ND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Irish head east to pillage the Hall
By KATIE McVOY
Associate Sports Editor
The type of Big East opponent the Irish face on Saturday was a common one last season — an unranked team that Notre Dame topped by a large margin earlier in the season. But for this year's Irish team, this is the first time the situation has presented itself
So, as Notre Dame takes on Seton Hall, a team it defeated by 34 points in the last meeting, it will be a measuring stick of how mature this young team has become.
"Maturity wise, I think this is a game we won here at Notre Dame and I'm anxious to see their focus and their intensity," said head coach Muffet McGraw. "This is a really important lesson for us to learn, that you can't take anyone lightly."
Not taking teams lightly is a lesson the Irish have taught some of their opponents this season. Notre Dame took home a solid victory against Virginia Tech on Saturday and crushed Syracuse on Tuesday, but now they have to have the understanding that they cannot take any team for granted.
"[Syracuse] is good enough to beat us if we don't shoot well and that's what we have to guard against," McGraw said. "You know, just being overconfident."
For the freshmen players, this is the first time they will take on a team that they defeated handily earlier this season and there's a lesson to be learned there. While this Irish team has grown, they expect some change from the Pirates they will face off against as well.
"We have to know that we both have improved a little bit and so we can't expect the exact same team from them and from us," said freshman center Teresa Borton. "You have to look at the game a little bit differently and remember the strengths we had and work that into the game plan."
In addition to working its strengths into her team's game plan, McGraw is hoping for some leadership from her junior and senior players. She will be looking to them to keep the young team focused on playing their game, regardless of what the Pirates throw at them.
"It's up to the captains, Ericka [Haney] and Mandy [Barksdale] and Jeneka [Joyce] and Alicia [Ratay], they really have to make sure they've got everybody focused," McGraw said.
Fortunately, the team seemed to be getting focused already in Thursday afternoon's practice. And that made her think her team is already showing more signs of maturity than it did when it opened play in November.
"I thought we had a good practice," McGraw said. "I think we're loose but we're still working hard. That's a maturity thing — that you can come out, work hard but be loose and have a good time."
The Irish (12-7, 6-2 Big East) are looking for that maturity to manifest itself in good bench play. All season, Notre Dame has been able to rely on good bench play to back up its starting line-up.
"I think [growth] is seen just from the bench," Borton said. "Especially less mistakes, turnovers and overall more team ball."
Saturday's game marks the ninth Big East match-up the Irish will have this season. As Notre Dame looks for a bye in the first round of the Big East tournament this game will be an important one.
"Every game is critical right now for us," McGraw said. "For us to get that bye in the first round we have to win seven out of the next eight."
Tip-off is at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, NJ
Notes:
* Junior guard Jeneka Joyce is still questionable for play on Saturday due to a strained left Achilles'. She did not play in the last two Irish games.
All Sports Stories for Friday, February 1, 2002
