2014-15 Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Timeline

Relive All of the Excitement of the Run to a Fifth Consecutive Final Four

April 9, 2014
May 11, 2014
May 27, 2014
June 8, 2014
July 15, 2014
Aug. 10, 2014
Sept. 9, 2014
Oct. 8, 2014
Oct. 22, 2014
Nov. 12, 2014
Nov. 19, 2014
Dec. 3, 2014
Dec. 6, 2014
Dec. 13, 2014
Jan. 4, 2015
Jan. 8, 2015
Jan. 15, 2015
Jan. 19, 2015
Jan. 20, 2015
Feb. 16, 2015
Feb. 23, 2015
March 3, 2015
March 6, 2015
March 7, 2015
March 8, 2015
March 9, 2015
March 10, 2015
March 13, 2015
March 16, 2015
March 22, 2015
March 25, 2015
March 26, 2015
March 28, 2015
March 29, 2015
March 31, 2015
April 5, 2015
April 7, 2015

Irish Fall Short in Bid to Unseat Connecticut in NCAA Women’s Basketball Title Game

April 9, 2014
Unbeaten and second-ranked Notre Dame had hopes of retaining its perfect women’s basketball record tonight in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championships title game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. But the Irish (37-1) had the misfortune of running into another unbeaten, top-rated Connecticut, and the Huskies walked out with a 79-58 victory.

It marked the second time in three years the Irish fell in the NCAA title game against an opponent with a perfect record (Baylor in 2012) and the third trip to the final game overall in four years for Notre Dame. This Muffet McGraw team ended up with more wins than any Irish team in history.

(read more)
Jewell Loyd Named To USA Basketball 3×3 World Championship Team

May 11, 2014
For the eighth consecutive year and 10th time in 11 years, a Notre Dame women’s basketball player will compete on the international stage, after Fighting Irish junior All-America guard Jewell Loyd (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) was selected to the USA Basketball 3×3 National Team that will compete June 5-8 in the second edition of the FIBA 3×3 World Championship in Moscow, Russia.

Loyd was named to the squad Sunday afternoon following the completion of the 2014 USA Basketball 3×3 National Championship that were held this weekend at the United States Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo.

(read more)
From The Hardwood: Turner Named To USA U18 National Team

May 27, 2014
For the second time in less than three weeks, Notre Dame has seen one of its women’s basketball players selected for a USA Basketball squad, when incoming freshman forward Brianna Turner (Pearland, Texas/Manvel) was chosen for the USA Basketball Under-18 National Team, it was announced late Monday night.

Turner, who has earned four gold medals with various USA Basketball teams in international competition during the past three summers, will be part of the United States squad that will compete in the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship Aug. 6-10 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo. (read more)
Jewell Loyd Earns Gold With USA Basketball At FIBA 3×3 World Championship

June 8, 2014
For the ninth time in the past six years, a Notre Dame women’s basketball player will return to campus with a gold medal, as Fighting Irish junior All-America guard Jewell Loyd (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) helped the USA Basketball 3×3 National Team to the title at the FIBA 3×3 World Championship on Sunday afternoon in Moscow, Russia.

Playing with three other collegians — Cierra Burdick (Tennessee), Sara Hammond (Louisville) and Tiffany Mitchell (South Carolina) — Loyd finished among as the second-leading scorer among all players in the 24-team tournament at a team-high 7.3 points per game, narrowly edged out by Tunisia’s Houda Hamrouni (7.6 ppg.) and nosing past Belgium’s Ann Wauters (6.9 ppg.), the latter a 6-foot-5 center who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 WNBA Draft. (read more)
McBride, Diggins Invited To USA Basketball Women’s National Team Mini-Camp

July 15, 2014
Notre Dame women’s basketball incoming freshman forward Brianna Turner (Pearland, Texas/Manvel) has been chosen as the 2013-14 Gatorade National High School Athlete of the Year, it was announced Tuesday night at the Loews Hollywood Hotel.

