Notre Dame To Host No. 23 Villanova

Jan. 23, 2004

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NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (10-7, 3-2)
VS. (No. 23/No. 25) VILLANOVA WILDCATS (13-3, 3-2)

The Date and Time: Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004, at Noon ET.
The Site: Joyce Center (11,418) in Notre Dame, Ind.
The Tickets: Still available by calling the Notre Dame Athletics Ticket Office (574-631-7356).
The TV Plans: BIG EAST TV broadcast with Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Margo Plotzke (analysis), Lori Mancini (producer) and Tom Clark (director). The game will air live on Madison Square Garden (MSG) Network, Fox Sports Net Florida and New England Sports Network (NESN). It also will be shown on a tape-delayed basis by WHME-TV (Channel 46 in South Bend) Saturday at 7 p.m. (ET).
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 (play-by-play). 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 Villanova game through the Notre Dame (www.und.com) and Villanova (www.villanova.com) athletics web sites.
Web Sites: Notre Dame (www.und.com), Villanova (www.villanova.com).

IRISH BACK HOME TO TAKE ON NO. 23/25 VILLANOVA
Notre Dame will face its seventh ranked opponent of the 2003-04 season Saturday when it plays host to No. 23/25 Villanova in a noon (ET) game at the Joyce Center. It is the first of three consecutive games against ranked foes for the Irish, who also are looking to protect their current 12-game home winning streak.

Notre Dame (10-7, 3-2) shook off its troubles on the road Wednesday night with a 64-35 win at Syracuse. The Irish were especially strong at the defensive end of the floor, setting a school record for the fewest points allowed in a BIG EAST road game while limiting the Orange to a .231 field goal percentage, tying the lowest by an Irish opponent this year.

Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast extended her streak of consecutive double-doubles to four games with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds at Syracuse. Sophomore forward Courtney LaVere came off the bench to score in double digits for the third consecutive game, winding up with 10 points.

Villanova (13-3, 3-2) should be well rested, as the Wildcats have not played since Jan. 17, when they won at home over Seton Hall, 62-51. Sophomore guard Liad Suez led three players in double figures with 19 points. Suez is her team’s leading scorer this season, averaging 13.6 points per game.

Notre Dame leads the all-time series with Villanova, 12-6, including a 5-1 record at home.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE FIGHTING IRISH
Notre Dame has ridden a true roller coaster of emotions this season. Facing the nation’s fourth-toughest schedule, the Irish have been particularly dominant at home, going 7-0 at the Joyce Center, but have had maddening runs of inconsistency on the road, posting a 3-7 mark. Still, Notre Dame has gained valuable experience against some top-notch opponents this year, going 3-3 against Top 25 teams and firmly planting itself within the top 30 of all major RPI ladders.

• Junior forward and preseason All-American Jacqueline Batteast (15.7 ppg., 8.4 rpg., .481 field goal percentage, seven double-doubles) has lived up to her accolades this season, ranking among the BIG EAST leaders in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots (1.12 bpg.). She was named to the WBCA Classic All-Tournament Team on Nov. 15 after a superb weekend that included a career-high 27 points against 22nd-ranked Auburn. She then piled up back-to-back double-doubles vs. No. 20 Colorado (13p, 10r) and Valparaiso (15p, 10r) before logging team bests of 16 points and seven caroms at No. 3 Tennessee, 19 points at Washington and a game-high 13 points with six assists vs. Dayton. She then chalked up her third double-double vs. USC (20p, 13r) to earn the first BIG EAST Player of the Week honor of her career. Since BIG EAST play began, she has been red hot, averaging 17.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game with a sparkling .627 field goal percentage and four double-doubles, all in the past four games. She now has 61 career double-figure scoring games and 26 career double-doubles after a 12-point, 10-rebound effort Wednesday at Syracuse. Batteast also became the 20th Notre Dame player to score 1,000 career points when she tallied 14 points vs. Virginia Tech on Jan. 10, making her the fourth-fastest ever to reach that milestone (72 games).
• Junior center Teresa Borton (7.2 ppg., 4.4 rpg., .527 FG%, .857 FT%) and sophomore forward Courtney LaVere (8.6 ppg., 5.1 rpg.) also have made important contributions at times this season. Borton has recovered well from off-season heel surgery and was at her best vs. Colorado State and Marquette, ringing up 14 points on both occasions. Borton then added 11 points and eight rebounds at Georgetown, followed by 14 points and six boards against Virginia Tech. In fact, after not scoring in double figures once in her first six games, Borton has had at least 10 points six times in her last 11 outings. Meanwhile, LaVere, a freshman All-American last year, has had an up-and-down second season. She tied Batteast for team-high scoring honors with 12 points at Michigan State before rising up and carding season highs of 22 points and nine rebounds vs. Wisconsin. She once again cracked double figures on Jan. 1 vs. Marquette, tossing in 16 points on six of 11 shooting. LaVere has looked solid in her last three outings, averaging 11.3 ppg., with a .565 field goal percentage (13 of 23), providing a critical 14 points against Connecticut, 10 points at West Virginia and 10 points at Syracuse.
• Sophomore Megan Duffy (11.1 ppg., team-high 4.82 apg., .420 3FG%, .828 FT%) is in her first season as the everyday point guard for the Irish and she is proving to be a key cog in the Notre Dame offensive arsenal. After averaging only three points and 2.3 assists per game last year, the Dayton, Ohio, native has more than tripled her scoring output, ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in assists and owns a team-best 1.55 assist/turnover ratio (ninth in the BIG EAST). In addition, she is showing offensive diversity, knocking down 29 three-pointers this season. She also has eight double-figure scoring games to her credit this year, including a career-high 25 points vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 4, and 22 points at Georgetown on Jan. 7. Her ball handling skills have not diminished, as she also has registered five-or-more assists in 10 games, including a career-high nine assists on Dec. 7 at Washington, and 6.3 assists in her last four games (at least six handouts in all four games).
• Senior captain Le’Tania Severe (8.1 ppg., 3.5 apg., .489 FG%, .793 FT%) has slid over to the shooting guard position in place of the NCAA’s all-time three-point queen, Alicia Ratay, and Severe has filled the role admirably. While not putting up the three-point numbers Ratay had in her remarkable career, Severe is getting her points as a slasher, driving to the basket and creating havoc for opposing defenses. She also is tied for the team lead with 1.47 steals per game and has been a vital piece of Notre Dame’s transition game. She has scored in double digits seven times this year, including a season-high 15 points at Purdue and 12 points against Connecticut on Jan. 13.
• Senior guard Jeneka Joyce (4.6 ppg., .412 3FG%) also has been a pleasant surprise this season. After missing more than 20 months with recurring leg injuries, Joyce returned to action Nov. 21 vs. Valparaiso and promptly drained all three of her three-point attempts. She then knocked down three more treys to begin the Michigan State game and now ranks seventh on the school’s career charts in three-point percentage (.381).

