No. 6 Irish Welcome Hoyas To Joyce Center On Saturday

Feb. 11, 2005

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(#6 AP/#7 ESPN/USA Today) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (21-3, 9-2)
vs.
Georgetown Hoyas (9-12, 4-6)

The Date and Time: Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005, at 2 p.m. ET.

The Site: Joyce Center (11,418) in Notre Dame, Ind.

The Tickets: Still available through the Notre Dame athletics ticket office (574-631-7356) or at the door on game day.

The TV Plans: Comcast Local/Comcast SportsNet Chicago regional broadcast with Ben Holden (play-by-play), former Irish All-American Ruth Riley (analysis) and Andy Greathouse (producer/director). Comcast SportsNet Chicago is available nationally on DirecTV (Channel 640).

The Radio Plans: Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1580) and WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend with Sean Stires (play-by-play) and former Irish standout Sara Liebscher (analysis) calling the action. These broadcasts also are available through the Notre Dame athletics web site at www.und.com.

Real-Time Statistics: Live in-game statistics are available for the Georgetown game, via the Notre Dame (www.und.com) athletics web site.

Web Sites: Notre Dame (www.und.com), Georgetown (www.guhoyas.com).

#6/7 IRISH MAKE BRIEF STOP AT HOME SATURDAY TO TAKE ON GEORGETOWN
In the midst of a rugged stretch that includes five of its last seven games on the road, No. 6/7 Notre Dame returns to the friendly surroundings of the Joyce Center Saturday for a 2 p.m. (ET) game against Georgetown. The contest will be televised on a regional basis by Comcast Local and Comcast SportsNet Chicago (DirecTV Channel 640).

The Irish (21-3, 9-2 BIG EAST) stretched their winning streak to a season-high eight games Wednesday night with a 75-57 victory at Providence. Notre Dame actually trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, thanks in part to PC’s strong three-point shooting. However, the Irish outscored the Friars, 45-21 in the second half to post the comfortable win.

Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast led Notre Dame with her sixth double-double of the year, piling up 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Georgetown (9-12, 4-6) also is riding its longest winning streak of the year, picking up its third win in a row with a 71-65 conquest of West Virginia at home on Feb. 5. Senior guard Mary Lisicky led four Hoyas in double digits with 19 points off the bench.

Freshman forward Kieraah Marlow has been the story for GU this year, ranking among the top 10 in the BIG EAST in scoring (13.2 ppg.), rebounding (9.0 rpg.) and double-doubles (11).

Head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy is in her first season at Georgetown and first as a college skipper.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE FIGHTING IRISH
It’s hard to say a 13-3 team was at a crossroads in its season, but Notre Dame found itself in such a situation entering its Jan. 16 game with No. 20 Purdue. The Irish had opened with wins in 13 of their first 14 games, including a memorable run to the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT title that included victories over a pair of top-10 opponents (No. 6 Duke and No. 10 Ohio State). However, after rising as high as third in the polls, a pair of bitter losses to BIG EAST foes Villanova and No. 16 Connecticut sapped some of the team’s confidence and left them searching for answers heading into the Purdue contest.

After a tense struggle through the first 10 minutes, Notre Dame pulled away and put together its second-highest offensive production of the season while ending a four-game losing streak to its in-state rival. The victory sparked a current season-high eight-game winning streak that has seen Notre Dame win five times by double figures, and four times against ranked opponents (two vs. top-10 foes). In addition to the Purdue victory, the Irish also have come back a 13-point deficit to defeat No. 6/7 Rutgers, gone on the road to oust No. 9/10 Connecticut (snapping the Huskies’ 112-game BIG EAST regular-season home winning streak) and fought past No. 16/13 Boston College.

Despite the added focus shown to her by opposing teams (and a recent bout with a stomach virus), senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast was a major catalyst for the Irish this season, averaging 17.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. A three-time BIG EAST Player of the Week and member of the Wooden Women’s Award Midseason Top 20 List, Batteast has scored in double digits 21 times this season, has earned game-high scoring honors on 13 occasions and has six double-doubles. She also moved into the top five on Notre Dame’s career lists for points (1,745), rebounds (903), blocks (155) and double-doubles (38). In addition, with 10 rebounds at Providence Feb. 9, she became only the third Irish player to amass 1,700 points and 900 rebounds in her career, joining All-Americans Katryna Gaither and Ruth Riley.

Junior guard Megan Duffy also has stepped up her play this season, registering 11.3 points per game with a team-high 5.6 assists (second in the BIG EAST and 26th in the nation) and 2.75 steals per game (first in the BIG EAST). Duffy also leads the league and is fourth nationally with a .911 free throw percentage (92-101) this season, sparking the Irish to a .740 free throw ratio (second in the league and 28th in the NCAA as of Feb. 8).

In the post, senior center Teresa Borton is showing capable leadership by example. In the past 11 games, Borton is averaging 10.9 ppg. and 6.7 rpg. with a .622 field goal percentage (51-82) and has seven double-figure scoring games. She is third on the team in scoring this season (8.8 ppg.), second in rebounding (5.9 rpg.) and first in blocked shots (1.71 bpg.) and field goal percentage (.577).

