Students ride emotional rollercoaster watching Irish play
By ANDREW SOUKUP
Associate Sports Editor
It was a half hour before game time, and something unusual was happening.
In dorms across the campus, students were already securing their seats on the couches, a spectacle usually reserved for away football games.
One by one, televisions were switched over to ESPN for the women's basketball national championship game.
In small groups of three to five, people slowly trickled into LaFortune and gathered around one of four televisions. By the time the game started, about 800 students were packed into the student center to watch Notre Dame take on Purdue.
Student Activities set up a 12-by-14 foot screen in the LaFortune Ballroom, where most of the students watched the game. But directly underneath the Ballroom, students pulled couches and chairs around the two big screen televisions and piled as close to the television as possible. Further down the hallway, some students had homework spread out over the tables as they watched the game.
"It's fun to watch it in an environment like this," said freshman Brendan O'Connor. "It's almost like being at the game."
Many students wore shirts with "Beat Purdue" written across their chests. The shirts, originally distributed for the regular season game against Purdue before winter break, found a second life Sunday night.
Pre-game
The ESPN telecast began, and fans in the upstairs LaFortune Ballroom cheered when the women's basketball team huddled around the free throw line to perform the Irish Jig. When the starting lineups were announced, the loudest cheers were for Irish head coach Muffet McGraw.
"This is going to be a great game," said one student.
But as the Irish fell behind by 12 points, everyone grew a little anxious.
7:53 left in the first half
Ruth Riley was fouled as she drove to the basket. The ball bounced on the rim and finally fell through, pulling the Irish to within three points. The crowd immediately shouted the loudest of the night so far.
By now, the few students who had brought homework had put it away in their backpacks.
"I can't get anything done, it's just too loud," one student told her friend.
Halftime
"We're not playing too well, but I'm not discouraged yet," O'Connor said. After all, the Irish were only down six points — they had trailed by 16 against Connecticut and still rallied to win by 15.
Some students stood up to head to Burger King or Tomassito's to grab some food before the second half started. But most stayed where they were, apparently afraid of losing their seat to someone standing in the back.
17:01 left in the second half
Kelley Siemon hit a short five-foot jumper to give the Irish their first lead of the evening, and Notre Dame fans stood up and celebrated.
But the lead was short lived as Purdue rattled off eight unanswered points to retake the lead. Purdue's surge didn't shake the faith of the Irish faithful.
"I know we're going to win, I just know it," one particular student said.
8:49 left in the second half
Riley hit a jumper, was fouled, and sunk the ensuing free throw — to the delight of those watching in South Bend.
"You can't handle the Ruth!" one student sitting near the television shouted.
4:00 left in the second half
Alicia Ratay drilled Notre Dame's first — and only — 3-pointer of the night to tie the game at 62. As she shot the ball, students stood up, raised their hands, and exploded when the ball sailed through the net. It prompted foot-stomping in the Ballroom that could be heard down below on the first floor.
"This is the most nerve-racking experience of my life," said Brianne McNicholas.
"It's so exciting," added Tara Dane. "Words can't describe it."
5.8 seconds left in the second half
The Player of the Year stood on the free-throw line with the scored tied at 66. She calmly shot the ball into the air, and as it swished through the net, the LaFortune Ballroom broke out into cheers.
"I've never cared about women's basketball before in my life, and I have goose bumps," said freshman Adam Miglore.
"This is as close to being religious as I get," freshman Dan Brunner said.
When the Purdue timeout was over, Riley stepped back up to the free throw line and scored her 28th point of the night.
Across LaFortune, those gathered in attendance stood on their feet or climbed on top of chairs to get a clear glimpse of the television as Purdue drove down the court with one final chance to tie the game.
The Boilermakers passed the ball around to their All-American, Kelly Douglas, who took an off-balance jumper from 15 feet away.
The shot came up short.
LaFortune exploded into cheers.
Notre Dame had won the national championship.
Post-game
As Niele Ivey raced over to her teammates, arms in the air, students in Notre Dame high-fived each other and shouted hysterically.
"We're national champs! We're national champs!" several students shouted.
The cheering continued for several minutes, and didn't subside until television cameras showed McGraw hugging University President Edward Malloy.
As ESPN showed replays of Purdue's final possession, a few students began to sing the Fight Song. Soon, everyone in LaFortune ballroom was singing as loud as they could.
Fittingly, the final words to the song were "Onward to victory."
All Sports Stories for Monday, April 2, 2001