A QUICK LOOK AT VILLANOVA
There is perhaps no more distinctive style of play in women’s college basketball than the patient motion offense run by Villanova. The Wildcats are known nationwide for their ability to bleed every second out of the shot clock and then drill a long three-pointer to dash the hopes of their opponents. Coming off a 28-3 season and trip to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2002-03, there were questions surrounding this year’s Villanova club with the loss of its top two scorers in all-BIG EAST selections Trish Juhline and Katie Davis.

Those questions have been emphatically answered through the first half of the 2003-04 campaign as the Wildcats have raced to a 13-3 record (3-2 in the BIG EAST) and a No. 23 ranking in the Associated Press poll (25th in the coaches’ survey). After a season-opening loss to nationally-ranked LSU, Villanova ripped off 10 consecutive wins to close out its non-conference schedule. The BIG EAST docket has been a bit more daunting for the Wildcats, who are 3-0 at home, but 0-2 on the road against league foes. One of those home wins was a 58-55 conquest of Miami, the only loss the 18th-ranked Hurricanes have suffered all year.

Villanova has had the last week off since a 62-51 victory over Seton Hall at home on Jan. 17. Sophomore forward Liad Suez scored 19 points of seven of 13 shooting to pace three Wildcats in double figures. Junior guard/forward Jennifer Hilgenberg added 12 points and seven rebounds, while senior guard/forward Kelly Nash chipped in with 11 points.

As a team, Villanova committed just six turnovers against Seton Hall and leads the nation with only 9.3 turnovers per game. The Wildcats also are attempting more than 20 three-pointers per game and making an average of nearly seven treys per contest.

Suez, an Israeli import who sat out last season due to NCAA regulations, is the only Wildcat scoring in double figures this season (13.6 ppg.). She also is second on the team in field goal percentage (.460) and three-point percentage (.402). Hilgenberg is second on the team in scoring (7.9 ppg.), while senior forward Courtney Mix is third in scoring (7.6 ppg.) and first in rebounding (7.3 rpg.).

Veteran head coach Harry Perretta is in his 26th season at Villanova with a career record of 478-265 (.643) at the school. He is 6-12 all-time against Notre Dame.

THE NOTRE DAME-VILLANOVA SERIES
Notre Dame and Villanova have tangled 18 times in their history, with the Irish owning a 12-6 edge (5-1 at the Joyce Center) in a series that dates back to the 1980-81 season. The vast majority of the games in the series have taken place since Notre Dame joined the BIG EAST Conference in 1995-96 < the=”” irish=”” hold=”” a=”” 14-4=”” record=”” against=”” the=”” wildcats=”” in=”” conference=”” games,=”” including=”” a=”” 4-1=”” mark=”” at=”” home.=””>

However, Villanova has won three of the last four matchups between the two clubs, with the most recent win (a 50-39 decision) coming in their last meeting on March 9, 2003, in the BIG EAST Championship quarterfinals at Piscataway, N.J. The Wildcats also came away victorious in their last visit to South Bend on Feb. 26, 2002, ending Notre Dame’s school-record 51-game home winning streak with a 48-45 triumph in the regular-season finale (recaps for both games follow in the next two notes).

Among current Notre Dame players, sophomore forward Courtney LaVere is the leading scorer against Villanova, averaging 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds with a .450 field goal percentage in two career games against the Wildcats. Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast isn’t far behind at 13.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in three all-time meetings with Villanova. A complete rundown of the statistics current Irish players have compiled against the Wildcats can be found on page 18 of this notes package.

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND VILLANOVA MET
Trish Juhline scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half and No. 20 Villanova defeated Notre Dame 50-39 in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Championship on March 9, 2003, at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway, N.J.

Nicole Druckenmiller added 10 points and Kate Dessart Mager had nine as Villanova (23-5) advanced to the tournament semifinals against Miami (18-11). Jacqueline Batteast had 15 points and Courtney LaVere added 12 for Notre Dame (19-10). Alicia Ratay, who was averaging 12 points, was held scoreless on 0 for 5 shooting in 31 minutes.

The last of four BIG EAST quarterfinals was offensively challenged in the first half with the teams leaving the court tied at 13.

Villanova took the lead for good on a layup by Juhline with 12:34 to play. The basket ignited a 12-2 run that featured two three-pointers by Druckenmiller for a 35-26 lead.

Notre Dame managed to get within six points several times, the last at 45-39 on a layup with 1:44 to go by Batteast, who also had nine rebounds.

However, Juhline hit two free throws on her team’s next possession and the Wildcats were never threatened again.

THE LAST TIME NOTRE DAME AND VILLANOVA MET AT THE JOYCE CENTER
Mimi Riley scored eight of her 15 points in the final four minutes, and Villanova ended Notre Dame’s school-record 51-game home winning streak with a 48-45 victory on Feb. 26, 2002, at the Joyce Center.

The Irish (19-8, 13-2 BIG EAST) had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but Allison Bustamante’s three-pointer from the left corner hit the near rim and bounced away. That made Villanova (18-9, 11-5) the first opposing team to win at Joyce Center since top-ranked Connecticut beat the Irish 106-81 on Dec. 8, 1998. The home winning streak was (at the time) the 10th longest in NCAA history.

Nicole Druckenmiller had 10 points for the Wildcats and Riley added eight rebounds as Villanova, which used a patient offense and outrebounded the Irish 36-35. Notre Dame, playing without Jacqueline Batteast for a fourth straight game because of a knee injury, was led by Alicia Ratay with 22 points and six rebounds.

Villanova, which led by as many as seven points in the first half, fell behind 43-40 when Ratay scored on a driving layup with 5:26 left. But Riley, who hit a last-second shot to beat Notre Dame 60-59 earlier this season, drove inside for a basket with 3:56 left, hit a pair of jumpers from the right baseline and then got a rebound of her own miss and scored with 63 seconds left to make it 48-43.

The Irish, who had won nine straight games, cut the lead to 48-45 on a pair of free throws by Ratay. But the Wildcats called two timeouts and ran the clock down to 12 seconds before Riley was fouled. However, she missed the front end of her one-and-one opportunity, setting the stage for Bustamante’s final three-point try.

