Feb. 14, 2003
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-8, 6-5)
vs.
Providence Friars (9-13, 3-8)
The Date and Time: Sunday, Feb. 16, 2003, at 2 p.m. EST.
The Site: Alumni Hall (2,620) in Providence, R.I.
The Radio Plans: All Notre Dame games are broadcast live on WDND-AM (ESPN Radio 1620) and/or WNDV-AM (1490) in South Bend with Sean Stires handling the play-by-play. These broadcasts also are available through the Notre Dame athletics website at www.und.com.
Websites: Notre Dame (www.und.com), Providence (www.friars.com).
NOTRE DAME LOOKS TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM AS IT VISITS PROVIDENCE
With the BIG EAST Conference Championship looming in the not-too-distant future, Notre Dame will seek to continue its recent surge as it travels to Providence Sunday for a 2 p.m. (EST) contest with the Friars. Bolstered by a rejuvenated defense and an inspired offense, the Irish have won three of their last four games to move back into contention for one of the four first-round byes at the BIG EAST tourney.
In its last action on Wednesday night, Notre Dame completed a season sweep of St. John?s with a 76-48 rout of the Red Storm at the Joyce Center. The Irish shot 53.1 percent from the field and held SJU without a field goal for more than eight minutes to win their third consecutive home game and move to 13-0 all-time against the Red Storm.
Senior guard Alicia Ratay led four Irish players in double figures with 19 points, along with a game-high seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Jacqueline Batteast pitched in with 16 points and seven rebounds, while freshman forward Courtney LaVere added 13 points and sophomore center Teresa Borton registered 12 points for Notre Dame.
Providence (9-13, 3-8 BIG EAST) lost for the sixth time in seven games on Thursday night, falling at home to Seton Hall, 54-42. The Friars scored just 17 first-half points and shot 34 percent from the floor in the game to seal their fate. The 42 points also represented PC’s lowest scoring output of the season.
Sophomore forward Jessica Simmonds was the lone bright spot for the Friars, carding a double-double with game highs of 19 points and 10 rebounds. The 2002 BIG EAST All-Rookie Team selection is the leading rebounder for Providence this season, averaging six boards per contest.
Sophomore guard Michal Epstein is the top scorer for PC, averaging 15 points per game with a team-high 27 three-point field goals to her credit. Senior guard/forward Kacee Wheeler is shooting a team-high 55.9 percent for the Friars.
Susan Yow is in her first season at Providence and her 20th as a collegiate head coach. She owns a career record of 231-309 (.428) at four schools, although Sunday’s game will mark her first-ever matchup with Notre Dame.
SCOUTING THE IRISH
Notre Dame’s latest ascension to college basketball’s summit already is underway, thanks in large part to the nine returning monogram winners and three starters back from last season’s 20-10 club. Of the nine veterans back in the fold, only two are seniors, providing head coach Muffet McGraw with a rich blend of stability and experience upon which to build her next title contender.
McGraw now is in her 16th season at Notre Dame with a 356-135 (.725) record (444-176, .716 in 21 years overall) that includes 13 20-win seasons, nine postseason appearances, seven NCAA Tournament bids, four trips to the Sweet Sixteen, two Final Four berths and the 2001 national championship. Along the way, she has groomed seven All-Americans, 17 all-conference selections (including 10 first-team picks), seven players who have gone on to play professional basketball in the United States, and three USA Basketball National Team players (who have won a total of six medals). In addition, 15 of her former players and/or assistants currently are coaching at the high school or college level, including five collegiate head coaches. She also has been a master recruiter, attracting seven consecutive top 20 classes, including this year’s freshman class, which was ranked eighth in the nation by Blue Star Basketball. McGraw coached the 600th game of her career on Nov. 29, a 69-57 win at USC, and she earned her 350th victory at Notre Dame on New Year’s Eve at Marquette, joining Digger Phelps as the only Irish basketball coaches (men’s or women’s) to win 350 games at Notre Dame.