SOME POTENT NOTABLES ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH

• Notre Dame won its first seven games this season, the second-best debut in the program’s history. The 2000-01 squad opened with a 23-game win streak en route to school’s first national championship. The Irish also reached the double-digit win mark Dec. 19 at Marquette, getting their 10th win faster than any team in school history (the ’00-01 team did it two days later on Dec. 21, 2000).
• The Irish are 9-1 on the road this year, and won their first five road games this season for the second time in school history. The 2000-01 club opened with a 10-game road winning streak to set the school standard. Ironically, Notre Dame struggled in true road games last year, losing its first four and six of its first seven on the opposition’s floor.
• Notre Dame picked up its 20th win of the season Feb. 5 at Pittsburgh. The Irish have now posted 12 consecutive 20-win seasons (one of only six schools in the nation that can make that claim) and 16 in the 18-year Muffet McGraw era. In addition, Notre Dame reached the 20-win mark in its 23rd game this season, marking the fourth-fastest run to 20 victories in school history. The 2000-01 club opened with 23 consecutive wins, while the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 squads each did it in 22 games. However, in terms of calendar dates, the Irish logged their 20th win faster than any Notre Dame team except the 2000-01 unit, which reached the mark on Jan. 31.
• The Irish have been a fixture near the top of the RPI charts this year. Through Feb. 10, Notre Dame is fourth in the WBCA/Summerville RPI rankings, with the nation’s 24th-toughest schedule.
• Notre Dame has appeared in the top 10 of the AP balloting 12 times in the first 14 polls of the year, checking in at No. 6 for the third consecutive week. On three other times in school history have the Irish spent longer in the AP top 10 during one season – 1998-99 (16 weeks), 1999-2000 (15 weeks) and 2000-01 (18 weeks). All told, Notre Dame has now spent 68 weeks in the AP top 10 and has a 105-18 (.854) all-time record when it’s ranked in the top 10.
• The Irish have posted 36 wins over AP Top 25 opponents in the past seven seasons (1998-99 to present), including six this year (No. 6 Duke, No. 10 Ohio State, No. 20 Purdue, No. 6 Rutgers, No. 9 Connecticut and No. 16 Boston College). Notre Dame is tied for the fourth-most Top 25 wins this season, exceeded only by Duke’s eight wins and seven victories each for Michigan State and Ohio State. During the past two years, the Irish have 13 wins over ranked opponents.
• Notre Dame has defeated 23 top-10 opponents in its history, adding to that total with four victories this season. The four top-10 wins represent the second-highest total in school history (and tie Penn State for the most by any team in the nation this season) – the 2000-01 squad holds the Irish record with seven top-10 victories.
• Notre Dame owns a unique distinction with victories over both the No. 2 (Ohio State) and No. 3 (Duke) teams in this week’s Associated Press poll. In fact, the Irish are one of only two teams to defeat Duke so far this season, and also one of just two squads to solve OSU in 2004-05.
• Head coach Muffet McGraw has a 405-152 (.727) record in 18 seasons with the Irish, having logged the milestone 400th victory Jan. 23 against Rutgers. She also has a 493-193 (.719) overall record in 23 seasons, leaving her only seven victories shy of the 500-win plateau for her career.

A QUICK LOOK AT GEORGETOWN
It took about half a season for Georgetown to adjust to the style of its new head coach, Terri Williams-Flournoy, but it appears the Hoyas have found their stride and are peaking at the right moment with the conference season winding down.

Georgetown (9-12, 4-6 BIG EAST) is on a season-long three-game winning streak and should be well-rested for Saturday’s matchup with Notre Dame, having had the past week off. The Hoyas last saw action on Feb. 5, defeating West Virginia, 71-65 in Washington. Senior guard Mary Lisicky came off the bench to pump in 19 points, pacing four GU players in double figures as the Hoyas erased a four-point halftime deficit to claim the victory.

Freshman forward Kieraah Marlow has been arguably the BIG EAST’s top rookie this season, leading Georgetown and ranking among the top 10 in the conference in scoring (13.2 ppg.), rebounding (9.0 rpg.) and double-doubles (11), leading the BIG EAST in the latter two categories. Senior forward Varda Tamoulianis had turned in a career season in her final campaign with the Hoyas, averaging 11.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, ranking among the BIG EAST leaders in the latter two areas.

Williams-Flournoy came to Georgetown this past off-season, following a lengthy career as an assistant coach that included stops at GU (1992-96), Georgia (1996-2002) and Southwest Missouri State (2002-04). She is 9-12 (.429) at the helm for the Hoyas and will be facing Notre Dame for the first time as a head coach this weekend (0-6 as an assistant).

THE NOTRE DAME-GEORGETOWN SERIES
Notre Dame and Georgetown will be playing for the 21st time in their series, with the Irish holding a 18-2 advantage over the Hoyas. The series dates back to the early 1980s, when the teams played a home-and-home set and Notre Dame won on both occasions. Georgetown broke through with its first victory over the Irish on Dec. 2, 1988, claiming a 70-60 win at the Investors Women’s Classic in Richmond, Va.

That was the only time the Hoyas had beaten Notre Dame until January 7, 2004, when Georgetown snapped a 15-game series losing streak with a 76-73 victory in Washington, D.C. It also was the first time the Hoyas had won in eight all-time matchups in our nation’s capital.

