Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     Freshman guard Brittany Mallory nailed a season-high three three-pointers on Sunday at No. 16 West Virginia, including two during a furious second-half Irish rally.

Notre Dame looking to bounce back from tough loss at 16th-ranked West Virginia last weekend.

Jan. 15, 2008

Game Notes Package in PDF Format

DATE: January 16, 2008
TIME: 7:00 p.m. ET
AT: Notre Dame, Ind. - Joyce Center (11,418)
SERIES: ND leads 14-8
1ST MTG: 1/6/81 (VU 70-57)
LAST MTG: 2/13/07 (ND 75-58)
RADIO: ESPN Radio 1490 AM / UND.com (Sean Stires, p-b-p)
TV: UND.com
LIVE STATS: UND.com
TICKETS: (574) 631-7356

Storylines

No. 17/15 Irish Open BIG EAST Home Slate Wednesday Against Villanova
Tne quickest way to forget about a difficult loss is to get right back to action, and that's what No. 17/15 Notre Dame will do Wednesday when it plays host to Villanova in a 7 p.m. (ET) BIG EAST Conference matchup at the Joyce Center. It's the first home league game for the Irish, who have won seven of eight games in front of the faithful this season.

The Irish (13-3, 1-1 BIG EAST) endured their roughest offensive performance in nearly a year during Sunday's 56-50 loss at No. 16 West Virginia. Notre Dame shot just 24.5 percent from the floor and trailed by as many as 22 points early in the second half, but made a stirring comeback to get within one point twice in the final two minutes. However, the Irish couldn't finish off the rally, as the Mountaineers went 8-for-8 from the foul line to hold on for the win.

Senior guard Charel Allen was the only Notre Dame player to score in double figures, finishing with 11 points. Freshman guard Brittany Mallory added nine points on a season-high three three-pointers, with two of those triples coming during the 18-2 second-half rally.

Rankings

A Quick Look At The Fighting Irish
Even after a 20-12 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2006-07, Notre Dame still continues to fly below the national radar. Head coach Muffet McGraw wouldn't want it any other way.

Last year, the Irish learned quickly that respect is something that isn't handed to you, but rather earned on the court. It's also a quality that takes time to develop and doesn't come from trophy cases or record books. So although Notre Dame was tabbed fifth in the preseason BIG EAST Conference balloting, it's not a great concern to McGraw and her charges. Instead, they focus on the things they can control and prefer to let the outside world judge them when the season is over.

This year could prove to be unlike any in recent memory for Notre Dame. For one, the Irish will roll out some impressive depth, going virtually two-deep at every floor position. In addition, Notre Dame's new offensive system (a Princeton-based set with four guards and a post) continues to evolve, building upon last year's 70.1 point-per-game average that was its highest since the 2000-01 NCAA national championship season.

Senior guard Charel Allen is the top returning scorer and rebounder for the Irish, leading the team in both categories last year (17.0 ppg., 6.2 rpg.). She also was a first-team all-BIG EAST and WBCA honorable mention All-America selection, and was a finalist for the 2007 USA U21 World Championship Team that struck gold this past summer in Moscow.

Allen's backcourt partner and classmate is point guard Tulyah Gaines. Now in her second full season at the helm of the Notre Dame offense, the speedy Gaines averaged 9.6 points per game along with team highs of 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. She also is a two-year team captain who commands instant respect from teammates, coaches and opponents.

The Irish will benefit from the return of junior guard Lindsay Schrader, who missed the entire 2006-07 season with a torn ACL in her right knee. Schrader, who retains three years of athletic eligibility, was Notre Dame's second-leading scorer (10.5 ppg.) and top rebounder (5.4 rpg.) as a rookie in 2005-06 and will look to regain that form this season.

Last year saw Notre Dame break new ground by becoming the first school ever to put three players on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. Guards Ashley Barlow (10.3 ppg., 5.4 rpg.) and Melissa Lechlitner (6.3 ppg., 2.7 apg.) will provide a superb complement to the veteran Allen-Gaines tandem, while center Erica Williamson (6.1 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 1.3 bpg.) showed flashes of potential throughout her rookie season and is poised for increased development this year.