Two of Notre Dame’s three returning starters received numerous preseason accolades. Senior guard Alicia Ratay (10.8 ppg., 4.2 rpg., .448 3FG%, .866 FT%) is a two-time Associated Press All-American and she is a preseason first-team all-BIG EAST Conference selection this year. The Lake Zurich, Ill., native has seen her name sprinkled liberally througout the Notre Dame record book, including marks for scoring (4th, 1,613 points), three-point field goal percentage (1st, .476) and free throw percentage (1st, .866). In the latter two categories, Ratay’s shooting numbers would be good enough to place her among the top 10 in NCAA history, and her three-point ratio would be the best in NCAA annals. She has led the Irish in scoring six times this year, including a season-high 21-point effort on Feb. 1 vs. West Virginia. Ratay also tallied the 1,500th point of her career Jan. 8 at WVU, becoming the sixth player in school history to reach that milestone.
In addition, Ratay joined sophomore forward Jacqueline Batteast (team-high 15.7 ppg., team-high 7.7 rpg., 2.4 apg., 1.7 bpg., 2.2 spg, six double-doubles) on the list of 30 candidates for the 2002-03 Naismith Award, given annually to the nation’s outstanding player. Batteast is the reigning United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) National Freshman of the Year and was a unanimous choice as the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year after turning in one of the finest rookie seasons in school history. Like Ratay, she also was a preseason first-team all-conference choice this year. Batteast has scored in double figures in 20 games this season, including five 20-point efforts. She also nearly posted a triple-double in Notre Dame’s season-opening win over Cleveland State, finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds and a career-high seven assists. She did notch her first double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds at USC. Batteast also contributed a season-best 24 points (10-15 FG) at Arizona State and added her second double-double (18 points, game-high 10 rebounds) vs. Colorado State. She tacked on her third double-double at Marquette, posting a game-high 23 points (career-best 11-17 FG) and 11 rebounds, and notched her fourth double-dip vs. Miami (12 points, 11 rebounds). Batteast tallied her fifth double-double at St. John’s with 24 points and 11 rebounds. She then compiled her sixth double-double at Boston College with 17 points and a season-best 13 rebounds. Batteast also posted 20-point outings in back-to-back games earlier this month, scoring 21 vs. West Virginia and 20 vs. Georgetown, both game highs.
Joining Ratay in the Irish backcourt is junior guard Le’Tania Severe (8.6 ppg., 3.8 rpg., team-high 3.6 apg., 2.1 spg., .484 FG%, .825 FT%), who quickly has developed into one of the top point guards in the BIG EAST. Last season, the speedy Severe capably filled the large shoes left by the graduation of All-American Niele Ivey, setting career highs in virtually every statistical category. Severe has evolved into a scoring threat for the Irish this year, scoring in double figures in 10 games after cracking double digits only seven times in her first two years at Notre Dame. She canned all three of her three-point attempts vs. Cleveland State and scored 15 points at Valparaiso, knocking down a career-best 11-14 FT. Severe chalked up 20 points (5-5 FG, 10-11 FT) and a season-high six assists at Marquette, before adding 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists vs. Purdue. However, her best all-around performance may have come at West Virginia, when she tallied a career-high 21 points (6-9 FG, 8-9 FT) along with six rebounds, five assists and five steals. She also added a season-high seven rebounds in the rematch with WVU on Feb. 1, and had a career-high eight steals vs. Georgetown, the highest single-game total by an Irish player since 1991.
Severe is backstopped by freshman Megan Duffy (2.5 ppg., 2.5 apg.), a crafty lefthander with a commanding floor presence and a smooth outside jumper. Duffy dished out a game-high seven assists at Arizona State, the most by an Irish rookie since Ratay’s seven handouts against Butler on Dec. 1, 1999. She also scored a season-high six points at Marquette, hitting the first two three-pointers of her career. Duffy added a game-high six assists at St. John’s and had a team-high five assists vs. Connecticut. She has started five games for the Irish, playing a career-high 37 minutes at Boston College and hitting four clutch free throws in the final 24 seconds to ice the win over West Virginia.
Senior walk-on Karen Swanson (0.8 ppg., 0.2 apg.), junior Jeneka Joyce and sophomore Jill Krause (0.5 ppg., 0.3 rpg.) also will be counted on for support at the guard positions. Swanson tied her career high with five points vs. Cleveland State, while Krause has seen action in 15 games, grabbing a career-high three rebounds vs. IPFW and canning her first career three-pointer vs. Tennessee. Meanwhile, Joyce is out indefinitely while recovering from a myriad of leg injuries suffered during her career.