Among current Irish players, senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast has had the most individual success against Georgetown, averaging 19.3 points and 8.7 rebounds with three near double-doubles in three games vs. the Hoyas. Junior guard Megan Duffy also is scoring in double figures against GU, averaging 11.7 points with a .455 three-point percentage in two games vs. the Hoyas.

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND GEORGETOWN MET
Jacqueline Batteast had 20 points and nine rebounds and No. 23 Notre Dame held Georgetown to a season-low 29.6 percent shooting, beating the Hoyas, 66-52 on Feb. 4, 2004 at the Joyce Center.

Megan Duffy added 11 points and five assists, and Teresa Borton had 10 points for the Irish (14-7, 7-2 BIG EAST), who shot 45 percent and led throughout the entire game.

Rebekkah Brunson scored 12 points, six below her average, to lead the Hoyas (10-10, 4-6). Kate Carlin added 11 points for Georgetown, whose previous worst shooting night was 30 percent in a 72-62 loss to Indiana in early December.

Rhea Beal made a 15-foot jumper at the buzzer to end Notre Dame’s streak of holding opponents to 50 points or fewer at four games – one shy of matching the school record set six years ago.

The game was quite a turnaround from the last time the Irish played the Hoyas, losing 76-73 on Jan. 7. Notre Dame squandered a six-point lead with 54 seconds left in that game, allowing Georgetown to score seven points in 14 seconds.

In the rematch, the Hoyas made one brief run at the Irish. Notre Dame took a 36-23 lead when Teresa Borton made a pair of free throws with 0.4 seconds left in the first half. The Hoyas started the second half with a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 38-32 when Carlin hit a 10-foot turnaround shot.

The Irish regained control, though, with a 9-0 run when Courtney LaVere score five straight points to get the Irish going again. Batteast, who had failed to score in double figures the past two games, scored inside to end the run, giving the Irish a 47-33 lead. The Irish, who also outrebounded Georgetown 42-30, extended the lead to 60-41 when Batteast scored on a layup with 4:42 left.

OTHER NOTRE DAME-GEORGETOWN SERIES NOTES

• Notre Dame will be playing Georgetown for the 21st time on Saturday, making the Irish-Hoyas series the most frequent among BIG EAST Conference opponents. Notre Dame has played 20 times each against Connecticut (4-16), Rutgers (9-11) and Syracuse (18-2).
• Since the Irish joined the BIG EAST in 1995-96, they are 14-1 all-time vs. Georgetown, including a 7-0 record at the Joyce Center. Notre Dame’s only loss to the Hoyas in conference play came last season, a 76-73 setback in Washington when GU went on an 11-2 run in the final 43 seconds to wipe out a six-point deficit. That loss also is one of only two single-digit games in the series since the Irish moved to the BIG EAST – the other was a 67-63 Notre Dame win at home on Jan. 25, 1997.
• Notre Dame has scored at least 70 points in 15 of 20 career games with Georgetown. Conversely, the Hoyas have topped the 70-point mark just three times against the Irish, and only once in the 15 meetings that have occurred in BIG EAST play.
• The Irish have won all nine series games at the Joyce Center by an average margin of 19.1 points per game. In the past five matchups in South Bend, Notre Dame has won by 21.6 ppg. while limiting the Hoyas to 52.8 ppg.
• Although Georgetown head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy is in her first season with the Hoyas, Saturday’s game won’t be her first matchup against Notre Dame. As an assistant at GU from 1992-96, she faced the Irish four times, with Notre Dame winning all four games. Then, in 2000-01 as an aide at Georgia, she was on the Lady Bulldogs’ bench when the Irish claimed a 75-73 victory in Madison, Wis., at the Coaches vs. Cancer Challenge. Most recently, she was an assistant coach last season at Southwest Missouri State when the Lady Bears paid a visit to the Joyce Center for a first-round game in the NCAA Tournament (won by the Irish, 69-65 in overtime).
• Georgetown junior guard Leslie Tyburski grew up not far from the Notre Dame campus. She hails from just down the Indiana Toll Road in Hammond, Ind., and is a graduate of Gavit High School.
• Georgetown freshman guard Kristin Heidloff also will experience a homecoming of sorts, having graduated from Chicago’s Fenwick High School last year.

THE BEAST OF THE BIG EAST
Notre Dame is 133-30 (.816) in regular-season competition against the rest of BIG EAST Conference, owning the best conference winning percentage of any current member of the BIG EAST since joining the circuit for the 1995-96 campaign. The Irish also have finished either first or second in the BIG EAST eight times in their nine-year membership, and claimed a share of their first-ever regular-season conference championship in 2001.

When including postseason competition (BIG EAST and NCAA tournaments), Notre Dame is 146-39 (.789) against league opponents – when factoring in these 22 postseason tilts, the Irish are 74-8 (.902) at home, 59-25 (.702) on the road and 13-6 (.684) at neutral sites all-time vs. BIG EAST foes.

POLLING PLACE
Notre Dame is 182-43 (.809) all-time when it is ranked in the Associated Press poll at tipoff (the Irish are sixth entering Saturday’s game against Georgetown). When playing at home, Notre Dame has been especially strong, going 85-10 (.895) as a ranked host after posting a 12-2 record at the Joyce Center this season. Conversely, the Irish are 73-25 (.745) all-time when they play on the road as a ranked team.