OTHER NOTRE DAME-VILLANOVA SERIES TIDBITS

• Eight games in the series, including the last three regular-season contests, have been decided by eight points or less, with Notre Dame winning five of those eight affairs. Upon closer examination, the last three regular-season games have been decided by a grand total of six points (2.0 ppg.), and the outcome of all three games was in doubt heading into the final minute of play.
• The two head coaches in Saturday’s game rank among the all-time BIG EAST Conference leaders in career regular-season victories. Villanova skipper Harry Perretta has 197 lifetime league wins, second only to Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma (259). Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw is seventh on the BIG EAST all-time wins list with 115 conference victories, also trailing Seton Hall’s Phyllis Mangina (131), Miami’s Ferne Labati (123), Georgetown’s Patrick Knapp (120) and former Providence coach Bob Foley (118).
• In addition to their win totals, the two head coaches are among the longest-tenured active skippers in the BIG EAST. Villanova’s Harry Perretta is second among league coaches, having piloted the Wildcats in 743 games over 26 seasons, trailing only Rutgers’ C.Vivian Stringer (918 games in 32 years). Meanwhile, Notre Dame mentor Muffet McGraw has coached 647 games in 22 collegiate campaigns overall, guiding the Irish in 518 games over the last 17 seasons. Her career total is good for fourth-best in the BIG EAST, behind only Stringer, Perretta and Miami’s Ferne Labati (715 games in 25 seasons).

NOTRE DAME-VILLANOVA CONNECTIONS

• Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw is a native of Pottsville, Pa., and previously spent five seasons (1983-87) as the head coach at Lehigh, compiling a 88-41 (.683) record with the Engineers. She also was a four-year starter at point guard for Saint Joseph’s, captaining the 1976-77 SJU squad to a 23-5 record and No. 3 national ranking. In four seasons with the Hawks, McGraw helped her team compile a 59-12 record, qualifying for the Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (EAIAW) tournament once and the AIAW national tournament once. Following graduation, McGraw coached two seasons at Philadelphia’s Archbishop Carroll High School, guiding her squads to a 50-3 record, including a 28-0 mark in her second campaign, when she led ACHS to the Catholic League championship and was named the league’s coach of the year. She later spent one season (1981-82) as an assistant coach at Saint Joseph’s under Jim Foster (who is now the skipper at Ohio State).
• Three Ohio natives are on the combined rosters for Saturday’s game. Notre Dame sophomore guard Megan Duffy (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne H.S.) joins Villanova senior forward/center Jeanine Johnson (Lima/Lima H.S.) and senior guard Courtney Mix (Perrysburg/Toledo Central Catholic H.S.) as residents of the Buckeye State.
• Both head coaches are products of the vaunted ?Cradle of Coaches? in Philadelphia. Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw, a native of Pottsville, Pa., graduated from Saint Joseph’s, served as an assistant at SJU under current Ohio State skipper Jim Foster, and later became head coach at Lehigh before moving on to lead the Irish. Meanwhile, Villanova head coach Harry Perretta has spent his entire 26-year coaching career with the Wildcats after graduating from Lycoming (Pa.) College in 1978. In addition to McGraw, Foster and Perretta, some of the other coaching legends to come out of the Philadelphia area include Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma, Illinois’ Theresa Grentz, Penn State’s Rene Portland, Rutgers’ C. Vivian Stringer and former Old Dominion mentor Marianne Stanley.

THE BEASTS OF THE BIG EAST
Notre Dame is 115-26 (.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 won 71 of their last 87 regular-season conference games (.816), and claimed a share of their first-ever BIG EAST regular-season championship in 2001. When including postseason competition (BIG EAST and NCAA tournaments), Notre Dame is 127-34 (.789) against league opponents < when=”” factoring=”” in=”” these=”” 20=”” postseason=”” tilts,=”” the=”” irish=”” are=”” 63-7=”” (.900)=”” at=”” home,=”” 52-22=”” (.703)=”” on=”” the=”” road=”” and=”” 12-5=”” (.706)=”” at=”” neutral=”” sites=”” all-time=”” vs.=”” big=”” east=”” foes.=””>

ON THIS DATE
The Irish have played 10 times on Jan. 24 in their 27-year history, logging an 8-2 record on this date with a 4-0 mark on the road. Notre Dame last played on Jan. 24 in 2001, posting its third consecutive win on this date with an 87-64 victory at West Virginia.

IF NOTRE DAME WINS …

• Notre Dame will register its fourth win over a ranked opponent this season, improving to 4-3 against Top 25 clubs in 2003-04 and 3-0 against ranked teams at the Joyce Center.
• The Irish will extend their current home winning streak to 13 games, collect their 106th win in their last 115 home games (.922) and move to 64-7 (.901) all-time at home against BIG EAST opposition.
• Notre Dame will card its eighth win in the last 11 games since opening the year at 3-4.
• The Irish will improve to 116-26 (.817) all-time in regular-season games against the BIG EAST Conference, maintaining the best winning percentage in conference history.
• Head coach Muffet McGraw will see her record at Notre Dame rise to 374-145 (.721) in 17 seasons under the Golden Dome. She also will watch her career ledger improve to 462-186 (.713) in 22 years at the college level.
• The Irish will raise their all-time record to 538-244 (.688) in 27 seasons of varsity competition.

RECAPPING THE SYRACUSE GAME
Behind a record-setting defensive performance and a balanced offensive attack, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team eased past Syracuse, 64-35 on Wednesday night at Manley Field House. The 35 points allowed were the fewest ever allowed by the Irish in a BIG EAST Conference road game, and they were the second-fewest ever yielded by Notre Dame on the road, topped only by a 27-point lockdown at Valparaiso exactly 22 years earlier (Jan. 21, 1982).

Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast led the Irish at both ends of the floor, posting her fourth consecutive double-double and seventh of the season with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes of action. Sophomore forward Courtney LaVere continued to provide solid play off the bench, notching 10 points for her third consecutive double-digit game. Notre Dame saw 10 of its 12 players in uniform put points on the board, as the Irish reserves matched Syracuse’s total offensive output (35 points) in the contest.

As a team, Notre Dame shot 46.4 percent from the field (26 of 56), marking the third consecutive game in which the Irish have connected at 45 percent or better. Notre Dame also won the rebounding battle by a 47-26 margin and only committed 11 turnovers, one more than its season low (10 vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 4).

Notre Dame (10-7, 3-2 BIG EAST) jumped out to early leads of 6-0 and 8-3, the latter margin coming when Batteast knocked down a jumper four minutes into the game. Syracuse came back and squared the game at 8-8 when Chineze Nwagbo hit a layup with 13:48 remaining in the period. That would be the first and only tie in the contest, as Notre Dame outscored the Orangewomen, 20-8 over the final 13 minutes of the first half, holding their hosts to just two field goals in that time. A pair of free throws by sophomore guard Megan Duffy with 22 seconds left in the half handed the Irish a 28-16 lead at the intermission.

Syracuse (6-9, 3-2) made a run at Notre Dame in the opening moments of the second half, scoring five of the first eight points and pulling within 31-21 when Julie McBride hit a layup and was fouled with 17:18 to play. However, the veteran guard missed the ensuing free throw and the Orangewomen would never trim the margin to single digits the rest of the way. Syracuse did get as close as 15 points on three occasions in the second half, the last coming at 45-30 on a jumper by Nwagbo with 9:23 to go. The Irish then responded by going on a 19-5 charge to end the game, holding the Orangewomen to one basket over that final nine-minute span.