Sophomore center Teresa Borton (8.2 ppg., 4.6 rpg., 1.3 bpg., team-high .603 FG%) and sophomore forward Katy Flecky (7.6 ppg., 4.6 rpg.) have teamed up with Batteast to produce a formidable front line for Notre Dame this season. The 6-3 Borton turned in a solid performance in Notre Dame’s season opener, hitting her first six shots and finishing with 18 points. She also set new career highs with 11 rebounds and four assists vs. IPFW, and later added 14 points and four blocked shots against Tennessee. She then piled up a team-high 13 points vs. Miami and tossed in a season-best 19 points (8-11 FG) at St. John’s. On Feb. 1 vs. West Virginia, Borton knocked down all seven of her shots, tying her own mark for the second-best shooting performance in Joyce Center history. She then carded 11 points and a career-high five blocks vs. Georgetown, followed by a 12-point night (6-6 FT) vs. St. John’s. Borton also has been solid in BIG EAST games, posting a sparkling .635 field goal percentage (40-63). At the same time, Flecky is widely considered to be the most improved player on the Notre Dame roster, after logging 10 points per game during her team’s tour of Europe last May. She displayed her improvement in the season opener, tallying a career-high 22 points and game-best eight rebounds vs. Cleveland State. Her seven double-figure games this season already have topped her total (three) from all of last year. Flecky saw limited action during the month of January due to a lingering back injury, but appears to have recovered nicely of late. She recorded her first double-double of the year (and second of her career) vs. Georgetown with 12 points and a career-best 12 rebounds, then added 11 points and five rebounds at Virginia Tech. She returned to the starting lineup vs. St. John’s, rolling up career bests of five assists and four steals.
Freshman forward Courtney LaVere (12.1 ppg., 6.5 rpg., .498 FG%, five double-doubles) also is seeing significant playing time on the blocks for the Irish this season. LaVere was a consensus prep All-American as a senior at Buena High School in Ventura, Calif., averaging 26.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game, all while shooting 57 percent from the field. The potential the 6-3 LaVere brings to the table was noticed by one national media outlet prior to the season, as the website Women’s College Hoops.com named the Irish rookie one of its “Top 21 Freshmen of Impact.” LaVere wasted little time in living up to that billing, coming off the bench to card 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists vs. Cleveland State. It was the highest scoring output by a Notre Dame freshman in her debut since Ratay’s 18-point night vs. Toledo in 1999.
LaVere has been at her best against top competition, compiling three of her five double-doubles against ranked opponents (No. 5 Tennessee, No. 7 Purdue and No. 20 Villanova). She also has scored in double figures 12 times with four 20-point outings this season. Twice, she has scored a season-high 23 points (vs. Purdue and Rutgers), and she pulled down a personal-best 12 rebounds at Villanova.
THE NOTRE DAME-PROVIDENCE SERIES
Notre Dame leads the all-time series with Providence, 10-0, in a rivalry that began only after the Irish joined the BIG EAST Conference prior to the 1995-96 season. Notre Dame is 5-0 against the Friars at Alumni Hall and is averaging nearly 86 points per game against PC. Notre Dame and Providence played twice last season, with both games coming within a two-week span. In their first encounter on Jan. 5, 2002 at the Joyce Center, the Irish jumped out to a 19-point lead late in the first half, then had to fight off a furious Friar rally down the stretch to claim a 72-66 victory. Notre Dame was led by a trio of freshmen < forward=””>Jacqueline Batteast (26 points), center Teresa Borton (20) and guard Kelsey Wicks (9) < who=”” all=”” notched=”” career=”” highs,=”” accounted=”” for=”” 55=”” points=”” and=”” shot=”” a=”” combined=”” 59.3=”” percent=”” (19-32)=”” from=”” the=”” field=”” in=”” the=”” victory.=”” ryann=”” kilgore=”” came=”” off=”” the=”” bench=”” to=”” score=”” a=”” career-high=”” 19=”” points=”” and=”” michal=”” epstein=”” added=”” 13=”” points=”” for=”” providence.=”” in=”” the=”” rematch=”” on=”” jan.=”” 19,=”” 2002,=”” at=”” alumni=”” hall,=”” notre=”” dame’s=”” freshmen=”” class=”” combined=”” for=”” 48=”” points=”” and=”” the=”” irish=”” picked=”” up=”” 47=”” points=”” from=”” their=”” bench=”” to=”” post=”” a=”” 69-41=”” big=”” east=”” conference=”” win=”” over=”” providence.=”” batteast=”” scored=”” a=”” team-high=”” 14=”” points,=”” while=”” borton=”” registered=”” her=”” first=”” career=”” double-double=”” with=”” 11=”” points=”” and=”” a=”” (then)=”” career-high=”” 10=”” rebounds.=”” guard=”” le?tania=”” severe=”” highlighted=”” a=”” superb=”” effort=”” by=”” the=”” irish=”” reserves,=”” scoring=”” 13=”” points.=”” pc=”” got=”” a=”” game-high=”” 15=”” points=”” from=”” epstein=”” and=”” a=”” game-best=”” 10=”” rebounds=”” from=”” dani=”” trippany.=”” however,=”” the=”” friars=”” struggled=”” mightily=”” from=”” the=”” field=”” in=”” the=”” contest,=”” shooting=”” just=”” 23.3=”” percent=”” (14-60)=”” and=”” making=”” an=”” opponent=”” season-low=”” five=”” percent=”” from=”” the=”” three-point=”” line=”” (1-20)=”” on=”” the=”” day.=””>