Upon closer inspection, Notre Dame has been very sharp when it’s ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll. The Irish are 105-18 (.854) as a top-10 squad, including a 51-4 (.927) record at home. In fact, prior to its Dec. 2 overtime loss to then-No. 15 Michigan State, Notre Dame had a 41-game home winning streak when it was ranked in the AP top 10, dating back to December of 1998.

Charel Allen NAMED BIG EAST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Freshman guard Charel Allen was selected as the BIG EAST Conference Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Monday. The 5-foot-11 rookie is the first Irish women’s basketball player to earn the BIG EAST’s weekly freshman award since March 3, 2003, when forward Courtney LaVere was chosen to receive the final honor of the ’02-03 campaign.

Allen played a pivotal role in two Notre Dame victories last week, averaging 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game with a .625 field goal percentage (10-for-16) as the Irish defeated No. 16/13 Boston College, 64-57, and Pittsburgh, 75-47. Allen scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds against BC before collecting 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting against Pittsburgh in a return to her home state.

Having appeared as a reserve in all 24 games for Notre Dame this season, Allen currently ranks fifth on the Irish roster in scoring (7.9 ppg.) and third in both rebounding (4.4 rpg.) and field goal percentage (.459). She also has been instrumental in Notre Dame’s current eight-game winning streak, averaging 10.4 points per game with a .517 field goal percentage (31-for-60) during that stretch.

THE QUICK DISH
With apologies to ESPN.com’s Melanie Jackson, Notre Dame has its own true “Quick Dish” in junior guard Megan Duffy. During the past 11 games (starting with the first matchup vs. Syracuse on Jan. 5), Duffy is averaging 7.0 assists per game, with at least five handouts in 10 of 11 contests. In that time, she also has posted a sharp 2.20 assist/turnover ratio (77 assists, 35 turnovers).

And lest you think these numbers have been piled up against Podunk Tech, Notre Dame has played five ranked opponents (No. 16 Connecticut, No. 20 Purdue, No. 6/7 Rutgers, No. 9/10 Connecticut and No. 16/13 Boston College) in that 11-game span, and Duffy has averaged 6.8 assists per game with a 1.70 assist/turnover ratio (34 assists, 20 turnovers) against those top-25 squads.

THE SEASON FOR SHARING
One of the key elements in Notre Dame’s success this season has been its penchant for distributing the ball well. In fact, the Irish have 407 assists (16.96 apg.; second in the BIG EAST and 21st in the nation as of Feb. 8) on 602 field goals made (25.1 per game), including a Preseason WNIT-record 29 handouts in the season opener vs. Illinois State.

Junior guard Megan Duffy leads the way at 5.58 assists per game (second in the BIG EAST and 26th in the nation), with at least five dimes in 15 contests this year, including a career-high 11 assists vs. Rutgers on Jan. 23. Duffy also is second in the BIG EAST with 6.73 apg. in conference play.

ROAD WARRIORS
The Irish are 9-1 on the road this season, a far cry from last year’s struggles away from the Joyce Center, when they lost their first four and six of their first seven true road contests. In fact, Notre Dame won its first five road games this year, marking only the second time in school history the Irish opened with five or more road victories (they won 10 in a row to begin the 2000-01 campaign).

Accenting Notre Dame’s play on the road has been its defensive prowess. The Irish are holding opponents to 53.3 ppg., a .332 field goal percentage (185-for-557) and a .232 three-point percentage (42-for-181) away from home and have allowed more than 60 points only once in their 10 road games this year (61 by Syracuse on Jan. 19, although SU needed a Rochelle Coleman bucket with five seconds left to reach the mark).

PINE TIME PLAYERS
Notre Dame is 15-0 this year (6-0 vs. BIG EAST Conference opponents) when its bench outscores the opposition’s reserves. For the season, the Irish understudies are averaging 17.5 ppg., compared to 14.1 ppg. for Notre Dame opponents. Freshman guard Charel Allen has been the top Irish reserve this season, logging 7.9 ppg.

Notre Dame’s bench play has been especially important during its current eight-game winning streak. The Irish are getting an average of 23.5 ppg. from their reserves in that stretch, compared to 14.9 ppg. from the opposition’s bench. Allen (10.4 ppg.) has been the key bench contributor during the streak, ringing up 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting at Pittsburgh Feb. 5, along with 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting at No. 9/10 Connecticut Jan. 30.

THREE-FENSE
In the past 21 games, Notre Dame has limited its opponents to a .248 three-point percentage (93-for-375), after Irish foes were shooting .333 from beyond the arc (17-for-51) in the first three games of the season. On Dec. 9, Notre Dame held Dayton to an opponent season-low .071 three-point percentage (1-for-14), with the Flyers missing their final 13 three-point attempts.

For the season, Notre Dame leads the BIG EAST in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to a .258 mark (110-for-426) from long range.

THE FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNT
Notre Dame ranks second in the BIG EAST Conference in steals this season, averaging 9.63 thefts per game (231 total). The Irish have come up with at least 10 steals in 10 games and had a season-best 20 thefts on Nov. 22 vs. Colorado State, the most by a BIG EAST team this season.