BATTEAST DOMINATING IN BIG EAST PLAY
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast has taken her game to another level against BIG EAST Conference opponents this year. In five conference games this year, Batteast is carding 17.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, making her one of only two players (Georgetown’s Rebekkah Brunson is the other) to be averaging a double-double at this stage in the BIG EAST season. She currently is tied with Brunson for the league lead in rebounding and is second in scoring behind the Hoya forward. In addition, she has the top field goal percentage in the BIG EAST during league play (.627) and she is riding a current streak of four consecutive double-doubles.

IT STARTS WITH DEFENSE
Notre Dame has stepped up its play recently thanks in large measure to the added pressure applied by its defense. During the first two weeks of BIG EAST action, the Irish rank among the top three in the conference in nearly every defensive category, including scoring defense (1st – 53.2 ppg.), field goal percentage defense (1st – .336), three-point field goal percentage defense (1st – .202), rebounding (2nd – 39.4 rpg.), rebounding defense (3rd – 32.4 rpg.), rebounding margin (2nd – +7.0 rpg.) and blocked shots (2nd – 4.6 bpg.).

Wednesday’s win at Syracuse provided a microcosm of Notre Dame’s current defensive prowess. The Irish held the Orangewomen to only 35 points, the fewest ever allowed by Notre Dame in a BIG EAST road game and the second-fewest the Irish have yielded in any road game (84-27 at Valparaiso on Jan. 21, 1982). In addition, Notre Dame limited Syracuse to an opponent season-low .231 field goal percentage (12 of 52), including a .167 three-point ratio (four of 24).

SILENCING THE BIG GUNS
Since the start of BIG EAST Conference play, Notre Dame has done a good job of shutting down the opposition’s top offensive threat.

BATTEAST AT HER BEST AGAINST THE BEST
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast has played very well in Notre Dame’s six games against Top 25 opponents this year. She is averaging 17.7 points and 8.8 rebounds with three double-doubles in those matchups against ranked opponents in 2003-04. Here’s a breakdown of her stats in those games (opponent rankings are from AP poll at time of tipoff):

WE DIDN’T STAY AT A HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS
Maybe it’s the long plane rides, or the lumpy mattresses in the hotel, or even the quality of the pre-game meal. Whatever the reason, Notre Dame has struggled mightily on the road this season, going 3-7 away from the Joyce Center (2-7 in true road games). That’s a far cry from the success the Irish have experienced at home, where they are a perfect 7-0 and own an active 12-game winning streak.

NO CUPCAKES FOR THE IRISH
Notre Dame has fought through a brutal schedule that has included playing six games against Top 25 opponents. The Irish have handled the challenge well, going 3-3 in those contests with victories over No. 22/25 Auburn (77-64), No. 16/15 Virginia Tech (53-40) and No. 4/4 Connecticut (66-51). Notre Dame narrowly missed a fourth win over a Top 25 foe, as No. 20/20 Colorado rallied to defeat the Irish, 67-63 in overtime in the championship game of the season-opening WBCA Classic in Boulder, Colo.

The rugged Irish schedule has not gone unnoticed by the national media. The latest Sagarin/Collegiate Basketball News has pegged the Notre Dame docket as the third-toughest in the nation, while the current CollegeRPI.com rankings and Massey ratings both have tabbed the Irish schedule as the fourth-toughest in the country (through Jan. 22).

NOTING THE IRISH WIN OVER #4 CONNECTICUT
Notre Dame’s 66-51 victory over No. 4/4 Connecticut on Jan. 13 at the Joyce Center was historic for a number of reasons. Here are just a few of them:

• Notre Dame’s win over Connecticut snapped the Huskies’ 121-game winning streak against unranked opponents, a string that dated back to Jan. 23, 1999 (a 78-66 loss at Boston College).
• Since the start of the 1998-99 season, Connecticut has lost by 15-plus points only three times and each time, those losses have come to Notre Dame (twice in 2000-01, once in 2003-04).
• Notre Dame is one of only two teams in the nation (and the first BIG EAST squad) to defeat Connecticut more than once in the past 11 seasons (1993-94 to present). During that 11-year stretch, Tennessee is the only other program with multiple wins over the Huskies.
• In the past four seasons (2000-01 to present), half of Connecticut’s six losses have come at the hands of Notre Dame.
• Over the past five seasons (1999-2000 to present), the Joyce Center is the only arena to see multiple losses by Connecticut.

A HALF TO REMEMBER
Notre Dame put together one of the best defensive performances in school history on Dec. 13 vs. Dayton, rolling over the Flyers, 78-41 at the Joyce Center. In that game, the Irish held UD to just 11 first-half points, which matches the third-lowest mark in school history and equals the lowest opponent total ever at the Joyce Center (11 in the second half by Grace College on Jan. 31, 1978 < pre-ncaa=”” era).=”” the=”” fewest=”” points=”” notre=”” dame=”” has=”” ever=”” allowed=”” in=”” one=”” half=”” is=”” seven=”” (first=”” half)=”” at=”” maryland=”” on=”” jan.=”” 9,=”” 1985.=”” the=”” irish=”” also=”” gave=”” up=”” just=”” 10=”” first-half=”” points=”” to=”” georgetown=”” on=”” march=”” 4,=”” 2001,=”” in=”” a=”” big=”” east=”” conference=”” championship=”” quarterfinal=”” game=”” at=”” storrs,=”” conn.=””>

In addition, Notre Dame limited Dayton to an opponent record-low .050 field goal percentage (one for 20) in the first half, breaking the old Irish opponent record of .115 (three for 26), which had been set twice < in=”” the=”” first=”” half=”” of=”” the=”” aforementioned=”” maryland=”” game,=”” and=”” by=”” depaul=”” in=”” the=”” first=”” half=”” on=”” dec.=”” 31,=”” 2001=”” at=”” the=”” joyce=”” center.=””>

RUNAWAY TRAIN
The Irish have often opened games in strong fashion, but nothing like what they turned out on Dec. 13 vs. Dayton. Notre Dame began the game on a 26-0 run, the largest game-opening surge in 27 seasons of Irish basketball. The previous record for the best start to a game was 17-0 vs. Texas Tech in the 2000 NCAA Mideast Regional Semifinal in Memphis.

The 26 unanswered points also tied for the second-longest run of consecutive markers by Notre Dame. The school record is 31 straight points, which the Irish achieved on Jan. 18, 1997 vs. Pittsburgh < notre=”” dame=”” trailed=”” 14-2,=”” but=”” went=”” on=”” a=”” 31-0=”” run=”” over=”” the=”” next=”” 13:14=”” to=”” seize=”” control=”” of=”” the=”” game.=”” the=”” irish=”” also=”” had=”” a=”” 26-point=”” spree=”” on=”” jan.=”” 31,=”” 1998=”” against=”” seton=”” hall,=”” turning=”” a=”” 56-29=”” score=”” into=”” an=”” 82-29=”” margin=”” over=”” a=”” 9:44=”” span=”” in=”” the=”” second=”” half.=””>

BATTEAST REACHES 1,000-POINT MARK AGAINST VIRGINIA TECH
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast scored a game-high 14 points on Jan. 10 against No. 16/15 Virginia Tech, becoming the 20th player in school history to score 1,000 career points. She also was the fourth-fastest Irish player ever to reach that milestone, doing so in her 72nd career game.

