Notre Dame uses big first half to blow out Valparaiso
By LIA MILHOAN
Sports Writer
VALPARAISO
Despite opening their 2000-2001 season with a 71-46 victory over the Crusaders of Valparaiso Friday night, the Irish women's basketball team proved vulnerable at the hands of a small-school opponent.
Although the Irish went into the locker room with a 47-17 lead, the second half was the antithesis of the first half. Valparaiso switched to a man-to-man defense, shut down the Irish transition game and forced Notre Dame into a half-court set. After hitting for 47 first half points, the Irish only managed 24 second-half points.
"If we play like we did in the first half, we're going to have a lot of success. If we play like we did in the second half, we're not going to have a lot of success," said Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw. "The team in the first half was full of intensity and aggressiveness. In the second half we got a little complacent."
Notre Dame used runs of 13-0 and 16-2 to break open the game and secure a 47-17 halftime advantage. The Valparaiso zone allowed the Irish to bomb away from three point range at will as Notre Dame connected on 9 of11 first half three-point attempts.
"I got some open looks," said sophomore Alicia Ratay, who led the three-point charge. Ratay lit up the field for 5 threes en route to a team high 17 first half points and finished with 20 for the game. Guards Jeneka Joyce and Niele Ivey added three and two treys, respectively, in the contest.
Valparaiso coach Keith Freeman felt he erred in using the zone because it left the Irish too open on the perimeter. "We were concerned with our foul situations," said Freeman. "We just felt with their ability to penetrate we'd have to go to the bench and we can't go too deep in the bench. So we had to go zone."
The Irish held the Crusaders to 27 percent shooting in the fist half with suffocating defensive pressure — especially by the guards. Senior point guard Niele Ivey had four of Notre Dame's six steals. Irish domination of the boards led to one-and-out situations for the Crusaders and let the Irish convert on numerous transition baskets. Senior Kelley Seimon led the Irish with 9 first half rebounds.
Freshman Jeneka Joyce scored 11 points off the bench, but only three in the second half. The rest of the Irish reserves combined for only seven points. McGraw felt that the team needed more of a spark from the reserves in the second half.
"That's when you need the bench to contribute. We needed the bench to give us some energy, some intensity and we didn't quite get that off the bench."
Leading the way for the Crusaders were Jeanette Gray and Marlous Nieuwveen, who scored 14 and 13 points respectively.
"I really like the character of this team. I think over the course of the season we're going to get better. I think games like this really help us," said Freeman. " It's the equivalent on the guys side of playing Duke."
The Irish next face the Wildcats of the University of Arizona on Monday at the Joyce Center with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. The Wildcats are coming off a 76-71 win over Brigham Young on Saturday.
The Wildcats are led by senior guard Reshea Bristol and freshman forward Veranda James. In her collegiate debut, James recorded a double-double — scoring 11 points and hauling in 11 rebounds.
Coach McGraw said of James and the Arizona team, "Arizona's a very athletic team and really quick. They have a freshman on the block shooting like 75 percent from the field in exhibition games. She's very, very strong."
"This will be a great test for our team but I think we will be up for the challenge," said Arizona coach Joan Bonvicini. "They have what I believe is one of the best inside-outside games in the country. We need to play smart and work on the mistakes we made tonight."
All Sports Stories for Monday, November 20, 2000