Individually, junior guard Megan Duffy is tops in the conference in steals (2.75 spg., 66 total), while her backcourt mate, sophomore Breona Gray is second on the team with 1.29 steals per game (31 total). Three other Notre Dame players have at least 20 steals this year – senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (28), freshman guard Charel Allen (27) and senior center Teresa Borton (20).

LOTS OF FREE STUFF
When given the opportunity, Notre Dame has taken advantage of its trips to the free throw line this season. The Irish are second in the BIG EAST Conference and 28th nationally (as of Feb. 8), shooting 74.0 percent from the charity stripe. In fact, they set a school record by going a perfect 18-for-18 on Nov. 30 at Valparaiso, which also matches the best mark by any team in the country this season.

Notre Dame has been led at the gift line by junior guard Megan Duffy (.911, 92-101), senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (.824, 98-119) and freshman guard Charel Allen (.821, 46-56). Duffy currently ranks first in the BIG EAST and fourth in the nation in free throw percentage, while Batteast is second in the conference and has shown the greatest improvement among all Irish players this season with nearly a 20-percent jump from last year’s career low .627 mark.

One side note about Duffy’s free throw prowess – the Irish junior struggled at the line early in her freshman season, shooting just 59.3 percent (16-27) during her first 15 collegiate games. However, in the 72 games since then (Jan. 20, 2003 to present), Duffy is connecting at an .870 clip (207-238) on her foul shots. She also has made 100 of her last 110 free throws (.909) in the past 30 Irish games, dating back to Feb. 28, 2004.

McGRAW’S MILESTONES
Entering this season, Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw had the opportunity to reach three career coaching milestones. Here’s a look at her progress toward each landmark:

• Winningest basketball coach at Notre Dame – picked up 394th victory with the Irish on Dec. 19 at Marquette, passing longtime men’s coach Digger Phelps (393 wins from 1971-91).
• 400th victory at Notre Dame – registered 400th win at Notre Dame on Jan. 23 vs. Rutgers (current record: 405-152, .727)
• 500th victory overall – needs seven wins (current record: 493-193, .719)

BATTEAST NAMED TO WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON TOP 20 LIST
Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast has been named to the John R. Wooden Women’s Award Midseason Top 20 List, recognized the leading candidates for the honor that goes to the nation’s outstanding women’s college basketball player. In March, approximately 15 finalists for the Wooden Women’s Award will be placed on the voting ballot by the award’s National Advisory Board, which is comprised of some of the country’s leading sportswriters and sportscasters who cover women’s basketball on a regular basis. Those ballots will then be mailed to more than 250 voters across the nation, with the top five vote-getters earning Wooden Award All-America honors, as well as a trip to the Wooden Award trophy presentation ceremony April 9 at the Omni Hotel in Los Angeles.

DETHRONING THE CHAMPS
Notre Dame achieved a historic basketball feat on Jan. 30, becoming the first school ever to defeat both the reigning men’s and women’s NCAA champions in the same season on two occasions. On that Sunday night, the Irish women ousted Connecticut, 65-59 in Storrs, a mere three hours after the Notre Dame men also toppled the Huskies, 78-74 in South Bend.

Last season, Notre Dame became just the fourth school since the inception of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament in 1982 to have both its men’s and women’s basketball teams beat the defending national champions in the same season. The Irish women did their part by ousting Connecticut (66-51) on Jan. 13, 2004, while the Notre Dame men completed the double with an 84-72 win at Syracuse on Feb. 16, 2004.

The only other schools that can lay claim to this accomplishment are Duke (1998-99), Tennessee (1999-2000) and Michigan State (1999-2000), with Notre Dame and Michigan State being the only institutions to turn the trick in the regular season (Duke’s women beat Tennessee in the ’99 NCAAs, while Tennessee’s men downed Connecticut in the ’00 NCAAs).

THE PROVIDENCE RECAP
A second-half defensive adjustment saved No. 6/7 Notre Dame from falling to the BIG EAST’s last-place team.

Unable to slow Providence in the first half despite a variety of defenses, Notre Dame switched to a zone in the second half. It paid off as the Fighting Irish rallied for a 75-57 win over the Friars on Wednesday night at Alumni Hall.

Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast had game highs of 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead Notre Dame. She scored seven points during a 21-3 second-half run that broke a 46-all tie and gave Notre Dame a 67-49 lead with 5:50 left.

Notre Dame (21-3, 9-2 BIG EAST) extended its winning streak to eight games while Providence (1-20, 0-10) lost its 10th in a row.

Shauna Snyder scored 16 of her 18 points in the first half for Providence, which led 36-30 at halftime. It was only the third time the Friars led at the break this season.

Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw criticized her team’s preparation and defensive effort, calling the first half “probably the worst defensive half of basketball we have (played) all year.”

The Friars shot 50 percent in the first half, including 6-of-10 from three-point range.

“We generally play a lot of zone but (Snyder) was killing us,” McGraw said. “She did a great job in the first half of getting open and getting free and just making shots.

“(The Friars) shot probably better than they have all year,” she added. “Credit their offense because we were nowhere near them.”

The second half was a different story, with the Fighting Irish holding Providence to 21 points on 25-percent shooting (6-for-24). Senior center Teresa Borton and and junior forward Courtney LaVere scored 10 points apiece for Notre Dame. Kristina Baugh added 11 for Providence.

