By Staff
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – After getting its season off to a strong start last week, No. 23 Notre Dame faces a tough early-season test when it plays host to Western Kentucky in a Preseason WNIT quarterfinal game today at 7 p.m. at the Joyce Center.
The Irish tipped off their season with a resounding 98-50 win over Miami (Ohio) at home last Friday night. All 11 players scored for Notre Dame, which grabbed a 36-8 lead in the first 12 minutes and never looked back en route to its biggest win since the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
Playing her first meaningful game in nearly 20 months, junior guard Lindsay Schrader set the tone for the Irish, scoring a game-high 20 points (on 10-of-12 shooting) in only 17 minutes.
Sophmore guard Ashley Barlow added 19 points for Notre Dame, which connected on a Preseason WNIT-record 41 field goals.
Western Kentucky opened its season with a 90-73 win over East Tennessee last Friday, getting a game-high 23 points from sophomore guard Kenzie Rich (including 4-of-5 three-pointers).
For the second time in four years, but just the third time in school history, Notre Dame is taking part in the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Irish are 8-1 (.889) all-time in the tournament, including a 6-0 record when playing at home.
Notre Dame last played in the Preseason WNIT in 2004, winning the championship with victories over Illinois State (92-73), Nebraska (73-57), No. 6 Duke (76-65) and No. 9 Ohio State (66-62), all at the Joyce Center.
Jacqueline Batteast was named the event's Most Valuable Player after scoring a career-high 32 points in the final against OSU. Megan Duffy also earned a place on the all-tournament team. On the strength of their WNIT crown, the Irish moved as high as third in the national polls, finished as the BIG EAST Conference runner-up, and made a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.