Nov. 14, 2014

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

INSIDE THE GAME: #3 Notre Dame 105, UMass Lowell 51
Nov. 14, 2014 – Purcell Pavilion

It Was Over When: Fighting Irish junior All-America guard Jewell Loyd hit two free throws at the 13:36 mark of the first half, capping Notre Dame’s 20-2 run to start the game.

Game Ball Goes To: Who else? Notre Dame freshman forward Brianna Turner put on a remarkable all-around display in her college debut with game highs of 29 points (on 13 of 18 shooting), nine rebounds and three blocks, all in just 19 minutes.

Stat Of The Game: Turner scored the most points by a Fighting Irish freshman in her debut game during the Muffet McGraw era, easily surpassing the previous mark of 18 points, shared by Alicia Ratay (vs. Toledo in 1999) and Courtney LaVere (vs. Cleveland State in 2002).

(Bonus) Stat Of The Game: Turner finished four points shy of matching the Notre Dame record for points by a freshman in ANY game (33 by Michelle Marciniak in a 90-86 overtime loss at No. RV/24 Georgia on Dec. 8, 1991). Turner’s 29 points were the most by a Fighting Irish rookie in one game since Skylar Diggins’ 31 points against another America East Conference team, Vermont, on March 23, 2010, in an 84-66 Notre Dame victory in the second round of the NCAA Championship at Purcell Pavilion.

Unsung Hero: Junior guard Hannah Huffman provided a spark off the bench, scoring a career-high eight points (making four of six shots) and grabbing three rebounds in 12 minutes. Huffman’s previous career high was seven points at Marquette on Feb. 17, 2013.

Unofficial Play Of The Game: Turner collected her third block of the night, rejecting Brianna Rudolph’s jumper before Notre Dame junior guard/tri-captain Michaela Mabrey gathered the rebound. Mabrey then rewarded her rookie teammate for hustling up the floor, finding Turner in transition for her final field goal on a record-setting night, giving the Fighting Irish a 79-28 lead with 14:46 to play.

Up Next For The Fighting Irish: Notre Dame heads out on the road for the first time this season at 7 p.m. (ET) Nov. 19 with a matchup against No. 14/15 Michigan State at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. The game will be televised live to a regional cable audience on the Big Ten Network.

— Chris Masters, Associate Athletic Media Relations Director