Breanna Stewart leads No. 1 UConn past No. 3 Notre Dame 91-81
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 28 points and Morgan Tuck added 21 to help No. 1 UConn beat third-ranked Notre Dame 91-81 on Saturday night in the Jimmy V Classic.
This was the latest chapter in the top rivalry in women's basketball. These two teams have played for the national championship or in the Final Four in the past five seasons, including last season's title game that Connecticut won.
The Huskies (6-0) have won 43 consecutive games.
For the second straight game, the Huskies only held a one-possession lead at the half. They led 58-54 midway through the third quarter before Tuck started a 20-2 run over the next 7 minutes. She had eight points during the spurt.
The lead grew to 78-56 early in the fourth quarter before Notre Dame scored 13 of the next 15 points to close within 11 with 4:46 left. The Irish could get no closer than nine.
Freshman Marina Mabrey scored a career-best 23 to lead Notre Dame (7-1).
UConn had won its first five games by an average of 38 points. Despite missing Brianna Turner and Taya Reimer with injuries, the Irish were able to hang around for the first 25 minutes.
Without its two posts, UConn made a conscious effort to go inside. The Huskies' first 10 points came in the paint as they jumped out to a 10-2 lead. They extended their lead to 10 on a spectacular tip-in by Stewart off a miss where she was fouled. The senior star converted the free throw to make it 20-10.
Then sisters Marina and Michaela Mabrey rallied the Irish. They scored 17 of the next 20 points for the Irish to get Notre Dame to 31-30. A layup with 5:15 left in the second quarter by Kristina Nelson gave the Irish their first lead of the game. The two teams traded baskets over the rest of the half as Madison Cable scored nine straight points for Notre Dame. UConn led 45-43 at the break.
Marina Mabrey finished the first half with 21 points to surpass her career best of 19. The Irish shot 47 percent from the field in the first half, including hitting 7 of 10 3-pointers.
TIP-INS:
Notre Dame: The Irish shot a blistering 65 percent (13 for 20) from behind the arc. ... Irish coach Muffet McGraw celebrated her 60th birthday. Geno Auriemma gave her a small gift before the game. Notre Dame is 5-3 when playing on her birthday.
UConn: The Huskies have won 26 of their last 34 games against teams ranked in the top five. Six of the eight losses have come against Notre Dame, including the last two in 2013. Baylor is the only other top-five team to beat them since 2008. ... This is the fifth straight year that UConn has played in the Jimmy V game, which honors the former N.C. State coach who died of cancer in 1993.
INJURY BUG: Notre Dame was missing Brianna Turner for the game. She's missed the past four games after injuring her right shoulder in practice last week. She will be out at least a couple of weeks as she tries to avoid season-ending surgery through rehab. Turner was on the bench with her arm in a sling. The Irish also were missing Taya Reimer, who has been dealing with a sore Achilles. She's day-to-day, but didn't travel with the team to Connecticut.
FAMILIAR FOES:
This was the 19th meeting between the schools since Jan. 16, 2010. UConn has won 12 of them, but the Irish won seven of eight in the series from 2011-2013. After taking a year off when the Irish left the Big East, the two teams played in last season's Jimmy V Classic as well as the national championship game.
UP NEXT:
Notre Dame: vs No. 23 DePaul on Wednesday night.
UConn: at Colgate on Wednesday night.
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