Dec. 10, 2014
Box Score 
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CHICAGO (AP) – Jewell Loyd capped a career effort with Notre Dame’s most critical points.
The junior guard scored a career-high 41 points – including seven in overtime – to lead No. 5 Notre Dame to a 94-93 victory over No. 25 DePaul on Wednesday night.
With Notre Dame down 93-92 with 5.3 seconds left in overtime, Loyd was fouled on a drive and hit two free throws to help the Irish (9-1) win their sixth straight in the series.
“Jewell Loyd was amazing,” Irish coach Muffet McGraw said. “We gave them so many opportunities and then we came up with the big free throws at the end.”
The Irish overcame a late six-point deficit in regulation to force overtime
Brittany Hrynko missed four late overtime free throws for DePaul (6-3). She was 5 of 16 from the line and the Blue Demons were 12 of 29 overall.
“I’ve been coaching 41 years and this has never happened,” DePaul coach Doug Bruno said. “This doesn’t happen in sixth and seventh grade. It doesn’t happen. It happened. I trust we have the inner strength to turn the page.”
Hrynko scored 32 points for the Blue Demons. Megan Rogowski had 16, and Chanise Jenkins 12.
Loyd tied the school record for points and also had 12 rebounds. Madison Cable had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Taya Reimer added 15 points and 11 rebounds. It was the first time Notre Dame has had three players with double-doubles since Dec. 8, 2012.
“Madison Cable had her first career double-double and Taya had a double-double,” McGraw said. “Just a lot of good stuff, a lot of grit down the stretch.”
Notre Dame built a 40-35 halftime lead behind 17 points from Loyd and 10 more from Cable.
But 2 minutes into the second half DePaul sprinted to a 49-44 lead with a 14-4 run that included a Hrynko’s two 3-pointers and another form Megan Podkowa.
Loyd’s layup with 16:20 left launched a 10-0 Notre Dame run as the Irish opened a 54-49 lead. DePaul went back up at 64-63 on January’s layup on the way to a 71-63 lead, its largest of the night.
Notre Dame rallied to force a 82-82 tie on Loyd’s two free throws and DePaul missed a chance to go ahead with Hrynko missed two free throws with 3.2 seconds left in regulation.
TIP-INS
Notre Dame: Loyd was named ACC Player of the Week Monday after averaging 20.9 points, 4.5 rebounds 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals against No. 3 UConn and No. 15/10 Maryland.
DePaul: Hrynko earned BIG EAST top player honors this week after averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds in wins over Butler and Chicago State.
STAT LINE
Loyd, a product of Lincolnwood, Illinois, was 12 of 28 from the field and 15 of 18 from the free throw line. She came into the game second in the ACC and 15th nationally in scoring at 22.2 points per game.
FREQUENT RIVALS
The teams have met 40 times and shared conference membership in the North Star (1983-88) and BIG EAST (2005-13) before the Irish landed in the ACC. DePaul remains in the BIG EAST. Notre Dame has a 21-19 series lead.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Irish added to their school record with their 28th consecutive road victory. Their last road loss came on March 6, 2012, a 63-54 setback at Connecticut in the BIG EAST Championship final in Hartford.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame plays host to Michigan at 1 p.m. (ET) Saturday.