SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – Notre Dame's inside-outside game turned
Michigan inside out.
|  | | Notre Dame center Ruth Riley scored 21 points to lead the top-seeded Irish to the Sweet 16. |
First the Irish pounded the ball inside. When the Wolverines
focused on trying to slow All-American center Ruth Riley, Notre
Dame started hitting from the outside. Then the Irish began scoring
at will as Notre Dame dominated throughout en route to an 88-54
victory Monday night in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
"They just had too much," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said.
"They were too quick, and we didn't have enough. They responded to
everything we threw at them. They have a lot of weapons."
Ruth Riley had 21 points, including eight points in the opening
seven minutes. Kelley Siemon added four of her 16 points during
that span as Notre Dame repeatedly went inside. When the Wolverines
tried to shutdown the inside game, Alicia Ratay hit three
3-pointers and Jeneka Joyce made two.
"It's always difficult when you focus on one person," Michigan
forward Raina Goodlow said. "We doubled and tripled Riley, but the
other four players stepped up."
A crowd of 9,597 watched the Irish win their 38th straight home
game. The Irish (30-2), who head to Denver for the Midwest Regional
semifinals, need one more victory to match their most wins ever,
when they went 31-7 en route to a Final Four appearance four years
ago.
The Irish, who struggled with the their emotions in their final
regular-season home game, showed no signs of that against the
Wolverines. The seniors, who posted the best four-year record ever
at Notre Dame at 105-22, walked to midcourt after the game and
waved to the crowd.
"I kind of came out for tonight's game wanting to have fun. I
don't think I could have asked for a better game to end my career
here," Siemon said.
The loss was the largest this season for the Wolverines (19-12),
who advanced past the first round of the tournament for only the
second time.
The Wolverines had overcome halftime deficits eight times this
season, including coming back after trailing by 17 points in the
second half against Virginia on Saturday, but never made a run
against the Irish. Notre Dame led 44-28 at the half and opened the
second half with a 14-3 run.
"We got drilled early," Guevara said.
Asked what she was thinking when Michigan made just one of their
first nine shots, Guevara said: "Please, God, let a shot fall."
Joyce had a career-high 14 points, making 4-of-8 3-pointers,
Ratay had 11 points and eight assists, and Ivey had eight points
and eight assists.
Raina Goodlow led Michigan with 16 points, and Stephanie Gandy
and Jennifer Smith scored 10 points each and Smith had 12 rebounds.
Alayne Ingram, who had a career-high 27 points in leading the
Wolverines' comeback against Virginia, was just 3-of-18 shooting
for nine points.
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
Michigan Clubhouse
Notre Dame Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Niele Ivey finds Ruth Riley for 2 of her 21 points.
avi: 990 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Niele Ivey intercepts the long pass, then drives the lane for the tough layup.
avi: 1065 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Notre Dame guard Alicia Ratay comes of the pick and drains the 3-pointer.
avi: 945 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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