Batteast also is one of only five Irish players to score 800 points in her first two seasons at Notre Dame, joining Morgan, Matvey, Riley and Ratay. For her career, the South Bend native ranks fifth in school history with a 14.3 ppg. scoring average, and 17th in total points (1,070), needing 37 points to pass Danielle Green (1,106 from 1995-2000) for 16th place all-time.

BIG THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES
Based on her play this season, sophomore point guard Megan Duffy is making a strong case to be named the BIG EAST Conference Most Improved Player. Last season, the Dayton native averaged 3.0 points and 2.3 assists per game while still shaking off the rust caused by off-season knee surgery. She also struggled to find her shooting touch, hitting at a .242 clip from the floor and making only seven of 35 three-point attempts (.200).

Fast forward to this season, where Duffy has been an impact player from the outset. She is second on the team in scoring at 11.1 ppg., which more than triples her production from last year. However, her biggest improvement has come in her shooting numbers, where she’s connecting at a team-high .420 percentage (29-69) from the three-point line. She’s also more than quadrupled the number of treys she made all of last year and after cracking double digits just twice in 2002-03 (career high was 12 points), she has eight double-figure games this season, with all eight matching or surpassing her previous career best and two topping the 20-point mark. Her best outing to date was a 25-point outburst on Dec. 4 vs. Wisconsin, where she shattered her career standard from beyond the arc, going six for 10 from downtown.

But lest we forget her primary duties at the point, Duffy is leading the Irish and ranks fourth in the BIG EAST with 4.82 assists per game, more than doubling last year’s output. She also has just 53 turnovers, giving her a healthy 1.55 assist/turnover ratio (ninth in the BIG EAST). She has dished out at least five assists 10 times this year, including a career-high nine dimes on Dec. 7 at Washington. In addition, she is averaging 6.3 assists in Notre Dame’s last four games with at least six handouts in each contest.

DISTANCE LEARNING
One of the supposed question marks surrounding this year’s Notre Dame squad was its perimeter shooting. Through the first two months of the season, the Irish have had an emphatic response to that question. Notre Dame is fifth in the BIG EAST (and 30th in the nation) with a .356 three-point percentage, hitting 69 of 194 shots from beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Megan Duffy has been a major contributor from beyond the arc, connecting at a team-best .420 clip (29-69), which would rank second in the BIG EAST, but she has not made enough field goals to qualify for statistical ranking (minimum of 2.0 per game). Nevertheless, she stands 13th in the BIG EAST with 1.71 triples made per game.

Another long distance specialist for Notre Dame has been senior guard Jeneka Joyce, which is a pleasant surprise when you consider the Topeka, Kan., native has spent the better part of the past two seasons trying to recover from leg injuries. Joyce has knocked down 21 of 51 treys for a .412 three-point percentage, but she also has not yet made enough field goals to qualify for the rankings.

HARDWARE HAUL
Although they didn’t come away with the trophy they wanted at the WBCA Classic, junior forward Jacqueline Batteast and senior guard Le’Tania Severe did receive individual honors as members of the WBCA Classic All-Tournament Team. Batteast averaged 20 points and 7.5 rebounds in the two-game tournament, while shooting .529 from the field. Severe carded 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in the tournament and posted a stellar .857 free throw percentage (12 of 14). It was the first career all-tournament team selection for both players.

IRISH APPEARING IN BOTH MAJOR NATIONAL POLLS
Notre Dame is receiving 32 votes in the latest Associated Press poll (good for 27th if the poll were extended) after spending the first three weeks of this season in the AP Top 25 poll. The Irish were ranked 15th in the preseason AP poll, marking the seventh time in the last eight seasons that the Irish were tapped in the initial AP survey of the year.

Notre Dame also is earning two votes in the most recent ESPN/USA Today coaches poll after appearing in the Top 25 for the first three weeks of 2003-04. The Irish were pegged No. 16 in the preseason coaches poll, also the seventh time in eight years that they had shown up in the first ESPN/USA Today poll of the year.

This season, Notre Dame has faced or will face no less than eight teams that are currently ranked in both major polls (No. 2/2 Tennessee, No. 5/4 Connecticut, No. 8/7 Purdue, No. 14/14 Colorado, No. 18/18 Miami, No. 20/20 Michigan State, No. 23/25 Villanova and No. 24/19 Boston College). In addition, Auburn is ranked 22nd in the latest AP poll and Virginia Tech stands 23rd in the current ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll. Also, Rutgers is receiving votes in both polls this week.

HALF AND HALF
Over the last four seasons, Notre Dame has been nearly unbeatable when it has the lead at halftime. The Irish are 69-5 (.932) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when they go into the dressing room with the lead, including a 7-1 mark this year. One of those rare losses occurred vs. Colorado in the WBCA Classic on Nov. 15. Notre Dame led 37-33 at the intermission before the Buffaloes rallied for a 67-63 overtime win.

THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD DEFENSE …
Over the last nine seasons, 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 120-4 (.968) record when they hold their opponents to less than 60 points in a game. Notre Dame has added six more wins to that ledger this season by holding down Valparaiso (74-57), Dayton (78-41), Colorado State (63-59), Virginia Tech (53-40), Connecticut (66-51) and Syracuse (64-35).

… 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 last nine seasons (1995-96 to present), the Irish are 86-3 (.966) 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 tacked on another win to this tally on Dec. 4 with its 82-64 win over Wisconsin.

SWEET SUCCESS
Notre Dame is one of only eight schools in the country to have appeared in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen five times in the past seven seasons (1997-2003). The others are Connecticut (seven times), Tennessee (seven times), Duke (six times), Louisiana Tech (six times), North Carolina (five times), Old Dominion (five times) and Texas Tech (five times).

THE GOLD STANDARD
The Irish are one of just six teams nationwide to have an active streak of 10 consecutive 20-win seasons. The others in these elite club are Tennessee (27), Texas Tech (14), Louisiana Tech (12), Old Dominion (12) and Connecticut (10).

CHECK OUT THE THREADS
For the first time since the 1998-99 season, the Irish are wearing white uniforms at home this season, eschewing the golden togs they sported for the past four seasons. Notre Dame has worn white uniforms on numerous occasions on the past, dating as far back as the school’s first varsity women’s basketball squad, which took the floor in 1977-78. Blue continues to be the primary color for the Irish road uniforms.

