Feb. 3, 1998
Blue Free Throw Lifts Hurricanes to 77-76 Victory over Notre Dame
Game Statistics
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Octavia Blue hit a free throw with no time remaining
on the clock to lift Miami to a 77-76 victory over visiting Notre Dame. The win
snapped a five-game Irish winning streak over the Hurricanes.
Blue, who finished with 14 points in the contest, was fouled by Kari Hutchinson
on a questionable call. It appeared that time had expired, but the officials
determined that the clock had not sounded.
The outcome was similar to last year as Notre Dame hot two free throws in the final
seconds of the game to escape with a two-point victory.
Kym Hope finished the game with a game-high 20 points.
Danielle Green, who led four Irish players in double figures with 18 points, tied
the contest with seven seconds remaining on a driving five-foot layup. Miami
inbounded the basketball and got two shots off in the final six seconds of the game.
Kym missed the first shot, but then Blue grabbed the rebound.
Mistakes late in the game cost Notre Dame the victory. Leading 74-71 with 54 seconds
remaining in regulation, the Irish got the ball back on a Blue turnover. Freshman
Kelly Siemon turned the ball over trying to get the ball to Green on the inbounds.
Hope tied the game with 34 seconds left before Green's basket.
Notre Dame, which shot 58.0 percent for the game, jumped out to a nine-point lead
midway through the second half. But the Hurricanes came back on the strength of
their three-point shooting. Shannon Drury nailed five three-pointers (all in the
second half) to help the Hurricane comeback.
Miami, which shot just 28.6 percent in the first half, did not lead in the game
until 6:40 remaining in the game on back-to-back three-pointers from Drury.
Siemon finished the game with 14 points, Ruth Riley added 16 and Mollie Peirick
had 11 and nine assists.
With the loss, Notre Dame, which suffered its second straight setback on the road,
falls to 14-7 and 8-5 in the BIG EAST, while the Hurricanes improved to 13-7, 8-4.
Drury finished the game with 16 points, Blue added 14 and Jennifer Jordan tallied
17.