Turner and the award’s male recipient for this year, center Karl Towns, Jr. of St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, N.J., will attend the 22nd annual ESPY Awards, which will be broadcast live at 9 p.m. (ET) Wednesday on ESPN from the NOKIA Theater L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. (read more)
Brianna Turner Earns Fifth USA Basketball Gold Medal

Aug. 10, 2014
One of the first great films for the legendary actor Clint Eastwood was the mid-1960s spaghetti Western called “A Fistful of Dollars.” After Sunday, one might expect Notre Dame freshman forward Brianna Turner (Pearland, Texas/Manvel) to throw on a ten-gallon hat when she returns to campus for the film’s remake — “A Fistful of Gold”.

Turner piled up 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks as the USA Basketball Under-18 National Team completed a dominating five-game run through the FIBA Americas U18 Championship with a 104-74 win over Canada in the gold medal game on Sunday night at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (read more)
Notre Dame Announces 2014-15 Women’s Basketball Schedule

Sept. 9, 2014
Nearly 80 years ago, a talented young British filmmaker named Alfred Hitchcock directed the classic thriller, “The 39 Steps.” And while one doesn’t expect Muffet McGraw to be perched in a director’s chair behind a camera, the Hall of Fame head coach will look to help the University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team create its own suspenseful 2014-15 season, one that could last — coincidentally enough — 39 games.

As the complete Fighting Irish schedule was released Tuesday morning, following approval by the University’s Faculty Board on Athletics and in conjunction with the announcement of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular season slate, it’s clear that, much like the legendary Hitchcock, McGraw is following a tried-and-true formula for success. (read more)
Irish Women’s Basketball Tips Off 2014-15 Preseason

Oct. 8, 2014
It’s been a few years since Muffet McGraw first put a whistle around her neck and stepped on a court in a dimly-lit gymnasium not far from the Main Line in suburban Philadelphia, to begin her first practice as a basketball coach. And while it’s true Archbishop Carroll High School is a far cry from the bright lights of the University of Notre Dame’s Purcell Pavilion and college basketball’s biggest stage at the NCAA Final Four, don’t think for one second that the Fighting Irish Hall of Fame head coach isn’t excited about the start of another season.

“I’m thrilled and can’t wait to get started,” said McGraw, who is in her 28th season under the Golden Dome, and is the two-time reigning consensus National Coach of the Year.

(read more)
Notre Dame Earns Top Spot In 2014-15 ACC Preseason Women’s Basketball Polls

Oct. 22, 2014
Seven months after the University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team capped off its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference season by ascending the podium at the Greensboro Coliseum to accept the ACC Tournament championship trophy, the conference coaches and Blue Ribbon Panel believe the Fighting Irish will again contend for the ACC hardware in 2014-15.

(read more)
Prep Standouts Marina Mabrey, Arike Ogunbowale and Ali Patberg Sign with University of Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Program

Nov. 12, 2014
Three of the nation’s top high school student-athletes in women’s basketball have chosen to continue their academic and athletic careers with the University of Notre Dame, each signing a National Letter of Intent to attend Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2015, Irish head women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw announced today.

Marina Mabrey, a 5-11 guard from Belmar, New Jersey (Manasquan High School), Arike Ogunbowale, a 5-9 guard from Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Divine Savior Holy Angels High School) and Ali Patberg, a 5-10 guard from Columbus, Indiana (Columbus North High School), all made their official commitments to the Fighting Irish during the early signing period that begins today and continues through Nov. 19. (read more)
Loyd’s 28 Points Lift No. 3 Notre Dame Past No. 15 Michigan State

Nov. 19, 2014
With her team struggling, Jewell Loyd stepped up her game on both ends of the floor.

Loyd had 28 points, 11 rebounds and two steals for No. 3 Notre Dame in a 71-63 victory over 15th-ranked Michigan State on Wednesday night.

“I think we got into a rhythm,” Loyd said. “At times we were stagnant a little bit. Shots aren’t always going to fall, but we had to get it done on the defensive end.” (read more)
Loyd Leads #2/1 Irish Past #15/10 Maryland, 92-72

Dec. 3, 2014
Jewell Loyd couldn’t be stopped on the fast break.