NOTING THE PROVIDENCE WIN

• Notre Dame extends its winning streak to a season-long eight games.
• The Irish now are 13-0 all-time against Providence (7-0 at Alumni Hall) and have won 11 of their 13 games against the Friars by double digits.
• Notre Dame is 9-1 on the road this season and has held nine of 10 road opponents to less than 60 points.
• The Irish are 15-1 this season when opponents fail to reach the 60-point mark.
• For the second consecutive outing, Notre Dame tied its season high for points on the road with 75 (also at Pittsburgh on Feb. 5).
• Notre Dame is 11-1 this season when scoring at least 70 points.
• The Irish are 12-1 this season when they have at least three players scoring in double figures.
• Notre Dame’s 45 second-half points are the most the Irish have scored in the final 20 minutes against a BIG EAST opponent this season (previously: 43 vs. Rutgers on Jan. 23).
• Notre Dame shot better than 45 percent for the ninth time this season, improving to 9-0 in such contests (4-0 when reaching the 50-percent plateau).
• During their current winning streak, the Irish have shot better than 40 percent in each game, while holding their opponents to less than 40 percent in seven of eight contests (Purdue shot .448 on Jan. 16, the first game of the streak).
• Notre Dame committed 15 turnovers or less for the fourth consecutive game and 10th time this season (10-0 record).
• During their winning streak, the Irish have committed 15 or fewer turnovers in six of eight games.
• Providence was held to a Notre Dame opponent season-low 24 rebounds (previously: 27, done three times and most recently by Syracuse on Jan. 19).
• Senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast registered her sixth double-double of the season and 38th of her career.
• Batteast also collected her 900th career rebound, becoming only the fourth player in school history to eclipse that milestone (Ruth Riley, Letitia Bowen and Katryna Gaither are the others).
• In addition, Batteast becomes only the third player in school history with more than 1,700 points and 900 rebounds in her career (1,745 points/903 rebounds); others are Riley (2,072 points/1,007 rebounds) and Gaither (2,126 points/986 rebounds).
• Batteast logged the 30th 20-point game of her career, moving her into sole possession of fourth place on the Irish all-time list, passing Trena Keys (29 from 1982-86).
• Junior guard Megan Duffy dished out at least five assists for 10th time in the past 11 games; she’s averaging 7.0 assists per game with a 2.2 assist/turnover ratio (77 assists, 35 turnovers) in that span.
• Senior center Teresa Borton scored in double figures for the fourth time in the past five games; she also had one blocked shot, giving her 134 career rejections and breaking a tie with Shari Matvey (1979-83) for fifth place in the Notre Dame record books.
• In making her first start since Nov. 26 at USC, junior forward Courtney LaVere scored in double digits for the third time in four games; the Irish are 7-0 this year when LaVere is in the starting lineup.
• Freshman guard Tulyah Gaines posted the second-highest point total of her brief career, topped only by a 12-point night at Northern Illinois on Dec. 30.

HALF AND HALF
Over the past five seasons, Notre Dame has been nearly unbeatable when it has the lead at halftime. The Irish are 93-7 (.930) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when they go into the dressing room with the lead. Notre Dame is 16-0 in such games this season, including a 6-0 record in BIG EAST Conference play.

THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD DEFENSE …
During the past decade, 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 144-8 (.947) record when they hold their opponents to less than 60 points in a game, including a 15-1 mark this 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. Over the past decade (1995-96 to present), the Irish are 90-3 (.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. Notre Dame has tacked two more wins onto that ledger with its victories this season over Illinois State and Purdue.

NOTRE DAME AMONG RECENT WINS LEADERS
Notre Dame has won 223 games over the past nine seasons, which is tied for the sixth-most wins of any school in the country during that time.

SWEET SUCCESS
Notre Dame is one of only five schools in the country to have appeared in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen six times in the past eight seasons (1997-2004). The others are Connecticut (eight times), Tennessee (eight times), Duke (seven times) and Louisiana Tech (seven times).

THE GOLD STANDARD
Having clinched their 12th consecutive 20-win season with a 75-47 victory at Pittsburgh on Feb. 5, the Irish are one of just six teams nationwide to have an active streak of at least 11 consecutive 20-win seasons. The others in these elite club are Tennessee (28), Texas Tech (15), Louisiana Tech (13), Old Dominion (13) and Connecticut (11), none of whom have 20 wins yet this year (through Feb. 10).

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 125 of their last 136 games (.919) at the 11,418-seat Joyce Center. Notre Dame also has a 74-8 (.902) home record in BIG EAST play.

The Irish have been particularly strong when it comes to non-conference games at home, winning 54 of their last 57 non-BIG EAST contests (.947) at the Joyce Center, dating back to the 1994-95 season. The only three losses in that span all came against Big Ten Conference teams – Wisconsin in 1996 (81-69), Purdue in 2003 (71-54) and Michigan State in 2004 (82-73 in OT).

Since its inaugural season in 1977-78, Notre Dame has played all of its games at the Joyce Center, posting a 275-72 (.793) record at the venerable facility. In three of the past five seasons (1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2003-04), the Irish were a perfect 15-0 at home, setting a school record for home wins in a season.

