By Tyler Diedrich
Editor-in-chief
RALEIGH, N.C. – A stifling defensive effort from top-seeded Notre Dame ended the women’s basketball team’s ‘sweet’ season on a sour note Sunday.
The Irish (33-3) dominated the fifth-seeded Bonnies, 79-35, in an NCAA Raleigh Regional semifinal, holding them to a regional-record-low scoring output.
Notre Dame fifth-year senior guard Brittany Mallory locked down senior guard Jessica Jenkins most of the game, holding the Bonnies’ leading scorer (13.9 points per game) scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting. Mallory made it clear Jenkins, the NCAA’s active all-time three-point shooter (338), was a marked woman.
“There was an emphasis of being aware wherever she was on the court at all times,” Mallory said. “It was a really big team effort. If I got hit on the screens, somebody was there to switch out. We just wanted to make her uncomfortable, and be there on the catch and get a hand up.”
The Irish held the Bonnies (31-4) to .188 (9-for-48) from the field. Senior forward Megan Van Tatenhove (13.0 ppg) scored just three points – all from the foul line – and redshirt senior guard Armelia Horton scored four, shooting 1-for-10 on the afternoon.
“St. Bonaventure has some really good shooters and drivers, so we wanted to limit their touches and keep them out of the lane,” Notre Dame fifth-year senior forward Devereaux Peters said. “We were able to force some tough shots and get them out of what they usually do well.”
Bonnies coach Jim Crowley said Notre Dame’s defense – No. 5 in the country (51.6 ppg) – is often overlooked because of the Irish’s potent offense, No. 2 in the country (79.2 ppg).
“They are so much better in person than they are on film, and I thought they were pretty good on film,” Crowley said. “What gets me is how good they are at sensing you’re not ready or that you’re frustrated. Once they sensed we had hung our heads down, they put their foot on the pedal.”
The Irish out-rebounded the Bonnies, 45-28 (31-17 defensively), and won the turnover battle, 21-15.
“They came out ready to go and we didn’t,” Jenkins said of the reigning national runners-up. “They were playing with a chip on their shoulder after coming up short last year.”
Moving forward, junior guard Alaina Walker said she hopes the Bonnies can emulate Notre Dame’s defensive prowess.
“They are a great team,” Walker said. “It is a learning experience. They’ve been here before; we haven’t. This is all kind of new for us. They played really hard. I think we can pick up on how they play.”
diedrits@bonaventure.edu