Headlining a three-player freshman class (ranked 11th nationally by Blue Star Basketball) is Devereaux Peters, a smooth 6-2 forward who was a consensus All-American as a senior last year at national powerhouse Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill. Fellow post Becca Bruszewski (Valparaiso, Ind.) finished third in last season's Indiana Miss Basketball voting and was a perennial all-state pick. And, guard Brittany Mallory (Baltimore, Md.) offers a perimeter shooting threat, as well as a cerebral player who will mesh well in the Irish offensive system.

A Quick Look At Villanova
After an uncharacteristic 8-21 record last season, Villanova has righted itself and appears poised to return to the upper half of the BIG EAST Conference standings this season. The Wildcats return four starters and more than three-quarters of their scoring offense from last season,while also welcoming talented junior forward Laura Kurz, a transfer from Duke, to the mix.

Villanova (11-5, 1-2) picked up its first conference win of the season with a 57-51 home victory over Georgetown last Saturday. Senior forward Stacie Witman and junior forward Lisa Karcic scored a game-high 17 points apiece and Kurz added 15 and eight rebounds for the Wildcats.

That trio has carried the bulk of the offensive load for VU this year, with Witman (15.8 ppg) leading the way. Kurz is second in scoring (14.1 ppg) and three-point percentage (.483), and tops in rebounding (6.9 rpg), while Karcic is third in scoring (12.7 ppg) with a team-high 49 assists.

Head coach Harry Perretta is in his 30th season at Villanova with a 547-318 (.632) record. He is 8-14 all-time against Notre Dame.

The Notre Dame-Villanova Series
Wednesday night will mark the 23rd meeting between Notre Dame and Villanova, with the Irish owning a 14-8 series edge on the Wildcats. However, VU has won five of the past eight games against Notre Dame, following a series-long six-game winning streak for the Irish. Notre Dame won last year's matchup, 75-58 at The Pavilion in Villanova, Pa.

The Irish also maintain a 6-2 lead in the series at the Joyce Center, although the Wildcats have won two of the past three games played in South Bend. Most recently, Villanova pulled out a 69-65 overtime win over Notre Dame on Feb. 7, 2006, marking the only game in the series to go to an extra period.

The Last Time Notre Dame And Villanova Met
Charel Allen poured in a game-high 25 points to pace four players in double figures as Notre Dame turned in one of its best road performances of the 2006-07 season, rolling to a 75-58 BIG EAST Conference win over Villanova on Feb. 13, 2007, at The Pavilion. It was the most points Notre Dame has scored on VU's home court since 1997.

Allen logged her second consecutive 25-point game and her fifth in nine contests. She also tallied six rebounds and tied her career high with six assists, all without a turnover in 37 minutes of action. Ashley Barlow chalked up 15 points, six rebounds and five steals, while Melissa D'Amico came off the bench to score 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Breona Gray also turned in an efficient performance with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting (2-2 from the three-point line).

Stacie Witman and Jackie Adamshick carded 16 points and seven rebounds apiece for Villanova (7-18, 1-11), which lost its 10th consecutive game. Notre Dame also held the Wildcats to 4-of-19 (.211) from beyond the arc and forced the normally sure-handed VU offense into 20 turnovers, with 14 coming on Irish steals.

Allen's three-pointer less than five minutes into the game ignited an 11-0 Irish run that put the visitors in front to stay. Notre Dame also held the Wildcats to one field goal over the final 6:06 while taking a 34-25 halftime lead.

Villanova got as close as 45-42 on Maria Getty's three-pointer with 12:55 to go. But Allen hit a layup 40 seconds later as Notre Dame scored 10 of the next 12 points in a 6:30 span and VU never got closer than nine points the rest of the way.

The Last Time Notre Dame And Villanova Met At The Joyce Center
Jenna Viani scored five of her game-high 22 points in overtime, including three important free throws as Villanova slipped out of the Joyce Center with a 69-65 victory over Notre Dame on Feb. 7, 2006. The loss thwarted an Irish bid to match (at the time) the second-largest comeback win in NCAA history (and the largest in BIG EAST Conference annals).