Loyd had two fast-break baskets as she scored eight points during a 10-0 run early to get No. 2 Notre Dame going Wednesday night against No. 15 Maryland. She then finished off the Terps in the second half as she banked in an acrobatic bank shot as she was fouled at the end of the fast break and hit the free throw for a three-point play to extend the lead to 30 points en route to a 92-72 Notre Dame victory. (read more)
#2/1 Irish Fall To No. 3 UConn, 76-58

Dec. 6, 2014
Jewell Loyd did all she could to lead Notre Dame over rival Connecticut.

Unfortunately for the Irish, the preseason All-American’s teammates did little on offense in the No. 2 Irish’s 76-58 loss to third-ranked UConn on Saturday in the Jimmy V Classic.

Loyd scored 31 points while the other four starters had just 20 combined. (read more)
#5/4 Irish Drop Michigan, 70-50

Dec. 13, 2014
The Notre Dame women’s basketball team took a social stand in pregame warmups, wearing “I Can’t Breathe” shirts before cruising to a 70-50 victory Saturday over Michigan.

Lindsay Allen scored a career-high 17 points and Jewell Loyd added 14 for the fifth-ranked Irish (10-1), who were coming off a loss to No. 2 Connecticut and an overtime victory at No. 25 DePaul. (read more)
#2 Irish Rout #3 Duke, 88-67

Jan. 4, 2015
Notre Dame is tough on the road, and no team knows that better than Syracuse.

Jewell Loyd had 25 points and four steals, Brianna Turner added 20 points and 13 rebounds, and the fourth-ranked Irish beat No. 21/22 Syracuse 85-74 on Sunday for the 15th straight time. (read more)
#4 Irish Fall At Hot-Shooting Miami, 78-63

Jan. 8, 2015
The last thing Miami coach Katie Meier said in the pregame address to her players was that she would not be surprised when they beat Notre Dame.

And she wasn’t.

Adrienne Motley scored a career-high 32 points, Jassany Williams blocked a school-record nine shots and the Hurricanes snapped No. 4 Notre Dame’s record-tying 30-game road winning streak by running out to a big lead and then pulling away again late to upset the Fighting Irish 78-63 on Thursday night. (read more)
Turner Leads #7 Notre Dame Past #12/10 North Carolina, 89-79

Jan. 15, 2015
Brianna Turner kept hitting baskets, snatching down just about every loose rebound and swatting away shots. By the end of the night, the freshman’s dominating performance had helped No. 7 Notre Dame earn another road win against a ranked opponent.

Turner had 29 points, a season-high 18 rebounds and seven blocked shots to help the Fighting Irish beat No. 12 North Carolina 89-79 on Thursday night. It gave Notre Dame its fifth win in six tries against a Top 25 opponent this season. (read more)
#6/7 Irish Post Fifth Straight Win Over #5/6 Tennessee, 88-77

Jan. 19, 2015
Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw laughed when she was asked if the sixth-ranked Fighting Irish finally ”got the number” of fifth-ranked Tennessee, beating the Lady Vols for a fifth straight time.

”Well, we had an 0-20 start, so we’re kind of coming out of a hole there,” McGraw said. ”We had nothing to lose. I think we’ve just got momentum going and we feel like we have a lot of confidence going into the game.” (read more)
Ruth Riley To Receive 2015 Moose Krause Distinguished Service Award

Jan. 20, 2015
The Notre Dame Monogram Club is pleased to announce that the 2015 Edward “Moose” Krause Distinguished Service Award will be presented to former women’s basketball star Ruth Riley (’01).

Riley will receive the organization’s highest honor during the Notre Dame vs. Louisville game on Monday, February 23 at Purcell Pavilion. The Monogram Club will also recognize her at a reception later this spring. (read more)
Loyd Leads No. 4 Notre Dame Past No. 10 Duke

Feb. 16, 2015
Notre Dame rode Jewell Loyd’s leadership, smothering defense and clutch 3-point shooting to beat Duke.

The fourth-ranked Irish won their 10th straight game, topping the No. 10 Blue Devils 63-50 on Monday night.

