Women's basketball: Georgia Tech at Notre Dame
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
WHO: Georgia Tech (4-2, 2-1 ACC) vs. Notre Dame (4-4, 2-2).
WHEN: Sunday, 4 p.m.
WHERE: Purcell Pavilion, Notre Dame.
TV: ACC Network.
RADIO: WQLQ (99.9 FM).
NOTING: The Yellow Jackets, who are receiving votes in both the AP and coaches’ polls, already beat the Irish 82-67 three weeks ago at Purcell Pavilion. Sunday’s return trip — part of the ACC’s unbalanced schedule this season — will constitute the first time ever that Notre Dame has hosted the same opponent twice in the same regular season. The Irish did host Dayton twice in 1992-93, the first meeting happening in the regular season and the second in the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament. … Tech’s two losses have come in overtime against rival Georgia (8-1) in November and 84-75 on Thursday against No. 3 North Carolina State (9-0). … The Jackets’ victory over the Irish last month was their first in 14 all-time meetings against ND. Junior guard Lotta-Maj Lahtinen scored 19 points, dealt eight assists and made three steals for Tech, which pulled away in the second half after leading 35-33 at the break. Senior forward Lorela Cubaj added 16 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots. The visitors put three other players in double figures as well. … On the season, Lahtinen’s averaging 17.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals, and Cubaj 15.5 points and 11.0 boards. Loyal McQueen is adding 11.6 points per game. … For Notre Dame, freshman Maddy Westbeld notched 21 points and nine rebounds in the first meeting against Tech. Dara Mabrey was the only other Irish player in double digits with 11 points. … On the season, Westbeld is at 16.9 points, Destinee Walker 12.6, Mabrey 11.4, Anaya Peoples 10.8 and Sam Brunelle 10.2, making Notre Dame the lone ACC team with five players averaging in double figures. … The Irish have exactly alternated losses and wins in all eight games this season. A loss Sunday would result in a tie with 1989-90 for the most straight games ND has alternated outcomes within a season. No other Irish club has compiled a streak of more than the six. … During Thursday’s 71-60 win at Miami, Walker scored 17 points to go with game highs of eight rebounds and three steals off the bench as ND erased an early nine-point deficit. Mabrey added 17 points, Westbeld 15 and Brunelle 13. ... The Irish used their fourth different starting lineup in their last five games.
QUOTING: “It’s definitely not a negative. I’m going with the feel, how we’ve been practicing. We have a team that has a lot of depth, so they’re very aware that everybody’s going to be able to play, and play big minutes. I think the depth of this group is something that’s very positive. So we all have that mindset that you don’t know when your time’s coming to start or whatever. You just have to be prepared and ready.” — Niele Ivey, Notre Dame coach, on Walker and others coming off the bench.
— Anthony Anderson, Tribune Correspondent
