Jan. 13, 2009
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marquette coach Terri Mitchell has been waiting for a signature win over a top team for her program.
She finally got one on Tuesday night when Marquette upset No. 10/4 Notre Dame 75-65.
“I just kept telling the team, `We’re going to break through. We’re going to break through, so why not tonight?”‘ said Mitchell, who is in her 13th season at Marquette.
The victory was the first over a Top 10 opponent in school history.
Angel Robinson scored 19 and Krystal Ellis added 18 to help Marquette snap the Fighting Irish’s seven-game winning streak.
“This is an opportunity for us to find ourselves again. And, I really felt like we did,” Mitchell said.
The game was tied at 52 with 10:18 remaining. Marquette closed the game on a 23-13 run. Ellis sparked the surge with two 3-pointers and Robinson added seven points for the Golden Eagles (11-5, 2-1 BIG EAST).
Mitchell was happy to savor the win.
“I’m so proud of our players because they fought hard against an excellent team and did what we asked them to do,” she said.
Junior guards Melissa Lechlitner and Ashley Barlow led the Fighting Irish (14-2, 3-1) with 15 points each.
“Krystal Ellis played like the player that we thought she would be,” said Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw. She said her team “didn’t have it tonight” and credited Marquette’s defense for forcing her players to dribble more than they should.
“I think maybe this is the turning point in the season for them.”
The 75 points scored by Marquette were the most Notre Dame allowed by an opponent this season.
— ND —
POST GAME NOTES: Tuesday’s loss was just the sixth in the past 24 road games for Notre Dame, and only its second in 10 outings this season … the Irish still lead the all-time series with Marquette, 28-6, although the Golden Eagles have won two of the past three games after Notre Dame had won 26 of 27 from 1982-2006 … five of MU’s six series wins over Notre Dame have come in Milwaukee … the Irish drop to 10-2 all-time in conference play against Marquette, covering three leagues (4-0 in North Star, 4-0 in Midwestern Collegiate and 2-2 in BIG EAST) … the Golden Eagles scored at least 70 points against Notre Dame for the fifth time in series history, but the third consecutive game … Tuesday’s 75 points were one off MU’s series high, set in last year’s 99-76 Notre Dame win at the Joyce Center … prior to Tuesday’s game, Notre Dame had allowed more than 63 points in a game only once this season (Nov. 29 in a 78-72 win over #24 Michigan State at the Joyce Center) or more than 38 points in a single half (three times, most recently in the second half of last Saturday’s 84-63 win over Georgetown) … the Irish also posted their second-lowest field goal percentage of the season, behind only a .344 mark on Dec. 7 in a 62-51 win over #17/20 Purdue, also at the Joyce Center … conversely, Marquette’s .458 field goal percentage was the best by a Notre Dame opponent this season, topping the old mark of .444 by Michigan on Dec. 10 (the only other loss on the Notre Dame resume this season, 63-59 in overtime) … the Irish forced at least 20 opponent turnovers for the ninth time this season … Notre Dame also chalked up double-digit steals for the ninth time, registering a season-high 17 thefts on Nov. 19 and 23 vs. Evansville and at Boston College, respectively … Notre Dame lost when leading at the half for the second time in 14 games this season … the Irish lost for the first time this season when fielding four or more double-digit scorers (now 8-1) … senior guard Lindsay Schrader grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds, also the most by any Notre Dame player in a game this year (three others had 10 boards, most recently junior center Erica Williamson this past Saturday vs. Georgetown) … junior guard Ashley Barlow’s six steals were one off her career high set back on Nov. 23 at Boston College; Barlow also dropped in a career-high-tying three three-pointers, matching a mark she last reached on Nov. 19 vs. Evansville … freshman guard Natalie Novosel tied her season (and career) high with four steals, matching her production on Dec. 28 at Charlotte; Novosel also posted her sixth double-figure scoring night of the year, and fifth in seven games … the starting lineup of Williamson, Schrader, Barlow, junior guard Melissa Lechlitner and sophomore forward Becca Bruszewski had been 11-0 this season (3-0 in the BIG EAST) prior to Tuesday’s loss.