Feb 16, 2002
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) – Alicia Ratay scored 25 points to lead No. 23 Notre Dame to its seventh straight victory, 57-52 over Rutgers Saturday night.
Notre Dame played without their leading scorer, Jacqueline Batteast, who was sidelined with a knee injury.
The Fighting Irish (17-7, 11-2 Big East) avenged one of their two losses in last season’s march to the national championship. Rutgers (7-17, 4-9) beat the Irish 54-53 in the regular season.
Ratay took over the offense during a five-minute stretch in the second half after Rutgers closed a 10-point deficit to 33-30. Ratay hit four straight shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, then made a steal and passed to Jeneka Joyce, who scored for a 45-36 lead. Kelsey Wicks’ putback made it 47-36 with 6:56 to play.
With Rutgers down 53-42, Mauri Horton, who led Rutgers with 25 points, made a 3-pointer, then a short jumper with under a minute to play to make it 53-48.
Nikki Jett was fouled on a breakaway after a steal with 30.8 seconds left and made a free throw. Wicks hit both ends of a one-and-one with 10 seconds left for a 55-49 lead. Horton made a 3-point shot with 3 seconds left to make it 55-52. Wicks sealed the win with two more free throws with 2.2 seconds to play.