| Game 24: #4/4 Notre Dame (21-2, 8-1) vs. #25/25 Miami (19-5, 7-2) | |
| When: | Thursday, Feb. 7 | 7 pm ET |
| Where: | Coral Gables, Fla. | Watsco Center (8,000) |
| Watch: | ACCN Extra |
| Listen: | Pulse FM 96.9/92.1/103.1 | Bob Nagle & Ruth Riley Hunter | Listen Online |
| Live Scoring: | Click Here |
| Notes: | Notre Dame | Miami |
| Social: | @NDWBB |
| Reminder: | Irish have a clear bag policy for the 2018-19 season and moving forward |
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s basketball team jets south for a top-25 matchup on Thursday, Feb. 7. The No. 4 Fighting Irish (21-2, 8-1) challenge No. 25 Miami (19-5, 7-2) at 7 p.m. EST inside Watsco Center, streaming live on ACCN Extra. The Irish and Hurricanes are two-of-six teams with just two or fewer losses in ACC play.
Notre Dame leads the all-time series, 20-4, with an 8-2 mark at Miami. Last season, the Irish emerged with a hard fought 83-76 victory at home.
CAREER BEST STRETCH FOR MABREY
For the first time since the 2016-17 season and the second time of her career, Marina Mabrey has recorded three straight games of 20 or more points. Mabrey has led the Irish in that span, averaging 20.7 points.
NO. 3 ON FIRE FROM THREE
Over the last three games, Mabrey has shot a blazing 16-of-23 from three as her .696 three-point shooting percentage actually sits higher higher than her .611 field goal percentage for that span. Furthermore, Mabrey has converted a season high six threes in back-to-back games.
As a result, the New Jersey native has raised her season three-point shooting percentage from .425 to .485 over the last three games. That number ranks third in the country, only behind her sister Dara (.487) at Virginia Tech and Eastern Illinois’ Carmen Tellez (.506). That percentage is also on pace to finish second all-time at Notre Dame.
In addition, Mabrey has also raised her three-point field goals made per game from 2.3 to 2.8, which ranks third in the ACC.
Lastly, Mabrey has officially surpassed her position coach, Beth (Morgan) Cunningham, for No. 3 all-time in career treys. moving up to 244 in her career. Up next is Sheila McMillen with 249, while Alicia Ratay holds the top spot at 262.
YOUNG ONE OF NATION’S BEST SHOOTING GUARDS
Since returning from injury that resulted in one missed game, Young has converted 13-of-17 from the field. The junior now shoots an impressive 55.3 percent on the year, which ranks ninth in the ACC and 28th in the nation. More impressively, that shooting percentage ranks 4th nationally among just guards.
BEST IRISH PLAYER IN ACC PLAY ONLY?
Only one Irish player ranks in the top 10 in five different statistical categories in ACC play only. The answer: Marina Mabrey.
The senior ranks fifth in field goal percentage (.561), fourth in assists (4.6), second in three-point field goal percentage (.561), first in threes/game (3.6) and eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5).
TURNER TIDBITS
The block party continues to roll on for Brianna Turner, who’s defensive production has ramped up. She’s collected 22 blocks over the last six games, including a season high of five twice.
In addition, on Jan. 31 at Clemson, Turner notched her sixth double-double on the year with 17 points and 10 rebounds – also earned a career high six steals.
NAISMITH DEFENSIVE POTY MIDSEASON LIST
No surprise that the two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year found herself on the Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Award Midseason Watch List.
Turner is averaging 2.5 blocks per game, which leads all players in the ACC and ranks 16th in the nation.
Turner is currently chasing Notre Dame great Ruth Riley for the all-time mark (370 career blocks), sitting with 321 blocks heading into Thursday’s matchup at Miami.
RUTH RILEY – WBB HALL OF FAMER
The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame announced Notre Dame alumna Ruth Riley Hunter as part of its 2019 induction class on Feb. 4. Riley and the rest of the 2019 class will be introduced at the Women’s Final Four in Tampa in April, while the induction ceremony will take place June 8 in Knoxville, Tennessee.