The Irish had four players score in double figures, led by Lindsay Schrader who tossed in 16 points and shared team-high honors with six rebounds. Megan Duffy finished with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals while playing all 45 minutes. Charel Allen played a pivotal role in Notre Dame's second-half comeback, scoring all 14 of her points in the final 20 minutes of regulation, connecting on 7-of-10 shots in that span.

Viani paced a quartet of Villanova players in double figures, with all-BIG EAST forward Liad Suez-Karni registering a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists), the first by an Irish opponent in more than 17 years. Kate Dessart Mager and Jackie Adamshick tallied 10 points apiece for the Wildcats, who shot .456 (26-of-57) from the field.

Villanova led virtually the entire first half and opened up its largest lead of the night at 43-22 on Dessart Mager's layup early in the second period. That's when the Irish went to work, going on a stirring 30-9 run over the ensuing nine minutes and change, tying the score at 52-52 on Schrader's three-point play with 7:14 to go.

Notre Dame kept charging and when Allen canned a jumper in the lane with 2:08 remaining, the Irish had their first lead of the night at 58-56. However, VU came back with the tying bucket with 67 seconds left, and after the teams traded baskets down the stretch, they headed to overtime tied at 60-60.

There, Adamshick put Villanova ahead to stay on a layup with 23 seconds gone. Viani followed with another basket a minute later with the teams then trading two free throws. Duffy made one three-pointer with 36 seconds left, but couldn't muscle through a triple-team for the tying three-pointer in the closing seconds, as Viani sealed the win at the foul line.

Other Notre Dame-Villanova Series Tidbits

Chart Toppers
Notre Dame is peppered throughout the latest NCAA statistical rankings (as of Jan. 14). The Irish among the top 20 in the nation in six categories, led by No. 6 rankings for both fewest turnovers per game (13.9) and scoring margin (+20.7). Notre Dame also is seventh in scoring offense (78.4) and assist/turnover ratio (1.18), 16th in steals per game (12.3) and 17th in field goal percentage (.463).

A full recap of Notre Dame's positions on the NCAA statistics charts (and its relation to the national leaders) can be found on page 10 of this notes package.

Thirty Deeds
More than half (7) of Notre Dame's 13 wins this season have come by at least 30 points, while the Irish have held 30-point leads late in the second half against Western Kentucky and Richmond. This marks the first time in school history that Notre Dame has fashioned seven 30-point wins in its first 16 games.

It's also the first time since the 2000-01 national championship season that the Irish have logged at least seven 30-point wins in a single season. That year, Notre Dame collected a school-record 10 30-point victories, but only six of those came in the first 16 games.

What's more, the Irish had a streak of four consecutive 30-point wins from Nov. 20-Dec. 2. The last time Notre Dame did that was Jan. 20-30, 1999, when the Irish had four straight 30-point victories, all during BIG EAST Conference play -- at Seton Hall (87-47), home vs. St. John's (99-60), at Syracuse (94-61) and at Providence (97-59).

Put A Tiger In Your Tank
Less than two seasons after posting the program's lowest scoring output (64.5 ppg) since 1980-81 (its first as a Division I program), Notre Dame has reversed that trend in a big way.

The Irish currently rank third in the BIG EAST Conference in scoring (and seventh in the nation) at 78.4 points per game, having tallied at least 77 points in 11 of their 13 wins. What's more, Notre Dame also has the fourth-highest scoring average after 16 games in program history, and highest since the 1998-99 team averaged 83.1 points at this juncture, on the way to establishing the single-season school scoring record (81.0).

What's more, Notre Dame has scored at least 90 points four times this season. That's the most 90-point games for the Irish in one year since 2000-01, when they also had four such outings. In fact, during the six seasons between then and now (2001-02 through 2006-07), Notre Dame had a combined total of four 90-point games.

Notre Dame also ranks second in the conference (and sixth in the nation) in scoring margin, outpointing its opposition by 20.7 points per night.

