March 23, 2008

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#5 Notre Dame (24-8) vs. #12 SMU (24-9)
2:30 p.m. • March 23, 2008 • Mackey Arena
Final Score: Notre Dame 75, SMU 62

Notre Dame Game Notes

  • With the win, Notre Dame moves to 24-13 (.649) all-time in NCAA Tournament play.
  • Notre Dame has won its first-round game in the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in the past 13 years.
  • Notre Dame’s 75 points vs. SMU are the most for the Fighting Irish in an NCAA Tournament game since March 30, 2001, when they defeated Connecticut, 90-75 at the Final Four in St. Louis.
  • Notre Dame improves to 14-3 (.824) all-time in the NCAA Tournament as the higher seed.
  • The Fighting Irish had 49 rebounds, their fifth-highest total in an NCAA Tournament game and highest since March 17, 2001, when they had a program-best 62 boards in a first-round win over Alcorn State.
  • Notre Dame’s +26 rebound margin (49-26) was its highest in NCAA Tournament action since that 2001 win over Alcorn State (+28, 62-34).
  • Notre Dame had two players notch double-doubles in the same game for the second time this season (also Feb. 16 at Syracuse — Charel Allen with 22 points/12 rebounds and Erica Williamson with 14 points/11 rebounds).
  • Ashley Barlow and Charel Allen are the first Fighting Irish players to record a double-double in an NCAA Tournament game since March 27, 2004, when Jacqueline Batteast tallied 22 points and 12 rebounds in a 55-49 loss to top-seeded Penn State in the East Regional semifinals at Hartford, Conn.
  • Notre Dame had four double-digit scorers in an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since March 21, 2004, when it pulled off a similar feat in a 69-65 overtime win over 12th-seeded Southwest Missouri State at the Joyce Center.
  • The Fighting Irish had four or more double-figure scorers for the 17th time this season, rising to 16-1 in those games.
  • Notre Dame jumps to 21-1 this season when leading at halftime.
  • The Fighting Irish caused at least 20 opponent turnovers for the 20th time this season.

Notre Dame Individual Season and Career Bests

  • Charel Allen tied her career-high and set a season-high by attempting 20 field goals.
  • Allen finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds to earn her second double-double of the season (and fifth of her career).
  • Ashley Barlow scored 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds to record her third double-double of the season (and fourth of her career). She also finished with a game-high four steals. In two games in Mackey Arena this season (Barlow also played at Purdue on December 8th), she scored 42 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, shot 13-for-13 from the free-throw line, and swiped nine steals.