Feb 13, 2002
By TOM COYNE
AP Sports Writer
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Ericka Haney and Alicia Ratay scored 14 points each as No. 23 Notre Dame beat St. John’s 66-31 Wednesday night to extend its home winning streak to 50 games and hand the Red Storm their 13th straight loss.
The Irish (16-7, 10-2 Big East) dominated from the start, taking a 14-2 lead as the Red Storm (3-21, 0-13) made just one of their first 10 shots and turned the ball over four times. When Kenyawna Hudgens threw up an airball with 4:50 left in the first half the Red Storm had as many airballs (four) as baskets made, and trailed 20-8.
The win was the sixth straight for the defending national champion Irish, who returned to the Top 25 on Monday after a two-month absence. Their home winning streak is the 10th longest for women in NCAA history.
Haney, Notre Dame’s only senior, struggled early in the season and was taken out of the starting lineup. She’s played better recently, though, scoring 11 points in a win over Boston College on Sunday. She made 4-of-5 shots as she scored eight points in the first half against St. John’s.
Ratay, the other returning starter from last year’s championship team, added 10 rebounds. Katy Flecky had 12 points and 10 rebounds as Notre Dame had a 49-30 advantage off the boards. The Irish shot 39.3 percent despite going 0-for-15 from 3-point range.
Rasheedah Brown, who missed the last three games because of the death of her mother, led St. John’s with 10 points. St. John’s shot only 22 percent and had 21 turnovers. The 31 points scored by the Red Storm were the fewest allowed by Notre Dame since Jan. 21, 1982, when the Irish downed Valparaiso, 84-27.