NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The No. 15/14 Notre Dame women’s basketball team (2-1) forced 28 turnovers against Tennessee on Monday night, but the Lady Vols (3-0) took advantage of a 55-28 rebounding advantage to earn the 74-63 win. Destinee Walker led the Fighting Irish with 18 points, connecting on three treys. Sam Brunelle (16 points) and Katlyn Gilbert (12 points) also tallied double-digit points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling behind 17-7, Notre Dame went on a 7-0 run with 3:01 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Gilbert, to narrow its deficit to 17-14. Tennessee answered back and added to its lead, leaving the Fighting Irish down 21-14 entering the second quarter.
Sniezek took two early charges in the second, as Peoples joined in the action minutes later, taking a charge of her own. Then a pair of Walker three-pointers brought the Irish fans to their feet, pulling within four points of the Lady Vols at 32-28.
However, Gilbert’s jumper at 3:06 was the final Irish basket of the half, as Tennessee took a 36-28 lead. Walker scored eight points in the second quarter to bring her total in the half to 10, while Gilbert sat at eight points at the midway point.
Tennessee then connected on four treys in the first three minutes of the third to extend its lead to 50-32, its largest of the game. Yet, the Irish kept fighting, chipping away at the lead in the fourth.
Trailing by 17, the Irish notched a 6-0 run and forced 10 Tennessee turnovers over a six-minute span, ultimately pulling within 10 (66-56) with 3:16 left. All 16 Notre Dame points in the fourth came via Brunelle (7) and Peoples (9).
NOTES
- Notre Dame trails the overall series versus Tennessee, 22-8.
- The Irish faced the tallest Tennessee team in program history, as the Lady Vols boast an average height of 6-2.
- The Irish win streak in November comes to end at 49, which dates back nine years.
- Tonight marked the first loss at home outside of UConn over the last 114 contest. Irish were 110-3 heading into tonight in said span.
- Walker recorded her third straight game in double figures with 18 points.
- Gilbert also tallied her third consecutive game in double figures with 12 points.
- Brunelle was the third Irish in double figures with 16 points.
- The Irish forced 28 turnovers tonight. The last time the Irish defense forced 25 or more was also against Tennessee back on 1/18/18.
UP NEXT
The Irish continue their four-game home stand with a top-25 showdown on Thursday, Nov. 14. No. 15 Notre Dame will challenge No. 16 Michigan State in a rematch from the second round of last year’s NCAA Tournament. The game will tip at 8 p.m. ET inside Purcell Pavilion, airing live on the ACC Network.
–ND–