McGraw's Shock Troops
During his coaching tenure with the Notre Dame football team in the 1920s, Knute Rockne was at the forefront of the two-platoon system, using his "shock troops" -- a full team of second stringers -- at the start of most games.

While Irish women's basketball coach Muffet McGraw may not quite be following Rockne's philosophy to the letter, she could easily rotate in much of her second unit and not see much decline in productivity. In fact, Notre Dame's bench is averaging 31.6 points per game (compared to 46.8 ppg. by the starters) and has outscored all 16 opponent benches this season by an average of +17.9 points per night.

Leading the way for this year's Irish "shock troops" is freshman forward Devereaux Peters, who is averaging 8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and a BIG EAST-best 2.19 blocks per game with a .524 field goal percentage (10th-best in the conference). Peters came off the bench for each of Notre Dame's non-conference games, but started both BIG EAST contests for the Irish thus far.

Youth Movement
Last year's Irish rookie class (aka the "BMW" trio of guards Ashley Barlow and Melissa Lechlitner and center Erica Williamson) became the first threesome from one school ever to be named to the BIG EAST Conference All-Freshman Team in the same season. Following on the heels of that success, Notre Dame has a new freshman trio that is aiming to make an early splash at the college level -- the "BBD" lineup of guards Brittany Mallory and forwards Becca Bruszewski and Devereaux Peters.

All three Irish rookies have done their part to help Notre Dame to its 13-3 record, with each one averaging at least 12 minutes and having scored in double figures at least once. Peters is fourth on the team in scoring (8.3 ppg.) and has scored in double digits in eight of the past 11 games, while also leading the BIG EAST Conference in blocked shots (2.19 bpg.). Mallory is averaging 6.7 points per game, shares the team lead with 16 three-pointers and is one of six Notre Dame players with at least 20 steals this season. Bruszewski is logging 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, with impressive outings in the two Irish matchups against top-five opponents, grabbing a season-high seven rebounds vs. No. 3 Maryland and third-ranked Tennessee.

Spreading The Wealth
One of the hallmarks of Notre Dame's squad this season is its balance and depth. That's been particularly evident through the first 17 games of the season (counting the exhibitions), with six different players from all five floor positions and all four classes leading the team in scoring.

Double Trouble
Another example of Notre Dame's balance this season is seen in its point distribution. No fewer than 10 of the 11 Irish players on this year's roster have scored in double figures at least once this season, with only senior guard Amanda Tsipis yet to crack the 10-point mark.

Notre Dame also has had at least three double-figure scorers in all but three games (Purdue, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 16 West Virginia) this season. What's more, the Irish fielded five double-figure scorers in three consecutive games from Nov. 20-27. It's believed to be the first time in school history (and certainly the first time in the Muffet McGraw era) the Irish have pulled off that feat of three straight games with five double-digit scorers, although records are incomplete prior to the 1983-84 season.

Protecting The Pill
Notre Dame has gotten off to a strong start this season, thanks in large part to its ability to take care of the basketball. The Irish rank sixth in the nation with just 13.9 turnovers per game and had a 30-game streak of committing 18 turnovers or fewer until being charged with 20 turnovers Jan. 8 at Louisville. On the flip side, Notre Dame is forcing 23.1 turnovers per night, resulting in a BIG EAST Conference-best +9.25 turnover margin (more than three takeaways better than second-place Connecticut).

The Irish took ball protection to a new level in their loss at No. 3 Maryland on Nov. 16. Notre Dame set a school record with only three turnovers against the Terrapins, with two of those giveaways coming on offensive fouls. The previous school record for fewest turnovers was six, set on Feb. 12, 2006 at DePaul.

With only three turnovers, it probably comes as no surprise that Maryland did not register a steal against Notre Dame. However, what is surprising is that it was the first time in the 31-year history of the Irish program that an opponent did not record a steal against Notre Dame. Several opponents had only one steal vs. the Irish, with the most recent being Boston College on March 19, 2006 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament (played at West Lafayette, Ind.).