NOTRE DAME AMONG RECENT WINS LEADERS
Notre Dame has won 191 games over the last eight seasons (23.9 victories per year), which stands as the ninth-most wins of any school in the country during that time. Here’s where the Irish rank in terms of their wins since the start of the 1996-97 campaign (totals through games of Jan. 22):

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 105 of their last 114 games (.921) at the 11,418-seat Joyce Center, including a current 12-game winning streak. Notre Dame also has a 63-7 (.900) record in BIG EAST Conference play at the Joyce Center, sporting a 31-game winning streak at home before it was snapped with a 48-45 loss to Villanova in the 2002 home finale.

The Irish have been particularly strong when it comes to non-conference games at home, winning 45 of their last 47 non-BIG EAST contests (.957) at the Joyce Center, dating back to the 1994-95 season. The only two losses in that span came to Wisconsin in 1996 (81-69) and Purdue in 2003 (71-54). The Purdue loss snapped a 33-game non-conference home winning streak which began after the UW setback.

Since its inaugural season in 1977-78, Notre Dame has played all of its games at the Joyce Center, posting a 255-70 (.785) record at the venerable facility. In both the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons, 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 10 in the nation in attendance each of the past three years. The Irish are looking to extend that streak to a fourth straight season, averaging 6,475 fans for their seven home games, including a season-high 8,574 fans on Jan. 13 vs. fourth-ranked Connecticut. According to the latest unofficial national attendance rankings compiled by the Wisconsin Sports Information Office (as of Jan. 19), Notre Dame ranks 11th in the country in attendance.

The Irish averaged 7,132 fans for their 13 home games last season, good for their second consecutive eighth-place finish in the final NCAA attendance rankings. Last year also saw Notre Dame register two of the top 10 crowds in school history, including a season-high gathering of 9,483 fans, the fifth-largest in school history for the nationally-televised matchup with Purdue on Jan. 4, 2003.

All of the top 20 crowds in the Irish record book have occurred during the 17-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 last five seasons.

NOTRE DAME FACING ONE TOUGH SLATE
Historically, Notre Dame has always played a difficult schedule and 2003-04 is more evidence of that fact. The Irish will play no less than 17 teams that qualified for postseason play last year, including 12 NCAA Tournament squads and six that advanced to the Sweet Sixteen (highlighted by two-time defending national champion Connecticut and NCAA runner-up Tennessee). In addition, five opponents (Connecticut, Purdue, Tennessee, Valparaiso and Villanova) won the regular-season or tournament title in their respective conference. Furthermore, 19 of the 26 possible Irish opponents finished with records of .500 or better last season, including 12 squads that posted 20-win campaigns. All told, Notre Dame opponents had a combined winning percentage of .610 last season (490-313).

NOTRE DAME ON THE SMALL SCREEN
Based on its success in recent years, Notre Dame continues to be a favorable television draw and the 2003-04 season will be no exception. The Irish are slated to play on the small screen no less than nine times in the coming campaign, including four appearances on national television.

Notre Dame made its ’03-04 television debut on Dec. 7 at Washington in a matchup that was shown to a national cable audience on Fox Sports Net. The Irish returned to coast-to-coast television on Jan. 4 when they visited Purdue for the inaugural BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge on ESPN2.

In addition, Notre Dame has been selected to appear on the BIG EAST Conference television package four times this season, including three home games. The Irish already have taken on Virginia Tech (Jan. 10), and will also face Villanova (Saturday) and Boston College (Jan. 31) at home, as well as travel to Rutgers (Feb. 28) for games in front of the BIG EAST TV cameras. Those games may be seen on a regional basis in several major East Coast markets, including New York, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia and Washington, as well as South Bend, where WHME-TV (Channel 46) will show the Virginia Tech, Villanova and Rutgers games on a same-day, tape-delayed basis at 7 p.m. (ET).

Furthermore, the Jan. 13 BIG EAST matchup between Notre Dame and two-time defending national champion Connecticut was televised by Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) with College Sports Television (CSTV) picking up the broadcast and airing it nationally.

Both Notre Dame-Miami games also will be televised this season. The Jan. 28 matchup in Coral Gables, Fla., has been picked up by the Sunshine Network and will be shown regionally on a same-day, tape-delayed basis beginning at 10 p.m. (ET). Meanwhile, the Feb. 25 rematch at the Joyce Center will be broadcast live to a nationwide audience on CSTV. That contest will tip off at 8 p.m. (ET) < some=”” early=”” schedules=”” initially=”” had=”” this=”” game=”” listed=”” one=”” hour=”” earlier.=””>

In addition, the semifinals of this year’s BIG EAST Championship presented by State Farm will be broadcast on the BIG EAST television package Monday, March 8 at 6 and 8 p.m. (ET) from the Hartford (Conn.) Civic Center. WHME-TV in South Bend will carry those games live. The championship game will air live on ESPN2 on Tuesday, March 9 at 7 p.m. (ET).

NOTRE DAME TO PLAY HOST TO NCAA TOURNAMENT ACTION IN 2004
After a two-year absence, the Joyce Center once again will be home to NCAA Tournament competition as Notre Dame was selected to be one of 16 sites for first- and second-round games in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Action at the South Bend subregional will take place Sunday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 23, with exact tipoff times and potential television broadcasts to be determined by the NCAA during the week leading up to the competition.

Should Notre Dame qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time in school history (and the ninth consecutive season), the Irish are guaranteed to play at home. Notre Dame has played five NCAA tourney games at the Joyce Center in its history, going 4-1 and and advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2000 and 2001 (the Irish went on to win the national championship in the latter season).

Single-session ticket books for NCAA Tournament games at the Joyce Center currently are available to the general public (one ticket for both Sunday games, one ticket for Tuesday’s only game). Single-game tickets will not be made available until after the field of 64 is announced on March 14. For more information on how to purchase tickets for the 2004 NCAA Notre Dame subregional, contact the Irish athletics ticket office at (574) 631-7356 or visit the ticket windows located on the second floor of the Joyce Center at Gate 1.

NOTRE DAME ON THE AIRWAVES
Once again this season, every Irish women’s basketball game (home and away) will air on the flagship stations of the Artistic Media Partners (AMP) Network < wdnd-am=”” (espn=”” radio=”” 1620)=”” and=”” wndv-am=”” (1490)=”” in=”” south=”” bend.=”” veteran=”” broadcaster=”” and=”” amp=”” sports=”” director=”” sean=”” stires=”” is=”” now=”” in=”” his=”” fourth=”” season=”” handling=”” the=”” play-by-play=”” for=”” notre=”” dame.=”” the=”” irish=”” also=”” can=”” be=”” heard=”” on=”” the=”” internet=”” at=”” notre=”” dame’s=”” official=”” athletics=”” website=”” (www.und.com)=”” by=”” subscribing=”” to=”” fighting=”” irish=”” pass,=”” which=”” gives=”” listeners=”” full=”” access=”” to=”” a=”” variety=”” of=”” irish=”” athletics=”” events=”” on=”” radio=”” for=”” only=”” $6.95=”” per=”” month.=””>

THE Muffet McGraw SHOW
Muffet McGraw’s half-hour, weekly television show is produced by LeSea Broadcasting and hosted by Bob Nagle. The show, now in its seventh season, is carried by WHME-TV (Channel 46) in South Bend and airs at 6:30 p.m. (ET) Saturdays through the end of the 2003-04 season. The show also is available via satellite (Galaxy 6, Transponder 15) each Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (ET), and may be seen on LeSea Broadcasting stations in Denver, Honolulu, Indianapolis, New Orleans and Tulsa (check local listings).