JAMMIN’ THE JOYCE
Beginning with its national championship season of 2000-01, Notre Dame has ranked in the top 15 in the nation in attendance each of the past four years, and current returns indicate this season may be no different. According to the Feb. 7 unofficial national attendance rankings (as compiled by the University of Wisconsin Sports Information Office), Notre Dame is 16th in the nation with an average of 5,635 fans per game.

All of the top 20 crowds in the Irish record book have occurred during the 18-year tenure of head coach Muffet McGraw (1987-present). And, as more evidence of Notre Dame’s rapid elevation to “hot ticket” status in South Bend, 19 of the top 20 crowds in school history have been recorded in the past six seasons (1999-2000 to present), including 12 audiences of 8,000 or more fans, and 63 of the past 65 home games with at least 5,000 fans filing into the Joyce Center.

NOTRE DAME ON THE SMALL SCREEN
The Irish are scheduled to make at least 13 appearances on regional or national television during the 2004-05 season (additional broadcasts may be announced at a later date).

Notre Dame made its TV debut this season on Nov. 20 when it defeated No. 10/9 Ohio State, 66-62 in the championship game of the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT. That contest was shown globally via broadband Internet connection at www.sportsview.tv, as well either live or delayed on several Comcast SportsNet outlets nationwide. The American Forces Network, which broadcasts to more than one million U.S. service men and women in 176 countries, also aired the game.

The Irish returned to the airwaves Dec. 2 when they dropped an 82-73 overtime decision to No. 15 Michigan State on College Sports Television (CSTV). That was the first of three Notre Dame games that will air nationally on the fledgling cable network, which has signed an agreement with the BIG EAST Conference to carry a national women’s basketball Game of the Week eight times in 2004-05. The Irish also lost to No. 16 Connecticut, 67-50 on Jan. 12 at the Joyce Center and will visit Boston College on Feb. 15 in front of the CSTV cameras.

In addition, Notre Dame will play twice on ESPN2 this year. On Jan. 16, the Irish downed No. 20 Purdue, 86-69 in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge at the Joyce Center. Two weeks later on Jan. 30, Notre Dame was back on ESPN2 as it defeated No. 9/10 Connecticut, 65-59 at Gampel Pavilion.

The BIG EAST also added two Irish games to its regional television package this season. Notre Dame lost at Villanova, 59-54 on Jan. 9 and defeated No. 6/7 Rutgers, 63-47 on Jan. 23, both on BIG EAST Television. Among those affiliates carrying the BETV package are Comcast SportsNet outlets in Chicago, Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as Fox Sports Net outlets in New York, New England and Pittsburgh.

Detroit-based Comcast Local (Channel 3 on Comcast cable systems in South Bend) is the latest television outlet to select Notre Dame women’s basketball games for broadcast. The newly-formed network will air five Irish games this season – at USC (Nov. 26), and home games vs. Washington (Dec. 11), St. John’s (Jan. 26), Georgetown (Saturday) and West Virginia (Feb. 26) – with former Irish All-America center, WNBA champion and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Ruth Riley slated to provide color commentary on the final three broadcasts.

NOTRE DAME ON THE AIRWAVES
Once again this season, every Irish women’s basketball game (home and away) airs on the flagship stations of the Artistic Media Partners (AMP) Network – WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1580) and WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend. Veteran broadcaster and AMP sports director Sean Stires is now in his fifth season handling the play-by-play for Notre Dame. The Irish also can be heard on the Internet at Notre Dame’s official athletics web site (www.und.com) by subscribing to College Sports Pass, which gives listeners full multimedia access to a variety of Irish athletics events for only $6.95 per month.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
For the fourth time in school history (all during the Muffet McGraw era), Notre Dame will have three players sharing the captain’s duties this year. Senior forward Jacqueline Batteast, senior center Teresa Borton and junior guard Megan Duffy all were accorded the honor based upon a vote of their teammates prior to the season. All three are serving as captains for the first time in their respective careers.

IRISH ADD TWO PLAYERS DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw has announced that Lindsay Schrader, a 6-0 guard from Bartlett, Ill., and Chandrica Smith, a 6-1 forward from Stone Mountain, Ga., have chosen to continue their careers with the Irish, signing National Letters of Intent to attend Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2005.

With the additions of Schrader and Smith, Notre Dame’s newest recruiting class is ranked 16th in the nation by Blue Star Index. That marks the ninth consecutive year the Irish have had a top-20 class, according to that publication, which makes Notre Dame one of only three schools in the nation that can claim that distinction (Connecticut and Tennessee are the others).

Schrader has been widely regarded as one of the top all-around players in the state of Illinois while attending Bartlett High School the past three seasons. She is a three-time all-state selection, a two-time Illinois Miss Basketball finalist, and a two-time Street & Smith’s All-America selection who has averaged 20.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in her prep career. Her finest all-around season came as a junior in 2003-04, when she averaged 20.8 ppg., 10.8 rpg. and 2.0 bpg. while earning first-team all-state honors from the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune and Champaign News-Gazette. She also was a sixth-team All-America selection by Street & Smith’s and was a finalist for Illinois Miss Basketball honors, an award she will likely contend for once again this season.

