled even closer, with team chemistry and cohesion becoming the single greatest strength the Irish will possess in 2006-07. In fact, between seven other returning monogram winners and four other players with significant starting experience, not to mention four talented freshmen, those who want to write off Notre Dame before the season even starts may do so at their peril.

Junior guard Charel Allen (8.5 ppg., 4.3 rpg.) takes over as the top returning scorer for the Irish. The Monessen, Pa., resident spent much of last season working her way back to 100 percent after a March 2005 knee injury, saving her strongest efforts for the final month of the season, averaging 9.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in the season’s last 11 games.

Allen’s backcourt mate and fellow junior, Tulyah Gaines (4.9 ppg., 3.2 rpg., 1.7 apg.), assumes the mantle of court leadership for Notre Dame as both a team co-captain and the new starting point guard. Like her classmate, Gaines was very sharp down the stretch in 2005-06, averaging 8.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game with a 2.2 assist/turnover ratio in the final six games of the year.

A third junior, center Melissa D’Amico, will seek to anchor the Irish post game. Standing 6-foot-5, the Manorville, N.Y., native started 17 times last season, averaging 5.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, while ranking eighth in the BIG EAST in blocked shots (1.17 bpg.). She also owned a solid .468 field goal percentage and named the MVP of the Duel in the Desert (and subsequently the BIG EAST Player of the Week) after collecting 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game with an .824 field goal percentage in the two-game tourney.

Complementing the Notre Dame veterans is a freshman class that was ranked 21st in the nation by All-Star Girls Report. Guards Melissa Lechlitner and Ashley Barlow finished second and third, respectively, in the 2006 Indiana Miss Basketball voting, with Barlow winning MVP honors for the 2006 Indiana-Kentucky All-Star Series after scoring 20.0 points per game. Meanwhile, 6-3 forward Danielle Ben-Tsvulun is a two-time all-area pick out of Fort Wayne, Ind., while 6-4 center Erica Williamson averaged a double-double (10.0 ppg., 10.4 rpg.) in her final two prep seasons, winning state titles in two different states during that time.

Potent Notables About The Irish

• Notre Dame is among the nation’s winningest programs during the past decade (1996-97 to 2005-06), ranking seventh with 247 victories in that span.
• Notre Dame’s incoming class of 2007 (announced Wednesday) has been ranked 11th in the nation by Blue Star Basketball, marking the 11th consecutive season that the Irish have had a top-25 recruiting class. Notre Dame is one of only three schools (along with Connecticut and Tennessee) to have an active streak of that length. A thumbnail sketch of the newest Irish signees can be found on page 8 of these notes.
• Notre Dame was ranked 11th in the nation in attendance in 2005-06 (6,601 fans per game), marking the sixth consecutive season the Irish have ranked among the national top 20 in attendance. Notre Dame also has attracted 5,000-or-more fans to 78 of its last 80 home games, including three Joyce Center sellouts of 11,418 (most recently on Dec. 31, 2005 vs. Tennessee).
• For the sixth time in school history, Notre Dame has been selected to host NCAA Tournament action, as the Joyce Center will be the site of NCAA Tournament first- and second-round games in 2010. In four of the five previous instances, Notre Dame was involved in NCAA Tournament play, going 6-1 all-time and advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 three times (2000, 2001, 2004), with only a first-round loss to Minnesota in 1994 blotting the resume. Notre Dame also hosted the 1983 NCAA Mideast Regional at the Joyce Center, with Georgia defeating Tennessee, 67-63 in the regional final.
• The Irish have become a regular fixture in the WNBA Draft in recent years, as six Notre Dame players have been selected in the past six seasons. All-America guard Megan Duffy was the most recent Irish player to be chosen, going to the Minnesota Lynx in the third round (31st overall pick) of the 2006 WNBA Draft. Other active Notre Dame players in the WNBA during the 2006 season included Ruth Riley and Jacqueline Batteast (league champion Detroit Shock), while Niele Ivey sat out this year as a free agent, rehabilitating an injury after previously playing with Indiana, Detroit and Phoenix. Riley’s WNBA title with Detroit was her second (she was the 2003 WNBA Finals MVP), while Batteast earned her first pro crown this year.
• Notre Dame has been an elite program in the classroom as well. The Irish posted a perfect 100-percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR), according to figures released by the NCAA in October 2006. Notre Dame was one of 16 Division I-A programs to achieve this distinction, and one of only two BIG EAST programs (Syracuse is the other). Furthermore, since Muffet McGraw became the Irish head coach in 1987, every Notre Dame women’s basketball player that has completed her athletic and academic eligibility at the University has graduated.