SCOUTING PROVIDENCE
It takes time to get used to new things, and Providence is squarely in the midst of this adjustment period after welcoming a new head coach into the fold this season. Susan Yow, a veteran with 19 years of experience to her credit, has assumed the coaching reins for the Friars, taking over for Jim Jabir, who now is an assistant coach at Colorado. Yow’s first season at Providence has been full of twists and turns. The Friars (9-13, 3-8) started the year slowly, losing five of their first seven contests. However, they rebounded nicely with a pair of three-game winning streaks, the second featuring BIG EAST Conference wins over Pittsburgh and West Virginia. Since then, the pendulum swung back the other direction once again, with PC dropping six of its last seven games. The latest setback for the Friars came Thursday evening, when Seton Hall dealt Providence a 54-42 loss at Alumni Hall. PC struggled offensively in the first half, scoring only 17 points, but it still only trailed by nine points at the intermission. However, the Friars could not make up the difference in the end, shooting just 34 percent from the floor and 47.1 percent from the free throw line. Sophomore forward Jessica Simmonds, a BIG EAST All-Rookie Team selection last season, chalked up a double-double for Providence, amassing game highs of 19 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Michal Epstein has been the primary offensive producer for the Friars this season, averaging 15 points per game while making a team-high 27 three-point field goals. Simmonds has been tops on the glass for Providence, averaging 6.0 rebounds per game, while senior guard/forward Kacee Wheeler is shooting a team-best 55.9 percent from the floor. As a team, the Friars are averaging 61.4 ppg., while allowing 65.5 points per contest. PC shoots 42.3 percent from the floor, but its opponents are hitting at a .432 clip from the field. Providence is virtually even in the rebounding column, grabbing 33.4 boards and yielding 33.6 caroms per game. Yow is in her 20th season as a collegiate head coach, having also spent time at East Tennessee State (1978-86), Drake (1986-90), Kansas State (1990-93) and UNC Wilmington (1993-97). She has compiled a career record of 231-309 (.428) along the way, although Sunday’s game will mark her first-ever meeting with Notre Dame.
OTHER NOTRE DAME-PROVIDENCE SERIES TIDBITS
- Providence is one of four BIG EAST Conference opponents against whom Notre Dame is unbeaten (9-0). The others are Pittsburgh (11-0), St. John?s (13-0) and West Virginia (11-0).
- Notre Dame has scored at least 90 points six times in 10 previous meetings with Providence. Conversely, the Friars have broken the 70-point mark just three times against the Irish and have scored more than 60 points only once in their last seven games against Notre Dame (a 72-66 loss on Jan. 5, 2002 at the Joyce Center).
- The six-point margin (72-66) in that Jan. 5, 2002 game between the Irish and PC was the closest in the 10-game series between the two schools.
- The 69 points scored by Notre Dame in its last game with Providence (a 69-41 win) represented the second-lowest scoring output by the Irish in the series.
- The Irish have averaged 88.6 points per game in five previous visits to Alumni Hall and have won all five games by an average margin of 23.8 ppg.
- Notre Dame is the only visiting school to have a unblemished all-time record (5-0) at Providence?s Alumni Hall with a minimum of three games played. The Irish also are one of four teams to boast a winning record on the Friars? home court < the=”” other=”” success=”” stories=”” are=”” massachusetts=”” (3-2),=”” miami=”” (6-3)=”” and=”” rutgers=”” (7-1).=””>
- Notre Dame forward Jacqueline Batteast and Providence forward Jessica Simmonds were two of the six players selected to last year’s BIG EAST Conference All-Rookie Team. Batteast was one of two unanimous selections, along with Clare Droesch of Boston College.
