Jan 10, 2004
By TOM COYNE
AP Sports Writer
SOUTH BEND, (AP) – Jacqueline Batteast had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Teresa Borton added 14 points and Notre Dame dominated inside, beating No. 16 Virginia Tech 53-40 Saturday.
The Hokies (12-2, 1-2 Big East) shot just 33.3 percent, their second-worst shooting game of the season, and lost their second straight after opening with 12 straight victories.
Notre Dame (8-6, 1-1) beat a ranked team for the first time since their season-opening victory over then-No. 22 Auburn.
The Irish outscored the Hokies 32-20 inside and outrebounded Virginia Tech 41-31, including 22-9 in the second half.
Katy Flecky scored all seven of her points during a decisive 22-7 second-half run by the Irish.
Virginia Tech, which led 20-16 at halftime, tied the score at 29 when Dawn Chriss scored an easy basket on an inbounds pass. But the Irish responded with a 9-0 outburst, highlighted by a three-point play by Flecky.
Kerri Gardin, who led the Hokies with 10 points, hit a 12-footer and pulled Virginia Tech within 41-35. But the Irish went on a 10-0 run, including a 3-pointer by Flecky.
Batteast and Borton each had 10 second-half points for the Irish, who overcame 23-percent shooting in the first half with 50-percent accuracy in the second.
Virginia Tech’s Ieva Kublina did not score in the second half and was limited to three points on 1-for-5 shooting, well below her team-best average of 13.3 points.