March 23, 2008
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Box Score |
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#5 Notre Dame (24-8) vs. #12 SMU (24-9)
2:30 p.m. • March 23, 2008 • Mackey Arena
Final Score: Notre Dame 75, SMU 62
Notre Dame Game Notes
- With the win, Notre Dame moves to 24-13 (.649) all-time in NCAA Tournament play.
Notre Dame has won its first-round game in the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in the past 13 years.
Notre Dame's 75 points vs. SMU are the most for the Fighting Irish in an NCAA Tournament game since March 30, 2001, when they defeated Connecticut, 90-75 at the Final Four in St. Louis.
Notre Dame improves to 14-3 (.824) all-time in the NCAA Tournament as the higher seed.
The Fighting Irish had 49 rebounds, their fifth-highest total in an NCAA Tournament game and highest since March 17, 2001, when they had a program-best 62 boards in a first-round win over Alcorn State.
Notre Dame's +26 rebound margin (49-26) was its highest in NCAA Tournament action since that 2001 win over Alcorn State (+28, 62-34).
Notre Dame had two players notch double-doubles in the same game for the second time this season (also Feb. 16 at Syracuse -- Charel Allen with 22 points/12 rebounds and Erica Williamson with 14 points/11 rebounds).
Ashley Barlow and Charel Allen are the first Fighting Irish players to record a double-double in an NCAA Tournament game since March 27, 2004, when Jacqueline Batteast tallied 22 points and 12 rebounds in a 55-49 loss to top-seeded Penn State in the East Regional semifinals at Hartford, Conn.
Notre Dame had four double-digit scorers in an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since March 21, 2004, when it pulled off a similar feat in a 69-65 overtime win over 12th-seeded Southwest Missouri State at the Joyce Center.
The Fighting Irish had four or more double-figure scorers for the 17th time this season, rising to 16-1 in those games.
Notre Dame jumps to 21-1 this season when leading at halftime.
The Fighting Irish caused at least 20 opponent turnovers for the 20th time this season.
Notre Dame Individual Season and Career Bests
- Charel Allen tied her career-high and set a season-high by attempting 20 field goals.
- Allen finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds to earn her second double-double of the season (and fifth of her career).
- Ashley Barlow scored 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds to record her third double-double of the season (and fourth of her career). She also finished with a game-high four steals. In two games in Mackey Arena this season (Barlow also played at Purdue on December 8th), she scored 42 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, shot 13-for-13 from the free-throw line, and swiped nine steals.