A Quick Look At Central Michigan
Building a perennial contender takes time, but Central Michigan appears to have the foundation built for an extended run of success in the Mid-American Conference.

The Chippewas are coming off a 16-12 campaign in 2005-06, including a 7-9 mark in the MAC’s West Division. It was the second consecutive season in which CMU showed dramatic improvement, with its six-win increase coming on the heels of a +5 win jump in ’04-05.The Chippewas opened last season very well with a 9-2 non-conference record, before a stretch of seven losses in eight games (four by single-digits) blunted some of their momentum.

Seven letterwinners, including three starters are back for Central Michigan this season, along with five newcomers who should give the Chippewas some added punch. Senior Ann Skufca, an honorable mention all-MAC selection last year, is CMU’s top returning scorer at 10.4 points per game and was second on the squad at 5.6 rebounds per game. She also was the club’s top shot blocker at 1.8 swats per night, helping Central Michigan lead the MAC in that department (3.75 bpg.).

Senior guard Sharona Hurd (8.4 ppg., 5.8 rpg.) and junior guard Candace Wilson (5.1 ppg.) will lend offensive support for the Chippewas in ’06-07. However, in the preseason, it was junior guard Stacey Verhoff who led the way, averaging 15.0 points per game with a .571 field goal percentage (12-of-21).

CMU split its two exhibition games this year, falling to Athletes in Action, 92-78, before bouncing back to defeat Windsor (Ontario), 89-71. In the first game, AIA shot a blistering 64.2 percent from the field (90.9 percent from the three-point line) for the victory. In the second game, the Chippewas had five players score in double figures and shot 53.8 percent after halftime to secure the win.

Head coach Eileen Kleinfelter is gearing up for her sixth season at Central Michigan, holding a 52-88 (.371) record at the school. Including previous stops at IPFW and Findlay, Kleinfelter has a career coaching record of 274-169 (.619) entering her 15th season. Friday’s game will be her first-ever against Notre Dame.

The Notre Dame-Central Michigan Series
Notre Dame and Central Michigan have played only once before, with the Chippewas defeating the Irish, 72-69 on Dec. 21, 1983 at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame is tentatively scheduled to visit CMU for the first time ever next season.

The Last Time Notre Dame And Central Michigan Met
Mary Beth Schueth rang up a double-double with 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as Central Michigan downed Notre Dame, 72-69 on Dec. 21, 1983 at the Joyce Center.

Schueth was one of three Irish players to score in double figures, joined by Carrie Bates (13 points) and Lynn Ebben (10 points). CMU also had a trio of double-digit scorers, paced by 18 points apiece from Betsy Yonkman and Sylvia Odum, not to mention a double-double from Denise Tower (14 points, 11 rebounds).

As it turned out, the story of this game wasn’t who did score, but rather who didn’t. Notre Dame standout sophomore forward (and future two-time North Star Conference Player of the Year) Trena Keys went down with a knee injury on a fast break layup midway through the first half and did not return.

Central Michigan jumped out to an early 16-6 lead in the contest behind six quick points from Yonkman. The Irish then battled back, using an 11-2 run later in the period to draw even at 20-20. Yet, Notre Dame didn’t take its first lead of the day until Bates canned a pair of free throws with 47 seconds remaining in the first half. The teams then traded baskets, with Notre Dame’s Jenny Klauke sinking her only field goal of the game with 14 seconds left to send the hosts to the locker room with a 36-34 lead.

The back-and-forth nature of the contest carried over into the second half, with the teams trading the lead three times in the opening two minutes. CMU’s Kathy LaBarge hit two free throws to kick start a 10-4 run that resulted in a 48-43 Chippewa lead with 13:36 to play.