Keeping It On The Plus Side
Notre Dame has registered a positive assist-to-turnover ratio in 10 games this season and ranks fourth in the BIG EAST (seventh nationally) with a 1.18 assist-to-turnover ratio. Notre Dame also has assisted on 53.7 percent of its field goals this year (262 assists on 488 baskets), ranking fourth in the conference and 27th in the country with 16.38 assists per game.

Off And Running
Notre Dame has wasted little time in jumping ahead of its opponents this season. In more than half (7) of their 13 wins, the Irish have opened up a double-digit lead less than 10 minutes into the game, while a 20-0 run late in the first half at Central Michigan aided that win, as did a 18-3 first-half surge at Bowling Green.

Even in its defeat at third-ranked Maryland on Nov. 16, Notre Dame made a statement early with a 10-0 run in the first five minutes of action and led by as many as five points in the first half before the Terrapins rallied back for the win.

Going Into Lockdown
Notre Dame has held 12 opponents this season to fewer than 60 points. The Irish also currently rank seventh in the BIG EAST in scoring defense at 57.7 points per game.

That's the fifth-lowest opponent scoring average through 16 games for Notre Dame, fourth-lowest since elevating to Division I in 1980-81, and third-lowest of the Muffet McGraw era. The only Irish squads in the past 26 seasons that have gotten off to a better defensive starts than this year's club were the 2000-01 national championship team (53.6 ppg.) and the 2004-05 team (57.0).

Allen Climbing Irish Points Ladder
Senior guard Charel Allen continues to make her way up Notre Dame's all-time scoring list, currently standing 14th with 1,283 points. Next up for Allen is her former teammate Megan Duffy, who is in 13th place with 1,290 points from 2002-06.

What's more, Allen is 147 points away from moving into the top 10 on the Irish career scoring charts. The person currently holding down that position? First-year assistant coach Niele Ivey, who tallied 1,430 points from 1996-2001.

Clutch When It Counts
Notre Dame is 31-41 (.756) from the free throw line in the final two minutes (plus overtime) this season. Leading the way is sophomore guard Ashley Barlow, who is 4-4 this year and 14-16 (.875) in her career when toeing the line down the stretch. Fellow sophomore guard Melissa Lechlitner also has been solid from the stripe in crunch time during her career, going 12-15 (.800), including 3-4 this season.

Polling Station
Notre Dame is ranked 17th in this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll, dropping three spots from its season-high perch in the previous two surveys. The No. 14 ranking was the highest for the Irish in the media poll since the week of Jan. 2, 2006, when they were ranked 12th prior to losses at St. John's (66-63) and home vs. Seton Hall (74-61).

Notre Dame now has been ranked in the AP poll for 150 weeks during the program's history, with every one of those appearances coming in the Muffet McGraw era. McGraw currently ranks 14th among all active NCAA Division I head coaches for weeks in the AP poll, and also stands 25th all-time in that category.

The Irish also are in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll for the 10th consecutive week, placing 15th, down a spot from its season-high No. 14 ranking the previous two weeks. That was the highest poll position for Notre Dame in two years, when the Irish were tabbed 12th by the coaches prior to the aforementioned losses to St. John's and Seton Hall.

Start Me Up
Notre Dame's 13-2 start matched the second-best 15-game mark in the program's 31-year history. In 2000-01, the Irish opened with 23 consecutive victories, en route to their first-ever No. 1 ranking and eventually, the program's first national championship.

The last time Notre Dame got off to a 13-2 start was the 2004-05 season, when the Irish won their first seven games (including the Preseason WNIT title) before a Dec. 2 overtime loss to 15th-ranked Michigan State. Notre Dame (which rose as high as third in the national polls that season) then reeled off six more wins before suffering consecutive loss at Villanova (59-54) and home vs. No. 16 Connecticut (67-50). However, the Irish rebounded with a 10-game win streak, finishing the year at 27-6 and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Notre Dame has posted a 13-2 record on three other occasions, also doing so in 1999-2000 (27-5, NCAA Sweet 16), 1998-99 (26-5, NCAA second round) and 1977-78 (13-4, program's first varsity season when playing at AIAW Division III level).