Duke (19-7, 10-3 ACC) came out strong, building a 14-5 lead over the first 5:31. The Blue Devils, who lead the nation in rebounding margin, asserted themselves early on the offensive glass, grabbing the game’s first six rebounds. They outrebounded the Irish 45-37, and Notre Dame (24-2, 11-1) scored well below their season average of 84.9 points. (read more)
#4 Irish Pull Away to Defeat #8/7 Louisville

Feb. 23, 2015
Taya Reimer got fourth-ranked Notre Dame going defensively when she blocked a shot by Louisville’s Mariya Moore less than three minutes into the second half.

Brianna Turner followed with another block on a shot by Moore two minutes later. Then another of a shot by Shawnta’ Dyer, one on a shot by Moore and yet another against Sara Hammond. (read more)
Two Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Players Earn All-ACC Honors

March 3, 2015
After earning its fourth consecutive outright regular-season conference title (and second in as many years of Atlantic Coast Conference membership), the No. 2 University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team was recognized for its efforts with a handful of individual honors on Tuesday, as the ACC office announced this year’s all-conference and all-freshman teams. (read more)
#2 Irish Top Miami, 77-61 In ACC Tournament Quarterfinals

March 6, 2015
No. 2 Notre Dame hasn’t had many scores to settle in its short time in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Just this one.

The top-seeded Fighting Irish avenged their only ACC loss in two years Friday by beating Miami 77-61 in an ACC quarterfinal. (read more)
#2 Irish Defeat #16 Duke, 55-49 To Reach ACC Title Game

March 7, 2015
When No. 2 Notre Dame needed her most, Jewell Loyd once again did it all.

Loyd scored 21 points and grabbed an important rebound in the Fighting Irish’s 55-49 win over No. 16 Duke in an Atlantic Coast Conference semifinal Saturday. (read more)
#2 Irish Repeat as ACC Champs, Down #7/6 Florida State, 71-58

March 8, 2015
Jewell Loyd and Notre Dame have made themselves quite comfortable in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Especially in the league tournament.

Loyd led the second-ranked Fighting Irish to their second straight ACC championship, beating No. 7 Florida State 71-58 in the title game on Sunday. (read more)
Irish Women’s Basketball Duo Collects All-ACC Coaches Honors

March 9, 2015
The day after capping off its second consecutive sweep of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament titles, the No. 2 University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team added to its hardware haul, as two of its players earned All-ACC honors from the league’s 15 head coaches, it was announced Monday by the conference office.

Following her selection to the All-ACC Championship First Team on Sunday, freshman forward Brianna Turner (Pearland, Texas/Manvel) was a triple honoree on Monday, earning first-team All-ACC recognition, as well as spots on the five-player All-ACC Defensive Team and All-ACC Freshman Team. (read more)
ACC Coaches Choose Loyd Player of the Year, Turner Freshman of the Year

March 10, 2015
As the Atlantic Coast Conference season comes to a close, the two-time ACC champion and second-ranked University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team continues to add awards to its trophy case.

On Tuesday, the Fighting Irish picked up two major individual honors when junior guard Jewell Loyd (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) was named the ACC Player of the Year and freshman forward Brianna Turner (Pearland, Texas/Manvel) was chosen as the ACC Freshman of the Year, according to a vote of the league’s 15 head coaches announced by the ACC office. (read more)
Jewell Loyd Named espnW National Player of the Year

March 13, 2015
For nearly four decades, the University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team has been built around two key tenets — consistency and excellence. While the Fighting Irish have reaped the rewards of team success from those cornerstones, they also are garnering individual honors that mirror those goals.

