Women's Big East Tournament: Irish use team effort to dismantle Hoyas
By NOAH AMSTADTER
Sports Editor
STORRS, Conn.
SEN-DAT.
That's what the Notre Dame bench yells at backup center Mandy Barksdale every time a shot goes up around her.
And more often than not, that's what the sophomore does, sending the ball down the court, towards the stands, into her teammates' hands — every direction but into the basket.
"I've been blocking shots since high school," Barksdale said. "That's something I really love to do."
With the Irish resting All-American Ruth Riley during their 89-33 victory over Georgetown on Sunday, Barksdale logged 22 minutes, and had a chance to do what she loves.
After entering the game at the 16:11 mark in the opening half, she blocked five shots before halftime. She added one more block after the break, and finished with a team-high nine rebounds.
"She probably leads the nation in blocks per minute," Irish head coach Muffet McGraw said. "Everybody has had their shots blocked except for me, in practice."
And everybody contributed Sunday for the Irish. For the second time in the last four games, every player who dressed scored. Up by more than 40 points late into the second half, the Irish bench players started having fun.
Senior guard Imani Dunbar, barely averaging a point per game, looked like Michael Jordan — driving past defenders to the hoop, dishing out perfect passes and putting her Hoya opponents to sleep on defense.
Sophomore Karen Swanson, a 5-foot-7 walk-on, sailed above the scholarship Georgetown post players to grab a rebound late in the game.
Even Barksdale — a pure post player if there ever was one — got in the lane and came away with a steal in the game's closing minutes.
"It's great for us to sit and watch everybody play so well," fifth-year captain Niele Ivey said.
And sit the starters did. In a Big East Tournament that forces the Irish to play three games in three days, no Irish starter posted more than Kelley Siemon's 25 minutes.
But before they left to watch the blowout from the bench, the starters nailed the coffin shut on Georgetown coach Pat Knapp's team.
After struggling from behind the 3-point arc in recent games, Alicia Ratay hit three 3-pointers in the first half, as did Ivey.
"It broke their back in the first half," McGraw said. "The 3-point shot really killed them."
Ivey — named to her first All-Big East first team on Friday — appeared inspired by the opportunity to come in and dominate right away. She scored 14 in the opening half, finishing with an Irish-best 16 in the game.
The performance left other coaches scared and speechless.
Knapp appeared dejected and overcome as he entered the post-game press conference.
After the Big East media representative announced the Georgetown coach would make an opening statement, Knapp declined.
"I don't have an opening statement," Knapp said. "So if you have some questions, get rolling."
As she left the arena Sunday afternoon, Barksdale expressed gratitude for her teammates' encouragement.
"My teammates have always been behind me," Barksdale said. "I try to do whatever I can to thank them for doing that."
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Sports Stories for Monday, March 5, 2001