Again, Notre Dame fought back, drawing even at 54-54 on Ebben’s old-fashioned three-point play at the 8:43 juncture and going in front 34 seconds later on Schueth’s short jumper in the lane. The teams then exchanged buckets, before handing off matching 7-1 runs, and when the dust settled, the Irish had a 66-64 lead, courtesy of a Ruth Kaiser jumper with 1:50 to go.

Central Michigan ended up with the last word, though, as Odum tied the game (1:24) and Jody Beerman knocked down four foul shots (:58 and :30) to put the Chippewas ahead for good. Notre Dame had a couple of chances to pull back within one possession in the waning moments, but Lisa Brown missed the front end of a one-and-one with 10 seconds remaining, and when Kaiser was fouled on the rebound, she missed the back half of two charities, sealing the Irish fate.

Other Notre Dame-Central Michigan Series Tidbits

• When the Irish and Chippewas tip off on Friday night, it will end a series hiatus of 22 years, 10 months and 20 days. That’s easily the longest break between games for any team on this year’s Notre Dame schedule (aside from its two first-time opponents – IUPUI and Prairie View A&M). For comparison, the last time the teams played, the oldest player on this year’s Irish roster (senior forward Crystal Erwin) would not be born for another year and 10 days.
• Notre Dame is 45-19 (.703) all-time against teams from the state of Michigan, including a 28-6 (.824) record when playing them at the Joyce Center. The Irish also are 25-7 (.781) against the Wolverine State in the Muffet McGraw era (1987-present), highlighted by a 15-3 (.833) mark at home. Last season, Notre Dame defeated both Michigan (at home) and Western Michigan (on the road), and will face both of those schools against this season (home vs. WMU on Nov. 19; at UM on Dec. 1).
• Notre Dame will open its season against a Michigan school for the third time in its 30-year history and the second consecutive season. Last year, the Irish downed Michigan, 55-45 at the Joyce Center, repaying the Wolverines for a 75-64 UM victory in Ann Arbor to open the 1984-85 season.
• The state of Michigan has been home to 14 Notre Dame women’s basketball players during the past 30 years. That’s second only to Indiana (17) for the most players from one state in program history. One of those 14 Michigan natives who came to Notre Dame was current Irish associate head coach Coquese Washington, who grew up in Flint, Mich., located 90 miles southeast of Central Michigan’s campus in Mount Pleasant.
• One of CMU’s leading scorers in its lone game against Notre Dame was Betsy Yonkman (18 points). Yonkman may be a familiar name to some Irish observers, as she went on serve as an assistant coach for six seasons (1995-2001) at Notre Dame’s BIG EAST Conference rival Rutgers.

Notre Dame vs. The Mid-American Conference
Notre Dame is 27-14 (.659) all-time against the current Mid-American Conference alignment, including a 16-4 (.800) record at home. The Irish also sport a 12-5 (.706) record against MAC schools in the Muffet McGraw era, with a 7-1 (.875) ledger at home. Central Michigan will be the first MAC school to visit the Joyce Center since Dec. 12, 2001, when Notre Dame defeated Western Michigan, 71-48.

Notre Dame also has won its last 10 games against current MAC schools since an 87-64 loss at Northern Illinois on March 10, 1995 in the semifinals of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Tournament. Last year, the Irish faced one MAC team, defeating Western Michigan on the road, 71-68.

The Chippewas also are the first of three MAC opponents for the Irish this season, with Bowling Green (Nov. 13) and Western Michigan (Nov. 19) on the slate in the next two weeks. Notre Dame is playing three MAC schools in the same season for the first time since 1996-97, when the Irish ousted Kent State (66-41 in Preseason WNIT opener), Bowling Green (85-70) and Ohio (95-85 in opener of Comfort Inn Downtown Classic in Atlanta).

Blowing The Lid Off
Notre Dame is 21-8 (.724) all-time in season openers and takes a 11-game winning streak into Friday’s game with Central Michigan. The Irish also are 16-3 (.842) in season openers in the Muffet McGraw era, with their last season-opening loss coming on Nov. 26, 1994 (65-60 in overtime to No. 25 Seton Hall).