COMMONPLACE
Notre Dame and Providence have faced six common opponents this season < west=”” virginia,=”” st.=”” john’s,=”” rutgers,=”” boston=”” college,=”” georgetown=”” and=”” virginia=”” tech=””>< with=”” the=”” irish=”” going=”” 5-3=”” and=”” the=”” friars=”” going=”” 1-6=”” against=”” this=”” common=”” group.=””>
IF NOTRE DAME WINS …
- Notre Dame will extend its series winning streak against Providence to 11 games, making the Friars one of seven opponents on this year’s schedule against whom the Irish currently have a double-digit winning streak (others are Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Valparaiso and West Virginia). The 11-game winning streak also will match the third-longest active skein for Notre Dame against a BIG EAST opponent < the=”” irish=”” have=”” won=”” 15=”” in=”” a=”” row=”” vs.=”” georgetown,=”” 13=”” straight=”” vs.=”” st.=”” john’s,=”” and=”” 11=”” in=”” a=”” row=”” against=”” pittsburgh,=”” seton=”” hall=”” and=”” west=”” virginia.=””>
- The Irish will improve to 11-0 all-time against Providence, making the Friars one of four BIG EAST teams Notre Dame has never lost to (the others are Pittsburgh, St. John?s and West Virginia).
- Notre Dame will be assured of finishing this season with a .500 or better record for the 23rd time in the 26-year history of the program.
- The Irish will lock up a winning record for the month of February, marking the 41st time in the last 43 months that Notre Dame has had a .500 or better record in a single month (dating back to Dec. 1994).
- The Irish will raise their all-time regular-season BIG EAST Conference record to 109-23 (.826), the best mark in league history.
- Head coach Muffet McGraw will see her record at Notre Dame rise to 357-135 (.726) in 16 seasons, and her overall ledger will jump to 445-176 (.717) in 21 years.
- The Irish will raise their all-time record to 521-234 (.690) in 26 seasons of varsity competition.
IRISH INJURY REPORT (as of Feb. 14)
Junior G Jeneka Joyce leg injuries, out indefinitely
BAGEL WORKS
Notre Dame owns an undefeated series record against 12 opponents in its history (with a minimum of three games played), including seven foes on this year?s schedule. The Irish have already preserved their unblemished marks against non-conference rivals Cleveland State (5-0), Valparaiso (16-0) and IPFW (3-0), as well as BIG EAST foes West Virginia (11-0) and St. John?s (12-0). In addition to Sunday?s opponent, Providence (10-0), Notre Dame also has never lost to Pittsburgh (11-0) < the=”” irish=”” will=”” play=”” host=”” to=”” the=”” panthers=”” on=”” feb.=”” 26.=””>
TAKING THAT FIRST STEP
With a win at Providence on Sunday, Notre Dame will clinch a winning record for the 2002-03 season, marking the 23rd time in the 26-year history of the program that the Irish will have finished at or above .500 for the season. The success has been even more impressive under current head coach Muffet McGraw < notre=”” dame=”” has=”” had=”” just=”” one=”” losing=”” season=”” during=”” her=”” 16-year=”” tenure=”” (14-17=”” in=”” 1991-92),=”” and=”” still=”” advanced=”” to=”” the=”” ncaa=”” tournament=”” that=”” season=”” after=”” winning=”” the=”” midwestern=”” collegiate=”” conference=”” tournament.=””>
WINNING BY THE MONTH
Another indication of Notre Dame?s continued rise to national prominence has been its consistent run of success. With a victory over Providence on Sunday, the Irish would assured themselves of finishing with no worse than a .500 mark in February (they currently are 3-1 this month with three games remaining). Notre Dame has posted a record of .500 or better in 40 of their last 42 months of action, dating back to December 1994. The only blemishes on that record came in March 2002, when Notre Dame went 1-2 during the BIG EAST and NCAA tournaments, and January 2003, when the Irish went 3-5.
