ND Women's Basketball: Irish overcome slow start to defeat Friars
By: KATIE McVOY
Associate Sports Editor
While most of the country was focusing on what the Irish could do against the top-ranked Connecticut Huskies today, the Irish were focused on taking care of business on Saturday. A strong Notre Dame bench came out against Providence and took home a solid 69-41 victory, marking just the second time the team has won a road game this season.
"I think the bench just played a great, great game," said Irish head coach Muffet McGraw. "We had five people off the bench just play a great game. That's obviously what we need."
Six minutes into the first period, things were not looking good for the Irish. The Friars jumped out to an early 12-4 lead as the Irish were shooting just 2-10 from the field.
But that wouldn't last for long. Following a time out, freshman Allison Bustamante, who arguably had her best game of the season, turned things around with a 3-pointer that began a 19-2 Irish run.
"It's always great to start off with a 3-point shot," said the forward, who totaled a season high 12 points and five rebounds during her 31 minutes of play. "Whenever you hit a big three like that, it pumps up the team."
"I think she's really been getting ready and today was maybe her break-out game," McGraw said.
The 19-2 run gave the Irish a 23-14 lead, a lead that they never relinquished. With help from bench players Le'Tania Severe, Kelsey Wicks, Teresa Borton and Katy Flecky, Notre Dame headed into the locker room with a five-point lead at halftime. After trailing early, the Irish found the inspiration they needed to step up play.
"Coach McGraw has been talking about a sense of urgency," Wicks said. "Finally today, maybe it clicked a little bit more. We were down, we were just like, `Listen, we have to pull out of this.'"
In the second half of play, the Irish did more than just pull out of it. Providence scored only 14 points in the second half as compared to Notre Dame's 37.
Although the Friars, who hit seven of 10 3-pointers the last time they faced the Irish, this time they couldn't seem to hit a shot from the outside. The strong Irish 2-3 zone shut down the Providence offense. The last time these two teams faced off, Providence managed to pull Notre Dame out its 2-3 zone, but once the Irish settled into their defense on Saturday, they dominated.
"They played a 2-3 zone very well," said Providence head coach Jim Jabir. "In the second half we really couldn't put the ball in the hole and it's hard to compete when they're that big, that physical and they're going to limit you to one look."
The Irish held the Friars to 17.9 percent shooting in the second half and allowed only one 3-point shot in the entire 40 minutes. Although Providence managed to hold Notre Dame's leading 3-point shooter, Alicia Ratay, to only six points, none of which came from a 3-point shot, the bench stepped it up from the outside.
Wicks hit three shots from outside the arc in the second half, wrapping up the outside effort Bustamante began in the first half.
"I was really trying to say `be patient and if you build it they will come,'" Wicks laughed after the game. "Wait for the three and it will come."
Severe also added some help off the bench. After coming in at point guard for starter Jeneka Joyce, who is suffering from an injury, Severe added 13 points for the Irish, scoring just one less than leading scorer Jackie Batteast. She also grabbed four rebounds and three steals.
Joyce was hampered by pain most of the game and asked to come out in the first half.
"She's hurting and she's limited at practice," McGraw said. "She's playing in a lot of pain and she's playing hard, but you can tell."
Borton came off the bench with her first double-double of the season, grabbing 10 rebounds and hitting 11 points.
All Sports Stories for Monday, January 21, 2002
