Feb. 5, 2003
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Sophomore forward Jacqueline Batteast scored a game-high 20 points, including eight in a key second-half run as Notre Dame came from behind to defeat Georgetown, 74-49 in BIG EAST Conference action Wednesday night at the Joyce Center. It marks the first time the Irish have won back-to-back games since Dec. 23, and it is the 15th consecutive victory for Notre Dame over Georgetown, the third-longest active winning streak in school history.
Batteast narrowly missed her seventh double-double of the season for Notre Dame (13-7, 5-4 BIG EAST), collecting nine rebounds and still managing to log her team-high fifth 20-point game of the campaign. She was one of five Irish players in double figures, the fourth time this season Notre Dame has pulled off that feat (and the first time since Dec. 14 vs. Temple).
Senior guard Alicia Ratay tallied 13 points, moving her into a tie for fourth place on the school’s career scoring list with 1,590 points. She eased past Trena Keys (1,589 from 1982-86) and caught Karen Robinson (1,590 from 1987-91) and should move into sole possession of fourth place in Notre Dame’s next game. In addition, Ratay made her 117th career start (and 59th in a row), pushing her past Robinson into third place on the Irish career starts list.
Sophomore forward Katy Flecky made a major contribution off the bench, notching 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds to chart the second double-double of her career (and first this year). Junior guard Le’Tania Severe also scored 12 points and added a career-high eight steals, tying the second-highest total in school and Joyce Center history. It was the most thefts by an Irish player since current Notre Dame assistant Coquese Washington registered eight steals vs. Stanford on Nov. 24, 1991. Sophomore center Teresa Borton rounded out the Irish double-figure parade with 11 points and a career-best five blocked shots.
Carmen Bruce led three Georgetown players in double digits, scoring 14 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Rebekkah Brunson tallied a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while Mary Lisicky chipped in with 10 points and Leslie Tyburski snatched a career-high 11 rebounds.
The first half was a struggle for both sides, with five lead changes and four ties between the clubs. Notre Dame opened up its largest lead of the period at 22-17 on a putback by Batteast with 6:17 left in the half. However, that would be the last points the Irish would score in the stanza, as Georgetown closed the first half on an 8-0 run, with Brunson accounting for five markers in the spurt.
The Hoyas (12-7, 3-5) continued their run in the opening two minutes of the second half, outscoring Notre Dame, 7-3 and taking their largest lead of the night at 32-25 on Bruce’s three-pointer with 18:17 remaining. From there, the Irish erupted, going on a 23-0 run over the next seven minutes to seize control of the game. Borton’s three-point play capped the onslaught and gave the hosts a 48-32 advantage with 11:20 to play.
Georgetown made one final charge, using a 7-0 run to pull within nine points midway through the second half. However, the Hoyas could get no closer, as Notre Dame outscored their visitors, 26-10 the rest of the way to secure their second consecutive comeback victory. The Irish also trailed at the half last Saturday vs. West Virginia, but rallied to win by five.
Notre Dame will return to the hardwood Sunday at 2 p.m. (EST) when it pays a visit to Blacksburg, Va., for a matchup with Virginia Tech. That game will be broadcast live as part of the BIG EAST television package, and can be seen locally in South Bend on WHME-TV (Channel 46). Other outlets showing the game live include Madison Square Garden Network, Fox Sports Net New England and Fox Sports Net Florida.
— ND —