BATTEAST NAMED JOHN R. WOODEN WOMEN’S AWARD PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast (South Bend, Ind.) is one of 30 players who were named to the 2003-04 John R. Wooden Women’s Award Preseason All-America Team on Aug. 13. Based on a vote of the Wooden Women’s Award National Advisory Board, these 30 players are considered the top candidates for the inaugural Wooden Women’s Award, which will be presented to the most outstanding female collegiate basketball player at the conclusion of the ’03-04 season.

Batteast is a two-time all-BIG EAST Conference selection who started every game for the Irish last season, leading the team in scoring (13.9 ppg.), rebounding (8.3 rpg.) and blocked shots (1.56 bpg.). She also ranked among the top 15 in the BIG EAST in those categories, as well as steals (1.97 spg.) and double-doubles (8). In addition, the 6-2 wing scored in double figures 26 times, topped the 20-point mark five times, and earned game-high rebounding honors of 14 occasions. She ranks among Notre Dame’s career leaders in scoring average (6th – 13.8 ppg.) and rebounding average (tie-2nd – 8.1 rpg.), and she is one of only five players in school history to amass at least 800 points in her first two seasons under the Golden Dome.

Batteast is one of five BIG EAST players named to the Wooden Preseason All-America Team, joining Rebekkah Brunson of Georgetown, Cappie Pondexter of Rutgers, and the Connecticut duo of Ann Strother and Diana Taurasi.

In mid-January, the Wooden Women’s Award Committee will release its Midseason Top 20 List, followed in March by the official voting ballot which will consist of the top 10-15 players who have proven their success in the classroom (minimum 2.0 grade-point average) as well as on the court. More than 250 voters, comprised of sports media members and women’s college basketball experts around the country, will then cast their votes for the five-member Wooden All-America Team and the Wooden Award winner.

Although the 2003-04 season marks the debut of the Wooden Women’s Award, the honor initially was created in 1976 to recognize the top male collegiate basketball player in the nation. Past winners include Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84) and Tim Duncan (’97).

BATTEAST CHOSEN FOR STATE FARM/WBCA WADE TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast is one of 35 players who were selected to the 2003-04 State Farm Wade Trophy Preseason Watch List on Aug. 20 by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Based on a vote of committee members which include leading coaches, journalists and basketball administrators, these 35 players are considered the top candidates for the State Farm Wade Trophy, which will be presented to the most outstanding female collegiate basketball player at the conclusion of the ’03-04 season.

Batteast is a two-time all-BIG EAST Conference selection who started every game for the Irish last season, leading the team in scoring (13.9 ppg.), rebounding (8.3 rpg.) and blocked shots (1.56 bpg.). She also ranked among the top 15 in the BIG EAST in those categories, as well as steals (1.97 spg.) and double-doubles (8). In addition, the 6-2 wing scored in double figures 26 times, topped the 20-point mark five times, and earned game-high rebounding honors of 14 occasions. She ranks among Notre Dame’s career leaders in scoring average (6th – 13.8 ppg.) and rebounding average (tie-2nd – 8.1 rpg.), and she is one of only five players in school history to amass at least 800 points in her first two seasons under the Golden Dome.

Batteast was one of five BIG EAST players named to the ’03-04 Wade Trophy Preseason Watch List, joining Rebekkah Brunson of Georgetown, Ieva Kublina of Virginia Tech, Cappie Pondexter of Rutgers and last year’s Wade Trophy recipient, Diana Taurasi of Connecticut.

The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 27th year, is named after Margaret Wade, the late Delta State University coach who won three national championship in the mid-1970s. The Wade Trophy is considered the one of the most prestigious individual awards in women’s college basketball and is organized by the WBCA and the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS).

STREET & SMITH’S TAPS BATTEAST AS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Adding to her armload of preseason hardware, junior forward Jacqueline Batteast (South Bend, Ind.) was named a preseason honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith’s in the magazine’s annual basketball preview issue. It’s the third preseason honor for the talented 6-2 wing, who is a two-time all-BIG EAST Conference selection. She also was the 2001-02 United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) National Freshman of the Year and a WBCA/Kodak honorable mention All-American that season, as well as the unanimous choice for BIG EAST Rookie of the Year.

BATTEAST, ERWIN EARN PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast and freshman forward Crystal Erwin both received preseason recognition in a vote of the BIG EAST Conference coaches that was released at the league’s annual Media Day on Oct. 30 at the Newark (N.J.) Liberty Airport Hilton. Batteast was a preseason first-team all-BIG EAST selection, while Erwin was named the Preseason BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year, sharing the honor with Connecticut’s Liz Sherwood.

Batteast led the Irish in scoring (13.9 ppg.), rebounding (8.3 rpg.), blocked shots (1.56 bpg.) and double-doubles (8), ranking among the BIG EAST leaders in all four categories. She is a two-time second-team all-conference selection and is one of only five players in school history to score 800 points in her first two seasons at Notre Dame.

As a senior last year at St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., Erwin earned All-America honors from Parade, Street & Smith’s and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), and also was selected to play in the McDonald’s All-America Game in Atlanta. She averaged 22.3 points, 13.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game during her storied prep career, averaging double-doubles during both her junior (24.9 ppg., 14.9 rpg.) and senior seasons (21.2 ppg., 10.2 rpg.). She holds career records at St. Paul for points (2,720), rebounds (1,630) and blocks (380), as well as the school single-season scoring mark (869 in 2001-02). She follows Batteast as the second Irish rookie in three years to be chosen the BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year.

BATTEAST PICKED FOR NAISMITH AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Junior forward Jacqueline Batteast is among 30 preseason candidates named to the watch list for 2003-04 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Awards which are presented annually by the Atanta Tip-Off Club. The Naismith Awards program, now in its 36th year, honors the outstanding male and female college basketball players in the United States. The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of student-athletes in basketball. The candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists and basketball analysts.

The Naismith Award is the latest in a series of preseason honors for the Batteast. She was named a preseason All-American by both the John R. Wooden Women’s Award and Street & Smith’s magazine, and she also was selected to the State Farm/WBCA Wade Trophy Preseason Watch List. In addition, she was a first-team all-BIG EAST choice, according to a vote of the league’s head coaches.

