NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 1-ranked University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team picked up win number two on Monday, the same night the Irish dropped their 2018 national championship banner. The Irish (2-0) downed the Quakers (1-1), 75-55, at Purcell Pavilion.
Brianna Turner recorded her second consecutive double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Arike Ogunbowale led Notre Dame in scoring for the second straight game with 21 points, while tying her career high in assists with six.
“I think Arike (Ogunbowale) is really doing a good job with her leadership,” Karen & Kevin Keyes Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw said. Brianna Turner “is capable of a double-double every night. I was pleased she was able to get another one tonight.”
How It Happened
The Irish jumped out to 14-9 lead thanks to Turner, who hit four of her first five shots from the field to tally a quick eight points. Notre Dame finished the quarter up 16-13, in which 14 its points were scored in the paint.
In the opening minutes of the second quarter, the Irish utilized a quick 6-0 run spanning 72 seconds to force a Penn timeout and claim a 22-15 advantage. Penn later closed the gap to 30-25 with 2:40 remaining, but the Irish closed the half on a 9-2 scoring spree thanks to five points from Ogunbowale and baskets from Shepard and Young.
Ogunbowale entered halftime as the lone player in double digits with 13 while Turner hovered around a double-double with eight points, six rebounds. Furthermore, Young notched six points in the second quarter.
Notre Dame started the second half with a 13-0 run, building a 23-point lead up 50-27. By the end of the third, the Irish led 60-42, before cruising to the 75-55 final.
Player of the Game
Turner, who had eight points by the end of the first quarter, finished with 16. Turner also reeled in 10 rebounds for her second consecutive double-double and 23rd of her career.
Notes
- Notre Dame leads the all-time series vs Penn, 5-0, including a 2-0 mark at home.
- The Irish picked up their 27th straight win at home.
- Coach McGraw earned career win No. 890.
- Ogunbowale, who shattered Notre Dame’s single season record last year for 20-plus scoring games, has started the year with back-to-back games over 20 points. Ogunbowale finished with 21 tonight, marking the 35th 20-plus point game of her career.
- Ogunbowale tied her career high of six assists.
- Ogunbowale went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line and remains perfect on the year, now 15-for-15.
- Notre Dame dished out 21 assists on the evening and have recorded 20-plus assists in both games.
Up Next
The Irish hit the road for the first time in 2018-19 season when they head to Chicago to face DePaul. The game will tip off on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
— ND —