POWER POINTS
Despite its earlier struggles this season, Notre Dame remains firmly in contention for an NCAA Tournament berth. According to the Feb. 14 Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) rankings compiled by Richie Summerville and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), the Irish are 27th in the nation, while their schedule strength is rated No. 18 in the land. In addition, Notre Dame is one of six BIG EAST Conference schools ranked in the top 30 of the WBCA/Summerville RPI (#1 Connecticut, #9 Villanova, #14 Rutgers, #19 Boston College and #21 Virginia Tech are the others). The Irish already have a road win to their credit over Villanova (58-56 on Jan. 25).
As a league, the BIG EAST ranks fifth in the country, trailing only the ACC, SEC, Big Ten and Pac-10, and leading the Big 12. In addition, the BIG EAST posted a 114-38 (.750) record against non-conference opponents this season, the best mark in league history. That includes an 8-2 record against the Pac-10 and a 7-3 record against the ACC.
TAKING THE IRISH TO BLOCK
Notre Dame is tied for the BIG EAST Conference lead and ranks 15th nationally with 5.18 blocked shots per game this season. The Irish are led by a trio of players who are averaging nearly one block per game < sophomore=”” forward=””>Jacqueline Batteast at 1.68 bpg. (third in the BIG EAST), sophomore center Teresa Borton at 1.27 bpg. (tied for fifth in the BIG EAST) and freshman forward Courtney LaVere at 0.95 bpg. (tied for 12th in the BIG EAST). Batteast has been especially potent of late, averaging 2.67 blocks per game in Notre Dame’s last six contests, including a career-high five rejections on Feb. 9 at Virginia Tech. Batteast also is the BIG EAST’s top shot blocker in conference games, averaging 2.18 rejections per league contest.
IT STARTS WITH DEFENSE
The Irish defense has come alive in the last three weeks, holding five of the last six opponents under 35 percent shooting, and four of the six under 60 points for the contest. Notre Dame has been especially strong in the last three games, limiting Georgetown to 49 points and a .269 field goal percentage, stifling Virginia Tech to the tune of 53 points and a .286 field goal ratio, and slowing St. John’s to only 48 points and a .347 field goal percentage. In all three games, the Irish held the opposition without a field goal for an extended period of time < georgetown=”” went=”” seven=”” minutes=”” without=”” a=”” basket=”” in=”” the=”” second=”” half,=”” virginia=”” tech=”” went=”” 9:08=”” without=”” a=”” field=”” goal=”” and=”” had=”” just=”” one=”” bucket=”” over=”” the=”” final=”” 12:33=”” of=”” the=”” first=”” half,=”” while=”” st.=”” john’s=”” went=”” dry=”” from=”” the=”” field=”” for=”” a=”” stretch=”” of=”” 8:15=”” spanning=”” the=”” first=”” and=”” second=”” halves.=””>
A WELL-BALANCED DIET
Notre Dame has benefited this season from a well-balanced offense, one which has seen at least three players score in double figures in 17 of 22 games (and 13 of 14 wins). In addition, the Irish have had four players reach double digits in eight games this season (Cleveland State, USC, Valparaiso, Arizona State, Temple, Miami, Georgetown, St. John’s) and had five double-figure scorers on five occasions (Cleveland State, USC, Temple, Miami, Georgetown). The last time Notre Dame had five double-figure scorers five times in the same season was 1998-99, when the Irish turned the trick seven times (vs. UCLA, San Francisco, Toledo, South Florida, Seton Hall, St. John’s and Syracuse).
As you might expect, Notre Dame has three players averaging in double figures for the season. Sophomore forward and Naismith Award candidate Jacqueline Batteast has been the pacesetter at 15.7 ppg., followed by freshman forward Courtney LaVere, who averages 12.1 points per game. Last year’s leading scorer, senior guard Alicia Ratay is third at 10.8 ppg. this season.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Taking their offensive balance to another level, the Irish have had five different players score at least 20 points in a game this season <>Jacqueline Batteast (five times), Courtney LaVere (four times), Alicia Ratay (three times), Le’Tania Severe (twice) and Katy Flecky (once). No other team in the BIG EAST Conference can make that claim, and only six other schools in the nation have done so this year < austin=”” peay,=”” eastern=”” kentucky,=”” oklahoma,=”” south=”” florida,=”” valparaiso=”” and=”” wisconsin-green=”” bay.=”” uwgb=”” is=”” the=”” only=”” school=”” in=”” the=”” land=”” to=”” have=”” six=”” different=”” 20-point=”” scorers=”” in=”” 2002-03.=””>