Notre Dame also has done well in its first home game of the season, going 21-8 (.724) in Joyce Center lidlifters, including an active 11-game winning streak and a 15-4 (.789) under McGraw. The last Irish home-opening loss was Nov. 30, 1994, when 13th-ranked Purdue edged out Notre Dame, 87-83.

Getting An Early Start
Friday’s game will mark the earliest season debut for the Irish in their 30-year history, two days sooner than their 92-73 win over Illinois State in the first round of the 2004 Preseason WNIT at the Joyce Center. The earliest non-tournament season opener for Notre Dame took place on Nov. 14, 1998, when the No. 17/19 Irish toppled sixth-ranked UCLA, 99-82 at the Joyce Center.

Making A Good First Impression
With four freshmen on the 12-player Notre Dame roster, chances are good that one or more of the Irish rookies will see significant action in Friday’s season opener with Central Michigan.

In recent years, Notre Dame’s freshmen have wasted little time in making their presence felt. The best example came last season, when guard Lindsay Schrader rolled up a double-double (10 points, 14 rebounds) in a victory over Michigan. Schrader is one of only two players in program history to register a double-double in her college debut (Shari Matvey also did so against Marion in 1979, when the Irish were still playing at the AIAW Division III level).

Department Of Defense
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw always has stressed a “defense-first” mentality for the Irish, and it would appear that philosophy is taking shape again this season. In its two exhibition games last week, Notre Dame’s opponents were held to 45.0 points per game on .287 shooting. The Irish also forced a staggering 67 turnovers (40 coming on steals) and averaged 48.0 rebounds per game with a +14.5 rpg. margin.

Since 1999-2000, Notre Dame has held the opposition to less than 62 points per game six times, including a 55.8 ppg. average in the 2001 NCAA championship season.

Exhibition #1 Recap: Lake Superior State
Notre Dame got its 2006-07 season off to a successful start with an 82-55 exhibition victory over Lake Superior State before a Halloween night crowd of 5,626 fans at the Joyce Center.

Junior guard Charel Allen had game highs of 20 points (on 8-of-13 shooting) and 10 rebounds, pacing three Notre Dame players in double figures. Senior guard Breona Gray chipped in with 11 points and eight rebounds, while junior center Melissa D’Amico scored 10 points.

All 11 Irish players who suited up got into the contest, with 10 of them finding their way into the scorebook. The four Notre Dame freshmen also made their unofficial college debuts on Tuesday night, with guard Melissa Lechlitner tallying eight points, four rebounds and a team-high four steals to head up the rookie corps.

Jaclyn Armstrong was the only player to reach double digits for Lake Superior State, finishing with 11 points. Mandi Johnson collected nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds, but also was charged with 10 turnovers, part of 32 giveaways on the night for the Lakers.

It took about four minutes for both teams to shake the offseason rust, with LSSU taking a pair of one-point leads, the last coming at 6-5 on a three-pointer by Shalyn Beauchamp 3:18 into the contest. Notre Dame then shifted its offense into high gear, going on a 20-5 run during the next 5:55 to take command. The junior trio of Allen, D’Amico and guard Tulyah Gaines scored six points apiece during the spurt.

The Irish pushed their lead to 20 points when Gray’s free throw gave the hosts a 37-17 lead at the 5:21 mark. A triple by the Notre Dame co-captain moments later boosted her team’s edge to 40-19, before Lake Superior State closed out the first half by scoring eight of the final 12 points.

Armstrong hit a layup in the opening minute of the second half to pull the Lakers within 44-29, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the way. A 16-6 Irish run hiked the lead back to 25 points, capped by five points from Barlow. LSSU briefly peeked inside 20 points midway through the second stanza, but Notre Dame eventually moved out to a game-high 29-point margin on a couple of occasions before the night was out.

Exhibition #2 Recap: Northwood
After a sluggish opening 12 minutes, Notre Dame came alive at both ends of the floor, charging to an 82-35 exhibition victory over Northwood on Nov. 5 at the Joyce Center. The Irish collected their 21st consecutive preseason win and NU’s 35 points were the fewest Notre Dame has allowed in exhibition play since 1997, when the Irish downed Slavyanka (Russia), 66-34.