IRISH INK THREE STUDENT-ATHLETES IN EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw announced Nov. 18 that three of the nation’s top high school student-athletes have chosen to continue their careers with the Irish, signing national letters of intent to attend Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2004. Charel Allen , a 5-10 guard from Monessen, Pa., Melissa D’Amico, a 6-5 forward/center from Manorville, N.Y., and Tulyah Gaines (pronounced too-LIE-uh) , a 5-8 guard from North Las Vegas, Nev., all committed to the Irish during the early signing period, which lasted from Nov. 12-19.

Allen will arrive at Notre Dame next fall as one of the top college prospects from western Pennsylvania. She is a three-time Street & Smith’s honorable mention All-American who averaged 29.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 7.2 steals and 4.8 assists per game last season at Monessen High School. She also is a two-time Associated Press first-team all-state pick and was named the 2003 AP Class A Player of the Year. In addition, she is a two-time all-Pittsburgh metro area selection and a ’03 AAU 16-and-under All-American. As a freshman in 2001, she was a fifth-team AP all-state choice when she averaged 23.6 points per game. In her first three seasons at MHS, Allen has piled up 2,302 points (26.2 ppg.), 995 rebounds (11.3 rpg.), 600 steals (6.8 spg.), 426 assists (4.8 apg.) and 102 blocks (1.2 bpg.). She was ranked 27th in the nation by Blue Star Index and she will be the fourth Pennsylvania native to play for the Irish (the first in 13 seasons).

At 6-5, D’Amico will be the tallest player on the Irish roster when she sets foot on the Notre Dame campus in the fall of 2004. A versatile post player, she averaged 16.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game last season for William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, N.Y. (located on Long Island). She burst onto the national scene this past summer at the adidas Top Ten Camp in Suwanee, Ga., and is considered by most recruiting services to be one of the top players on the rise in this year’s class. She currently is ranked 47th in the country by All-Star Girls Report and 91st by Blue Star Index , and she follows in the footsteps of another talented New Yorker who came to Notre Dame < two-time=”” honorable=”” mention=”” all-american=”” and=”” mount=”” vernon,=”” n.y.,=”” product,=”” katryna=”” gaither=”” (1993-97).=””>

Gaines is a playmaking guard who will give the Irish solid depth in the backcourt. Last summer, she moved to North Las Vegas and is attending Cheyenne High School, where she will play for the Desert Shields this year. Gaines previously lived in Burbank, Calif., where she was a three-year starter at John Burroughs High School. She averaged 18.9 points and 5.1 assists per game last season and was a first-team all-CIF SS (Southern California) Division 2A First Team selection. In addition, she is a two-time Street & Smith’s honorable mention All-American and won a bronze medal with the West Team at the 2003 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs. Gaines averaged 6.0 points per game during the five-game tournament, which featured the top prep players from around the country. She is ranked 25th nationally by All-Game Sports, 52nd by Blue Star Index and 61st by All-Star Girls Report , and she is the second Las Vegas area resident in as many years to sign with Notre Dame < current=”” irish=”” freshman=”” guard=””>Breona Gray graduated from Bishop Gorman High School last May.

With the addition of Allen, D’Amico and Gaines, Notre Dame has assembled the nation’s 14th-ranked recruiting class according to Blue Star Index. This marks the eighth consecutive year in which the Irish have attracted a Top 20 class, making Notre Dame one of only three schools (along with Connecticut and Tennessee) to have such a consistent run of recruiting success.

NEW BOOK BY McGRAW NOW ON SALE
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw tried her hand at writing during the past year and has co-authored a book with Bradley University professor Paul Gullifor entitled “Courting Success: Muffet McGraw’s Formula For Winning In Sports And In Life.” The book, which currently is in bookstores nationwide and may be purchased through on-line booksellers such as Amazon.com, touches on how, in the shadows of the nation’s most storied football program, McGraw has quietly built the women’s basketball program into a national power.

Women’s basketball has been one of the University’s most consistently successful varsity sport during the past 16 years, qualifying for the postseason 13 times, including 10 trips to the NCAA Tournament, five NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances and two Final Fours berths. The team’s rise to national prominence was then cemented with a national championship in 2001. In short, the Notre Dame women’s basketball program has been steadily built into a perennial national championship contender, and its architect for those 16 years has been McGraw. Entering the 2003-04 season, the Pottsville, Pa., native has won 363 games at Notre Dame, has a stellar .725 winning percentage and was the consensus 2001 national Coach of the Year.

Personal accolades aside, McGraw has always been more concerned with off-court success than the progress of her teams. Accordingly, this book is a motivational and inspirational book in which she shares her ingredients for success < on=”” and=”” off=”” the=”” court.=”” it=”” provides=”” lessons=”” for=”” those=”” aspiring=”” toward=”” success=”” in=”” basketball,=”” and=”” in=”” life,=”” while=”” illustrating=”” why=””>Muffet McGraw is one of college basketball’s most accomplished coaches.

NEXT GAME: #18/18 MIAMI
Notre Dame continues its rugged stretch of three consecutive ranked opponents Wednesday when it travels to 18th-ranked Miami for a 7 p.m. (ET) contest. The game will be televised on a tape-delayed basis by Sunshine Network (10 p.m. ET air time), although the game can be seen live in South Bend on WHME-TV (Channel 46). The Irish lead the all-time series with the Hurricanes by a 12-3 count (6-1 in Coral Gables), although Miami won last year’s only matchup, 80-70 at the Joyce Center, to snap Notre Dame’s six-game winning streak against UM.

The Hurricanes (16-1, 5-1) currently are atop the BIG EAST Conference standings and have steadily moved up the national rankings all season long. Miami won its first 12 games of the year, including all 11 non-conference affairs, before Villanova handed the ‘Canes their only loss to date, a 58-55 setback in Philadelphia. UM has since reeled off four consecutive wins and is in the midst of an eight-day hiatus following an 86-67 victory at Providence on Jan. 20.

PROMOTIONAL CORNER
Here’s a rundown of some upcoming promotions and giveaways at future Notre Dame women’s basketball games this season (additional promotions and giveaways may be added at a later date):

• Jan. 24 vs. Villanova < fiesta=”” day;=”” notre=”” dame=”” sombreros=”” to=”” the=”” first=”” 2,000=”” fans=””>
• Jan. 31 vs. Boston College < circus=”” day;=”” notre=”” dame=”” lunch=”” boxes=”” to=”” the=”” first=”” 1,500=”” fans=””>
• Feb. 14 vs. Providence < disco=”” night;=”” notre=”” dame=”” rally=”” towels=”” to=”” the=”” first=”” 1,500=”” fans=”” disco=”” night;=”” notre=”” dame=”” rally=”” towels=”” to=”” the=”” first=”” 1,500=””>