Irish prepare to weather Red Storm in Big East match up
By KERRY SMITH
Assistant Sports Editor
While everyone wants to win, there is always an advantage to being the underdog. If you're not at the top, then you have nothing to lose.
That's not the case with the Irish this season, however, as they sit atop the Big East rankings with an unblemished conference record and hold fast to a fifth-place national ranking. Riding an 11- game winning streak, the Irish have little room for improvement and everything to lose.
But as pressure seemingly mounts for the Irish as they enter a pivotal final stretch of the regular season, the squad isn't nervous.
"Most people say that with being ranked fifth in the nation comes more pressure, but we don't put emphasis on that. We don't feel it that much," said Irish center Ruth Riley. "We've just been concentrating on playing well during each game."
In fact, the only pressure the Irish have felt most of the season is the pressure that they've put on their opponents.
Despite a rocky 4-2 start, the Irish have doled out decisive defeats to their opponents since their winning streak began in December. And the only two losses that scar the sqaud's 15-2 record were on the road to Illinois and Purdue — two top 20 teams.
Downing their opponents by double digits in all but one of their wins, the Irish have seen stellar performances by more players than just their starters.
"We're a deep team. That's one of our advantages," said Riley. "We change the starting line up around quite a bit."
Riley has been a necessary component of the squad's winning style. The junior All-American candidate leads the Irish across the board, averaging more than 15 points and seven rebounds a game.
Veteran guard Niele Ivey has also been a solid player all season. Even though she is the third-leading scorer for the Irish, she leads the team in assists, proving herself as a playmaker.
With a firm foundation for the team to be built around Riley and Ivey, the rest of the Irish players have stepped up when necessary to get the job done.
"Each game a different player steps up," said Riley. "Everyone has the ability and each time it's someone new."
Freshman starter Alicia Ratay has had her share of impressive outings. She leads the team in scoring and comes up with key baskets at several points throughout the season. Meanwhile, senior guard Danielle Green had her best game of the season as she turned on the heat to lead the Irish in their win over Miami (Fla.) Saturday.
Riley also credits the team's chemistry for their success so far this season.
"This year we're a lot closer as a team," said Riley. " I think that has a lot to do with experienced players coming back. During my freshman year, we were a relatively young team. This season we've got more experience and play together well."
Given the squad's style of play, which calls for a big presence in the paint backed by more than capable shooting from the perimeter, any player on the court can earn her time in the spotlight.
The Irish will have their next opportunity to shine tonight as they make their final stop on a three-game away stint in New York to take on the Red Storm of St. John's.
The Irish won't be doing anything different than what has worked for them all season long when they step on the court.
"We really don't change our game plan a lot from game to game," said Riley. "We basically use the same strategy for each game. We don't change according to who we're playing."
St. John's, with a 6-11 record has struggled to put together a successful program all season. With one of the worst conference records at 1-6, next to Seton Hall and West Virginia, the Red Storm has won only one of its last nine games.
A St. John win over Notre Dame could be a turning point for the Red Storm, as the squad has been unable to pull off a win over a ranked team yet this season.
The Irish hold the edge over the Red Storm if history plays a role. Notre Dame has never lost to St. John's in the schools' six-game history.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, January 26, 2000