Freshman guard Ashley Barlow came off the bench to record a double-double with game highs of 14 points and 10 rebounds, with seven of her boards coming at the offensive end. Junior guard Charel Allen also chipped in with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while five other Notre Dame players chalked up at least eight points in the contest. In fact, all 11 players in uniform scored and 10 of them had at least one rebound.

The Irish shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) from the field in the contest and held a 46-28 advantage on the glass, including a 26-8 margin in the second half. Notre Dame also forced Northwood into 35 turnovers, with 23 of those coming from Irish steals (five each from Barlow and senior guard Breona Gray).

Megan Starnes was the lone double-digit scorer with 11 points for the Timberwolves, who are a Division II program based in Midland, Mich., and competing in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). NU was playing its first game of the season, and after a strong early start, tailed off a bit to finish with a .286 field goal percentage (14-of-49).

As one might expect from a team tired of facing itself in practice, Northwood hung with Notre Dame in the early going, using a 7-0 run to take its largest lead (16-13) on a jumper by Sara Bilunes with 7:47 left in the period. The Irish then erupted, going on a 31-7 run that closed out the first half and extended nearly three and a half minutes into the second stanza. Allen had 10 points and Barlow added eight points during the game-changing run.

The Timberwolves would get as close as 48-31, when Starnes knocked down two free throws with 14:07 remaining. However, Notre Dame then wrapped up the contest with another massive run, outscoring Northwood by a 34-4 margin the rest of the way.

2006-07: The Anniversary Season

• 2006-07 will mark the 30th season of Notre Dame women’s basketball, with the Irish having compiled an all-time record of 593-266 (.690) since making their varsity debut in 1977-78. Actually, Notre Dame spent its first three seasons at the Division III level, playing under the banner of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) before making the move to Division I status in 1980-81 (the NCAA began sponsoring a women’s basketball championship the following season). The Irish have an overall Division I record of 544-246 (.689).
• This year also will represent Muffet McGraw’s 20th season as the head women’s basketball coach at Notre Dame and her 25th campaign overall, including her five-year run at Lehigh (1982-87). McGraw’s record is a stellar one – she is 429-167 (.720) at the helm of the Irish and has a career record of 517-208 (.713) entering her silver anniversary season on the sidelines.
• In addition, Notre Dame will be celebrating the 35th anniversary of women’s athletics at the University during the 2006-07 season. All Irish women’s sports teams will hold events to commemorate this milestone during their respective seasons. What’s more, all Notre Dame women’s teams are sporting special 35th anniversary logo patches on their uniforms for the ’06-07 campaign.

Injury Bug Bites Irish Early
Sophomore guard Lindsay Schrader will miss the 2006-07 season after suffering a torn ACL in her right knee during practice on Oct. 15. Schrader underwent corrective surgery on Oct. 27, with the normal rehabilitation timeline extending 6-9 months.

Schrader was to be Notre Dame’s top returning scorer and rebounder this season, after averaging 10.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game during her rookie campaign in 2005-06.

Notre Dame Ranked 11th In Preseason BIG EAST Coaches’ Poll
According to a preseason survey of the BIG EAST Conference coaches, Notre Dame is expected to finish 11th in the conference this season. Those were the results released at the league’s annual Media Day Oct. 26 at the ESPN Zone in New York’s Times Square. The Irish earned 108 points, while reigning BIG EAST Championship victor, Connecticut (221 points, 11 first-place votes) was tabbed first, just ahead of regular-season champion Rutgers (215 points, five first-place votes). The BIG EAST sent 11 of 16 teams to the postseason last year, including seven NCAA Tournament participants (of which Notre Dame was one).

The Irish are beginning their 12th season as a member of the BIG EAST Conference in 2006-07. The Irish have gone 145-39 (.788) all-time in regular-season conference games, posting the best winning percentage in league history. Connecticut is second with a .783 success rate. Notre Dame also has finished among the top three in the final BIG EAST regular-season standings nine times in its first 11 seasons in the conference, including a share of the BIG EAST title in 2000-01.

Half And Half
During the past six seasons, Notre Dame has been nearly unbeatable when it has the lead at halftime. The Irish are 109-10 (.916) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when they go into the dressing room with the lead, including wins in 37 of their last 41 such contests. Notre Dame won 12 games last season when it led at the break (the Irish were tied at halftime of their wins over No. 24/21 USC and South Florida).