We're Going Streaking!
Notre Dame's 10-game win streak from Nov. 20-Jan. 2 was its longest since a similar 10-game run from Jan. 16-Feb. 15, 2005. The Irish now have amassed 10 double-digit win streaks in program history (eight in the Muffet McGraw era), led by the school-record 23-game success string to open the 2000-01 national championship season.

Notre Dame also won six consecutive road games earlier this season (Nov. 20-Jan. 2). That was the longest run for the Irish away from the Joyce Center since a 10-game run from Nov. 17, 2000 to Feb. 14, 2001, a streak that ended with a 54-53 loss at No. 11/14 Rutgers (one of only two defeats for the Irish on their run to the NCAA title).

No Easy Road
Notre Dame has always played a difficult schedule, using it as a means of preparation for future tests in both the BIG EAST Conference and the postseason. However, this year's slate could be one of the more rugged ones in recent memory.

With the addition of Maryland to the docket in the Preseason WNIT semifinals (75-59 loss on Nov. 16), the Irish now will face four of the top five teams in the latest Associated Press poll. Besides the Terrapins (currently No. 4), Notre Dame also has or will play No. 1 Connecticut (Jan. 27 at the Joyce Center), No. 2 Tennessee (lost 87-63 on Jan. 5 at the Joyce Center) and No. 5 Rutgers (Feb. 19 in Piscataway, N.J.). Three of the top four teams in the poll have combined to win five of the past six national championships, with Tennessee currently holding the hardware after defeating Rutgers in last year's title game.

Irish Fans Crave A Big Mac Attack
Notre Dame has introduced a new promotion this season, offering fans a coupon for a free Big Mac from South Bend-area McDonald's restaurants if the Irish score at least 88 points in a game. The coupons are issued at the Joyce Center gates as fans leave the arena following the game.

This season's burger watch already is at six, as the Irish have hit the 88-point mark in exhibition wins over Southern Indiana and Hillsdale, as well as regular-season victories over Miami (Ohio), Boston College, Canisius and Valparaiso.

It's probably also not a surprise that the Notre Dame player with the most "Big Mac baskets" this season has the same initials as that of the tasty burger -- freshman guard Brittany Mallory, who has sent the crowd home happy (and presumably with full bellies) four times, including each of the past three games that the Irish have scored 88 points at home.

A Friend In Need
Prior to Wednesday's game, a moment of prayer will be held at the Joyce Center in support of longtime Irish women's basketball fan and Notre Dame Office of Information Technologies employee Patricia McAdams. McAdams was severely injured Sunday night when she stopped on a Fort Wayne highway to help a fellow motorist and was then struck by a car. McAdams, who had been returning from Notre Dame's game at West Virginia earlier that day, remains in critical condition.

A loyal supporter of the Irish for many years, McAdams has assisted Notre Dame's coordinator of basketball operations Stephanie Menio with numerous marketing and promotional activities, and also coordinated regular bus trips for fans to see the Irish on the road.

Promotional Corner
Here's a rundown of some upcoming promotions and giveaways at future Notre Dame women's basketball games this season. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Irish athletics ticket office (second floor of the Joyce Center through Gate 1; 574-631-7356), on game day at the Gate 10 ticket windows of the Joyce Center, or via the Internet at Notre Dame's official athletics web site (UND.com). Please note -- additional promotions and giveaways may be added at a later date, so consult the Notre Dame promotions web site (www.notredamepromotions.com) for the latest information:

Next Game: Georgetown
Notre Dame heads to our nation's capital Saturday for a 2 p.m. (ET) BIG EAST Conference game at Georgetown. The contest is the BIG EAST TV Game of the Week, and will air on a same-day tape-delayed basis on WHME-TV (Channel 46 in South Bend).

Georgetown (10-5, 0-2) got off to a strong start by winning eight of its first 10 games, but has since lost three of five contests. The Hoyas were a perfect 6-0 at home this season heading into Tuesday night's game against No. 5 Rutgers.

-- ND --