Nov 26, 2002
By TOM COYNE
AP Sports Writer
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Katy Flecky and Jacqueline Batteast combined for 41 points and 16 rebounds as No. 10 Notre Dame opened the season with a 107-65 victory Tuesday night over Cleveland State.
Flecky had 22 points and Batteast 19 with seven assists. They grabbed eight rebounds apiece.
Notre Dame, which scored 42 points in its season-opener against Valparaiso last year – the fewest points ever in an Irish win – broke the school record for points in a half en route to a 61-30 lead at the break Tuesday night.
Batteast broke the mark with a layup with 16 seconds left in the half, bettering the 59 scored in a 109-56 win over Marquette in 1990.
Teresa Borton added 18 points, all in the first half, Courtney LaVere had 18 and seven rebounds and Le’Tania Severe had 13 points. Erika Roudebush led Cleveland State with 23 points and Ashley Schrock added 10.
The Irish, who forced 31 turnovers, broke the 100-point mark when LaVere made a free throw with 4:06 left, the first time the Irish broke triple figures since a 111-90 win over West Virginia in 1999. The school record for points is 113 points, set against Liberty in 1989.
It was the most points given up by the Vikings since a 130-55 loss to Louisiana Tech on Dec. 28, 1998.
The Irish made 20 of their first 28 shots (71.4 percent) to open a 42-22 lead on a jumper inside by Borton. They made just six of their next 13 shots, but they continued to pull away.
Notre Dame shot 60 percent for the game while holding the Vikings to 39.3 percent shooting, blocking six shots.
Batteast fell two rebounds and three assists shy of becoming the first Irish player with a triple double since Sara Liebscher had 17 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against Detroit in 1990. The Irish won even though Alicia Ratay, the leading returning scorer at 15.4 points a game, had just four points on 1-of-4 shooting.