NOTRE DAME, Ind. – It may have been Senior Day for No. 4 Notre Dame women’s basketball, but it was a junior who stole the spotlight on the way to a 103-66 victory over Virginia. Jackie Young became the first Irish player to record a two triple-doubles in the same season and tied Skylar Diggins-Smith for the most in a career. Young notched 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the Irish victory.
As a result, the Fighting Irish (27-3, 14-2) clinched a share of the ACC regular season title along with the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Notre Dame ties Virginia for the record with six consecutive ACC regular season crowns and now boasts eight straight when dating back to the final two years in the Big East.
“I couldn’t imagine a better finish for these seniors on their last game at home this regular season,” Karen & Kevin Keyes Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw said. “But Jackie wanted to steal the thunder today. She came up with the triple-double and had a great game off the bench because she so willingly gave up her spot to (senior Maureen) Butler so she could start and then came in and had the best game of her season.”
Arike Ogunbowale connected on a career-best six three-pointers before finishing with a game-high 24 points. Brianna Turner tallied 21 points, along with four blocks, and is now riding a career best three straight games with 20-plus points.
Jessica Shepard finished two boards shy of a double-double with 19 points and eight rebounds. Marina Mabrey also flirted with a triple-double with 12 points, eight assists and seven boards. Mabrey now sits four treys shy of tying the all-time made threes record of 262.
How It Happened
All five seniors started on Senior Day, giving Maureen Butler her first collegiate start. Notre Dame scored four seconds off the tip before later recording a 12-2 run thanks to a 7-for-9 start from the field, building a 16-4 lead. Jackie Young, who came off the bench, tallied 10 points in the quarter, which included a three-point buzzer beater.
Up 29-16 heading into the second, the Irish continued to play team ball, recording 14 assists on 17 made fields at the half. The Irish defense limited the Cavaliers to just two field goals over the final seven minutes of the half, building a 53-33 advantage. By the midway point, Young, Turner, Ogunbowale and Shepard were all in double figures already. In fact, Young was already flirting with a triple-double by the half with 10 points, seven boards and seven assists.
The Irish posted their best quarter in the third, outscoring Virginia, 30-14, to go up 83-47. Notre Dame posted a 20-6 scoring stretch from 7:42 to 1:31.
At 8:11 in the fourth, Young grabbed an offensive board and dished off the assist to Turner, joining Marina Mabrey as the only two Irish players to come off the bench and record a triple-double.
“Jackie can average a triple-double if she wanted to,” Turner said. “She’s just that type of player. She can score, she can rebound, she get the assist — really any stat she wanted to — so her triple-double didn’t surprise me.”
All-in-all, the Irish reached the century mark for the seventh time this season. In addition, the normal starting five all finished in double figures for the 11th time this season.
Notes
- With the win, Notre Dame moves to 8-2 all-time in the series against Virginia, including a 3-0 mark at home.
- The Irish earned its sixth consecutive ACC regular season title, which ties Virginia (1991-96) for most in a row.
- The Irish move to 90-5 in league play since joining the ACC for the 2013-14 season.
- When dating back to their last two years in the Big East, the Irish have won eight consecutive regular season titles which stands as the second highest active streak in Division I, only behind Baylor’s nine.
- Jackie Young becomes the first Irish player to record two triple-doubles in the same season. She also joins Skylar Diggins-Smith as the only two in program history to tally two triple-doubles over their career. Young joins Marina Mabrey as the only two Irish players to record a triple-double coming off the bench. Young tallied 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists on Sunday.
- Ogunbowale connected on a career-best six made three-pointers, finishing with 24 points. Ogunbowale was 6-for-8 from deep.
- Turner posted 21 points and has now recorded three consecutive games with 20-plus points, which marks a career best.
- With three three-pointers on Sunday, Mabrey moves to within four of tying the all-time made threes record of 262.
- The Irish reached the century mark for the seventh time this season.
Up Next
The Irish travel to Greensboro, NC, for the ACC Tournament. The No. 1-seeded Irish will begin play on Friday, March 8, at 2 p.m. ET.
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