The Best Offense Is A Good Defense…
During the past 11 seasons, Notre Dame has discovered that a solid defensive effort can almost certainly guarantee a victory. In fact, since the beginning of the 1995-96 season (Notre Dame’s first in the BIG EAST Conference), the Irish have an amazing 159-9 (.946) record when they hold their opponents to less than 60 points in a game. Notre Dame went 9-0 in such games last 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. During the past 11 seasons (1995-96 to present), the Irish are 91-3 (.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.

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 135 of their last 151 games (.894) at the 11,418-seat Joyce Center, including winning streaks of 51 and 25 games in that span. Notre Dame also has a 80-12 (.870) record in BIG EAST Conference play at the Joyce Center, sporting a 31-game league winning streak at home before it ended with a 48-45 loss to Villanova in the ’02 home finale.

The Irish have been particularly strong when it comes to non-conference games at home, winning 57 of their last 61 non-BIG EAST contests (.934) at the Joyce Center, dating back to the 1994-95 season. Three of the losses in that span came at the hands of Big Ten Conference opponents – Wisconsin in 1996 (81-69), Purdue in 2003 (71-54) and Michigan State in 2004 (82-73 OT), with the fourth defeat coming to Tennessee last year (62-51). The Purdue loss also snapped a 33-game non-conference home winning streak which began after the UW setback.

Since its inaugural season in 1977-78, Notre Dame has played all of its games at the Joyce Center, posting a 285-77 (.787) record at the venerable facility. Three times (1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2003-04), the Irish went a perfect 15-0 at home, setting a school record for home wins in a season. The 2006-07 campaign will tie for the most regular-season home games (16) in school history, although in 2004-05, the Irish played host to all four rounds of the Preseason WNIT before its regular 12-game home slate began.

Jammin’ The Joyce
Beginning with its national championship season of 2000-01, Notre Dame has ranked among the top 20 in the nation in attendance each of the past six years, including a No. 11 rating in 2005-06 (6,601 fans per game).

What’s more, each of the top 20 women’s basketball crowds in Joyce Center history have occurred during the 19-year tenure of head coach Muffet McGraw (1987-present), with 19 of those 20 occurring in the past six seasons (2000-01 to present). Lastly, the Irish have attracted at least 5,000 fans to 78 of their last 80 home games, including 14 contests with at least 8,000 fans and the first three sellouts in the program’s history (two in 2000-01, one in 2005-06).

Oh Captain, My Captain
Senior guard Breona Gray and junior guard Tulyah Gaines will serve as team captains for the 2006-07 season. Both players are serving as captains for the first time in their respective careers, and each received the captain’s honor following a vote of their teammates prior to the season.

Notre Dame On The Small Screen
Notre Dame will have 10 of its regular-season games televised during the 2006-07 season. Highlighting this year’s television docket are five nationally-televised Irish women’s basketball contests, including a pair of games on the ESPN family of networks a week apart in early February.

This year’s TV slate continues a recent trend that has seen the Irish become a regular fixture on television. Beginning with the NCAA championship season of 2000-01, Notre Dame has played in 71 televised games, including 45 that were broadcast nationally. Last year, the Irish had 11 games televised, with eight being national broadcasts.

Notre Dame will make its 2006-07 television debut Nov. 16 when its 7 p.m. (ET) road opener at Penn State is aired live on College Sports Television (CSTV), which is picking up the local broadcast by WPSU-TV in State College, Pa. That will be the first of three Irish women’s basketball broadcasts for the national cable network, with the second coming Jan. 23 at Marquette (7 p.m. CT tip) and the third coming in the regular-season finale on Feb. 26 at DePaul (8 p.m. CT). The latter two contests are part of the BIG EAST-CSTV Game of the Week package, now in its second season. CSTV has aired 11 Notre Dame women’s basketball games during the past four seasons, with the first being that network’s inaugural broadcast of any sport (a Feb. 2003 game at Connecticut).