Junior guard Jewell Loyd (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) is the current personification of Notre Dame’s consistency and excellence, and her dedication was rewarded Friday when she was chosen as the 2014-15 espnW National Player of the Year by that outlet’s panel of women’s college basketball experts. (read more)
Notre Dame Earns 20th Consecutive NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Berth

March 16, 2015
For the 20th consecutive season, and the 22nd time in school history, Notre Dame has earned a berth in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, having received the Atlantic Coast Conference’s automatic berth into this year’s field by winning its second consecutive ACC Championship title last week. The Fighting Irish are the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Championship’s Oklahoma City Region — the fourth consecutive year and fifth time in program history they have earned a top seed — and will play host to 16th-seeded Montana (the Big Sky Conference champion) at 7:30 p.m. (ET) Friday at Purcell Pavilion. (read more)
#2 Irish Back To Sweet 16 After 79-67 Win Over DePaul

March 22, 2015
Michaela Mabrey scored 19 points, hitting five 3-pointers, Taya Reimer and Brianna Turner added 14 points each as top-seeded Notre Dame beat No. 9 seed DePaul 79-67 Sunday night in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Fighting Irish had a 51-32 rebounding edge, with Turner pulling down 11 rebounds and Reimer had 10, and Notre Dame (33-2) held DePaul to 36 percent shooting to win their 19th straight to advance to the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight season. DePaul (27-8), which had won eight straight, fell a win shy of advancing to the round of 16 for a second straight season. (read more)
Loyd, Turner Named To WBCA Coaches’ All-Region Team

March 25, 2015
For the sixth consecutive year, Notre Dame has had at least two women’s basketball players earn all-region status in the same season and now are in position to contend for places on the 2015 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Coaches’ All-America Team, it was announced Wednesday by the WBCA.

Junior guard Jewell Loyd (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) earned her second all-region citation in as many seasons, while freshman forward Brianna Turner (Pearland, Texas/Manvel) garnered all-region honors for the first time in her career. Turner also is one of just three freshmen in the nation to earn all-region status this season, along with Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell and South Carolina A’ja Wilson. (read more)
Loyd Selected As Finalist For 2015 Wade Trophy

March 26, 2015
For the third time in the past month, Notre Dame junior guard Jewell Loyd (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) has been named a finalist for a major national player-of-the-year award, as the Fighting Irish standout is among 12 remaining candidates for the 2015 Wade Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding NCAA Division I women’s basketball player. The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and SHAPE America, the two organizations that coordinate the award, along with the Wade Trophy Committee, announced this year’s 12 finalists on Thursday. (read more)
#2 Irish On To Elite Eight, Beat #14/17 Stanford, 81-60

March 28, 2015
Lindsay Allen normally focuses on setting others up.

On Friday, the sophomore point guard turned into a scorer, dropping in a career-high 28 points to help top-seeded Notre Dame defeat Stanford 81-60 in the NCAA women’s Sweet 16. (read more)
#2 Irish Headed To Fifth Straight Final Four After Downing #5/6 Baylor, 77-68

March 29, 2015
Notre Dame star Jewell Loyd struggled with her shot for the second straight game. Lindsay Allen was there again to help the Fighting Irish advance.

Allen scored 23 points and top-seeded Notre Dame beat Baylor 77-68 in the Oklahoma City regional final Sunday night to reach its fifth consecutive Final Four. (read more)
Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Trio Earns All-America Honors

March 31, 2015
For the fifth consecutive year, three University of Notre Dame women’s basketball players have earned All-America honors from at least one major outlet, with junior guard Jewell Loyd (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) unanimously receiving first-team All-America accolades from the Associated Press, United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and the John R. Wooden Award, while sophomore guard Lindsay Allen (Mitchellville, Md./St. John’s College) and freshman forward Brianna Turner (Pearland, Texas/Manvel) received honorable mention All-America plaudits from the Associated Press. (read more)
#2 Irish Defeat #3/4 South Carolina, 66-65, In NCAA Final Four Thriller

April 5, 2015
Notre Dame is heading back to the women’s national championship game thanks to a timely putback from an unlikely source. (read more)
Irish Fall Short to UConn in NCAA Women’s Basketball Title Game, 63-53

April 7, 2015
Geno Auriemma and his UConn Huskies are a perfect 10.

The Hall of Fame coach joined some elite company in UCLA’s John Wooden after tying the Wizard of Westwood with his 10th NCAA Tournament title. (read more)