On the summer camp circuit, Schrader was an Underclass All-Star at the 2002 adidas Top Ten Camp, before attending the Nike All-America Camp in both 2003 and 2004. She is ranked among the top 30 high school seniors in the nation by three separate recruiting services – Blue Star Index (14th), All-Game Sports (21st) and All-Star Girls Report (26th overall – eighth among shooting guards).

In addition, Schrader made a significant impact at the 2004 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. Playing for the North Team that won the silver medal, she ranked third at the Festival in scoring (14.8 ppg.) and rebounding (8.6 rpg.), as well as second in field goal percentage (.542). All three figures were team highs, as were her 2.2 steals per game. For her efforts, Schrader was invited to attend the 2004 USA Women’s Junior World Championship Qualifying Team Trials, where she was one of 17 finalists for the 12-player team that won the gold medal this past August.

Smith currently attends Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., where she transferred prior to her senior season. Previously, she was a standout at Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., where she averaged 12.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.4 blocks per game with a .620 field goal percentage. She also was a key component in the Jaguars’ run to a 32-1 record and the Georgia 5A state championship last year. In fact, during her first three prep seasons, her teams posted a combined 89-7 (.927) record with three trips to the Georgia state championship and one state title.

Smith herself has received numerous accolades during her high school career. She is a two-time honorable mention All-America selection by Street & Smith’s and was a Student Sports All-American in 2004. In addition, she attended the adidas Top Ten Camp three consecutive years and was named to its prestigious all-star team all three years (Underclass All-Star in 2002 & 2003; Upperclass All-Star in 2004). Last season, she was an honorable mention 5A all-state selection and a first-team all-county choice. She is ranked as high as 29th in the nation among high school seniors by All-Star Girls Report.

Like Schrader, Smith also attended the 2004 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. Playing for the South Team, she averaged 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, scoring a personal-best 13 points in the bronze-medal game victory over the East squad.

Muffet McGraw SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION THROUGH 2010-11 SEASON
On Nov. 6, Notre Dame announced that Muffet McGraw has signed a two-year extension to continue as head coach of the Notre Dame women’s basketball program through the 2010-11 season.

McGraw, who is now in her 18th season with the Irish, most recently signed a four-year contract extension in July 2002 that took her through the 2008-09 season. Her first 17 seasons at Notre Dame have been highlighted by 15 20-win campaigns (including a current string of 11 straight), 11 NCAA tournament appearances (including a current streak of nine straight) and the 2001 NCAA title. Entering the 2004-05 season, she had a 384-149 (.720) record at Notre Dame.

In 2003-04, McGraw skillfully guided her team to a 21-11 record and a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen (the fourth for the Irish in five years). McGraw’s charges placed second in the BIG EAST Conference, their eighth top-two finish since joining the league nine years ago. In addition, the Irish went 15-0 at home, their third perfect record at the Joyce Center in the past five seasons, and extended their overall home win streak to 20 games, the second-longest in school history and eighth-longest active string in the nation heading into the 2004-05 campaign.

McGraw has continued to enhance her reputation as one of the nation’s outstanding big-game coaches and tacticians, piloting Notre Dame to a school-record seven wins over top 25 teams during the 2003-04 regular season. During her 17-year tenure with the Irish, McGraw has compiled 40 victories over nationally-ranked opponents, including 30 in the past six seasons (an average of five per year).

Under McGraw’s guidance, the past nine years have been the most successful in Notre Dame’s history as the Irish have compiled an impressive 225-69 (.765) record, including a sparkling 124-28 (.816) regular-season mark in BIG EAST play, the best winning percentage in league history. Notre Dame also has averaged 25 victories per campaign during that span, with two 30-win seasons to its credit. The Irish have won at least one NCAA tournament game every season over that time, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen six times (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004) and the Final Four twice (1997 and 2001).

PROMOTIONAL CORNER
Here’s a rundown of some upcoming promotions and giveaways at future Notre Dame women’s basketball games this season:

• Feb. 12 vs. Georgetown – Notre Dame women’s basketball dry erase boards (first 2,000 fans)
• Feb. 26 vs. West Virginia – Notre Dame women’s basketball beanbag bears (first 1,000 fans)

NEXT GAME: BOSTON COLLEGE
The Irish tip off a key two-game BIG EAST Conference road swing Tuesday at 7 p.m. (ET) with a visit to No. 22/19 Boston College. The game will be broadcast live across the country by CSTV, with WHME-TV (Channel 46 in South Bend) carrying the telecast live in the South Bend market.

Following a sizzling 12-1 start, Boston College (15-6, 6-4 BIG EAST) has come back to Earth a bit in the past two weeks, losing four of its last five games (three to top-10 opponents). The Eagles also have had to adjust to life with all-BIG EAST guard Jessalyn Deveny, who will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a ruptured right Achilles’ tendon in BC’s 64-57 setback at Notre Dame on Feb. 2. In the three games since Deveny’s injury (beginning with the loss to the Irish), the high-flying Eagles, who still lead the conference in scoring, have averaged 54.7 points per game. BC travels to Syracuse Saturday before returning home to play host to Notre Dame next week.

The Irish lead the all-time series with the Eagles, 9-4, although Boston College has a 4-2 edge at Conte Forum, the site of Tuesday night’s game. The last time Notre Dame visited Chestnut Hill, BC handed the Irish a 76-48 thumping on Jan. 29, 2003.