The Irish also are scheduled to make two appearances on the ESPN family of networks, beginning with a Feb. 4 home game against West Virginia that will be broadcast live on ESPNU and will start at 5:30 p.m. (ET). The following Sunday (Feb. 11), Notre Dame will play host to DePaul for a 5:30 p.m. (ET) game that will air on ESPN2 as part of that network’s “February Frenzy” split-national coverage designed to preview a similar coverage pattern for the NCAA Tournament. During the past six seasons, Notre Dame has appeared on the ESPN family of networks 28 times, averaging nearly five telecasts per year on “The Worldwide Leader in Sports”.

In addition, Notre Dame will play in five regionally-televised games this season. The first of those will come Dec. 6, when the Irish welcome Purdue to the Joyce Center for a 7 p.m. (ET) game that will air live on Comcast Local (based in Detroit). On Dec. 30, Notre Dame will venture to Tennessee for a 2 p.m. (ET) contest at Thompson-Boling Arena that can be seen live on Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast. And, on Jan. 27, the Irish will visit Connecticut for a 7 p.m. (ET) matchup that will be carried live on Connecticut Public Television (CPTV).

Notre Dame will appear twice on the BIG EAST-Regional Sports Network (RSN) package this season with contests at South Florida (Jan. 13, noon ET) and home against Rutgers (Feb. 24, noon ET). SportsNet New York will serve as the flagship for the BIG EAST package, with additional clearances to be announced at a later date.

Notre Dame On The Airwaves
For the 11th consecutive season, every Irish women’s basketball game (home and away) will air on commercial radio in South Bend, and for the seventh year in a row, Notre Dame can be heard on the flagship station of the Artistic Media Partners (AMP) Network – WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1490) in South Bend. Veteran broadcaster and AMP sports director Sean Stires is now in his seventh season handling the play-by-play for Notre Dame. The Irish also can be heard free of charge on the Internet at Notre Dame’s official athletics web site (www.und.com).

Joyce Center Arena Renovation On Tap
On Oct. 5, Notre Dame announced plans for a nearly $25 million renovation of the Joyce Center arena, including new chairback seating, a four-sided digital video scoreboard, and a club/hospitality area (as part of a new two-story addition to be built on the south side of the facility).

The $24.7 million renovation project has been underwritten with a $12.5 million leadership gift from Philip J. Purcell III, a Notre Dame alumnus and Trustee, and the retired chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley. Upon completion, the arena will be known as Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. The Purcell gift, combined with other benefactions, including a $5 million gift from 1959 Notre Dame graduate and Tampa Bay Devil Rays owner Vince Naimoli, brings the total contributions to the project to $22 million.

In accordance with University policies for new construction, work on the renovation will begin after the project is fully funded and designed. The University is actively seeking additional contributions.

Promotional Corner
Here’s a rundown of some upcoming promotions and giveaways at future Notre Dame women’s basketball games this season. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Irish athletics ticket office (second floor of the Joyce Center through Gate 1; 574-631-7356), on game day at the Gate 10 ticket windows of the Joyce Center, or via the Internet at Notre Dame’s official athletics web site (www.und.com). Please note – additional promotions and giveaways may be added at a later date, so consult the Notre Dame promotions web site (www.notredamepromotions.com) for the latest information:

• Nov. 10 vs. Central Michigan – Opening Night 2006 … free Irish women’s basketball drinking glasses to first 1,000 fans, courtesy of Coca-Cola and Legends of Notre Dame … post-game autograph session courtside with entire Irish team.
• Nov. 13 vs. Bowling Green – Notre Dame women’s basketball mouse pads to first 1,000 fans, courtesy of Notre Dame Federal Credit Union … post-game autograph session courtside with selected Irish players.

Next Game: Bowling Green
Notre Dame will face its second consecutive Mid-American Conference opponent to begin the 2006-07 season Bowling Green comes to the Joyce Center on Monday for a 7 p.m. (ET) contest. The Irish and Falcons will be meeting for just the third time, with Notre Dame having won both prior series games.

Bowling Green has all five starters back from last year’s squad that went 28-3 and won the regular-season and postseason conference titles. The Falcons thumped Findlay, 90-47 in their lone exhibition game, and will visit Detroit Friday before venturing to South Bend.