NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 2 Notre Dame women’s basketball team (14-1, 2-0) dished out a season high 30 assists on 34 made field goals to defeat Georgia Tech (11-4, 1-1), 76-55, on Sunday inside McCamish Pavilion. It marked the first time the Irish recorded 30 assists since a win over Central Michigan back on Dec. 22, 2013.
All five Irish starters finished in double figures for the fifth time this season, as Notre Dame shot over 50 percent for the seventh consecutive game (.548).
Jessica Shepard led the Irish in scoring for the first time this season with 19 points to go along with her seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks. Arike Ogunbowale doubled her previous high in career assists with 12 this afternoon, to go with her 13 points. Brianna Turner led the squad in rebounds and steals with nine and three respectively, to go with her 11 points.
How It Happened
Notre Dame found itself down 8-2 in the early minutes, before finding its offensive rhythm to finish the last seven minutes of the quarter outscoring Georgia Tech, 16-7. Jessica Shepard led the team in scoring for the period with eight points, giving Notre Dame an 18-15 lead.
The Irish started the second quarter on an 8-0 run, which extended into a 17-4 advantage. Notre Dame ultimately outscored the Yellow Jackets 21-7 in the quarter, limiting its opposition to just 3-of-14 shooting in the period to take a 39-22 advantage into the half.
The Irish registered 30 of its 39 halftime points in the paint, led by 12 points from Shepard and eight points from Brianna Turner. However, the most impressive stat by half, 17 assists on 17 made field goals for the Irish.
In the third, Notre Dame shot out of the gates again, jumping out to an 11-4 start. The Irish finished the period making seven of its last nine shots, but four late turnovers resulted in a fairly even-scoring quarter. Thus, the Irish took a 58-39 lead into the fourth quarter.
There, the Irish continued its theme for the game, starting the fourth on a 7-0 run, five of which were scored by Ogunbowale. Notre Dame extended the run to 16-5 before rolling to the 76-55 final.
Mabrey finished the game with 11 points and four assists while Jackie Young notched 10 points and four rebounds. Mikayla Vaughn, who entered the game in the second half, finished with eight points and four boards.
Player of the Game
Shepard led the team in scoring for the first time this season with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting. The senior also collected seven rebounds, two blocks and tied her season high in assists with six.
Stat of the Game
The Irish were a perfect 17 assists on 17 made field goals at halftime and finished the game with a season high of 30 assists on 34 made field goals. It marked the first time the Irish recorded 30 assists since a win over Central Michigan back on Dec. 22, 2013.
Notes
- Notre Dame now leads the overall series, 11-0, against Georgia Tech, including a 5-0 mark in Atlanta.
- Irish move to 79-3 in ACC play since joining the league at the start of the 2013-14 season.
- Ogunbowale doubled her previous career high in assists with 12 on Sunday to go with her 13 points.
- Shepard led the Irish in scoring for the first time this season, registering 19 points. She also tied her season high in assists with six.
- Ogunbowale has reached double figures in all 15 games this season with her 13-point performance tonight. Dating back to last season, Ogunbowale has reached double figures in 36 consecutive games.
- All five Notre Dame starters finished in double figures for the fifth time this season.
- Turner notched two blocks against Georgia Tech and has now totaled 16 over the last five games.
- The Irish, who rank second in the country in shooting percentage, shot over 50 percent for the seventh consecutive game, converting 54.8 percent on Sunday.
- The Irish dished out 30 assists against the Yellow Jackets. It marked the sixth consecutive game in which Notre Dame has recorded 24 or more.
- The 30 assists also marked a new season high and the first 30-assist game since Central Michigan back on Dec. 22, 2013.
- Margin of victory in Notre Dame’s first two ACC games moves up to a total of +77.
Up Next
Up next, a rivalry renewed back at home inside Purcell Pavilion, when the No. 2 Irish host No. 3 Louisville on Thursday, Jan. 10. The top-3 showdown will air live on ESPN starting at 7 p.m. ET. Dial (574) 631-7356 for ticket information or to purchase tickets by phone. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Murnane Family Ticket Office, located at Gate 9 of Purcell Pavilion.
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