@CanesWBB Falls at Third-Ranked Notre Dame

No. 19/17 Miami6990No 3/3 Notre Dame

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Miami women’s basketball game dropped a true road game for just the second time this season Sunday afternoon, as the Hurricanes came up on the short end of a 90-69 decision at third-ranked Notre Dame.

No. 19/17 Miami (21-5, 9-4 ACC) was led by 12 points each from junior guard Jessica Thomas and freshman forward/center Emese Hof, who set a new ACC career high in scoring. Thomas added a game-high five assists in the defeat.

Freshman guard Arike Ogunbowale led all scorers with 18 points for the Fighting Irish, who posted their 25th-consecutive home victory.

“We lost our identity very, very early in the game just by missing some open shots and I’m disappointed in that. We’re not that young,” Miami head coach Katie Meier said. “We only have one senior, but we have veteran experience and we really lost our identity. We lost our grit, we lost our [mindset to] defend. I will say, Notre Dame does that to you because you feel like you’re just chasing the ball around. It gets deflating.”

Notre Dame (24-1, 12-0 ACC) jumped out to an early 13-3 lead, but Miami quickly answered with a 7-2 run to pull within five, 15-10, with 3:44 left in the opening period. The Fighting Irish would go on to take a 26-14 edge through 10 minutes of action despite a then-game-high seven points by Miami redshirt senior guard Michelle Woods.

A strong second quarter surge by Notre Dame gave it a 44-25 edge heading to the locker room. The Fighting Irish shot 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the first 20 minutes of play, while Miami did not have an attempt from the stripe.

Buoyed by a 13-0 run in the third period, the Fighting Irish extended their advantage to 72-40 entering the final quarter.

Miami got great minutes from its reserves in the fourth period and outscored the Fighting Irish 29-18 in the final 10 minutes.

Freshman forward/center Zada Williams scored five points to set a new ACC career best. Redshirt sophomore guard Nigia Greene, making her return to the court after missing the past 14 games due to injury, scored eight points, including knocking down a pair of 3-pointers.

“Gia played fearlessly and that’s hard to do,” Meier said. “I’m really proud of her. I though Zada did some great things on the offensive end and that’s something we can build on.”

Another Hurricane reserve, sophomore forward Khaila Prather, matched her career best in points (six) and set new career bests in both blocks (three) and steals (three).

Along with Ogunbowale, three other Notre Dame players finished with double-digit points. Sophomore forward Brianna Turner, the Preseason ACC Player of the Year, had 15 points and six blocks. Freshman guard Marina Mabrey added 14 and junior guard Lindsay Allen added 12.

Miami forced the Fighting Irish into 23 turnovers in the game, six more than it committed. The Hurricanes also logged seven blocked shots, their second-most of the season.

The Hurricanes now have a midweek bye and will then return to action Sunday afternoon when they host Virginia Tech at 4 p.m. in their Play 4 Kay game at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Fla.

For more information about University of Miami women’s basketball, follow @CanesWBB.

MIAMI HURRICANES POSTGAME NOTES

·         For the 14th time this season and the third-consecutive game, Miami’s starting five was Erykah Davenport, Keyona Hayes, Adrienne Motley, Thomas and Woods.

·         The all-time series between the Hurricanes and Fighting Irish is 16-4 in favor of Notre Dame.

·         Meier is now 280-184 in her 15 seasons as a head coach, including 204-139 in her 11 years at Miami.

·         The Hurricanes wore new pink jerseys for the contest, as this was Notre Dame’s Play 4 Kay game.

·         The last team to score 90-plus points against the Hurricanes was No. 19/20 Florida State, with 93 on 2/10/13.

·         Miami’s last loss by greater than 20 points was 69-48 vs. Syracuse on 2/20/13.

·         Turner is the first player with five-plus blocks against the Hurricanes since both Stasha Carey and Monica Wignot of Pittsburgh did so in the same game on 2/1/15.

·         Prior to today, Greene had last played vs. Baylor on 12/19/15. She last scored in the prior game, vs. UMass Lowell on 12/6/15.

·         Greene, who surpassed 200 points in her career, tied her ACC career high with two 3-pointers made (previously recorded multiple times, most recently vs. Georgia Tech, 2/15/15).

·         Greene also tallied multiple steals for the second time this season (previous vs. Coppin State, 12/4/15).

·         Motley passed Robin Harmony for sole possession of 13th place on Miami’s all-time scoring list. She has 1,316 points in her career.

·         Motley has scored at least seven points in 24 of 26 games this season.

·         Woods tied Dana Hunter for No. 10 on the Hurricanes’ all-time games played list with 121.

·         Woods also reached 100 3-pointers made in her career.

·         Emese Hof, who surpassed 200 points as a Hurricane, scored in double digits for the eighth time this season, including the second time in ACC play.

·         Hof’s 12 points set a career best in ACC action (previous high 10, at North Carolina, 1/17/16).

·         Hof’s five field goals made also matched her career high in ACC play (previous at North Carolina, 1/17/16).

·         Prather’s three steals set a new career best, surpassing her prior high of two (recorded multiple times, most recently vs. Wake Forest, 1/14/16).

·         Prather’s three blocks eclipsed her previous career best of two (recorded multiple times, most recently at Boston College, 2/4/16). With 21 minutes played, Prather also equaled her season high (previous at North Carolina, 1/17/16).

·         In addition, Prather’s six points matched her career best, as did her three field goals made (both previously recorded multiple times, both most recently vs. Milwaukee, 11/27/15). Both marks are new career highs in ACC play.

·         Hayes reached 300 field goals made as a collegian and also eclipsed 100 steals.

·         Zada Williams’ five points set a new ACC career high (previous high three, at Clemson, 1/10/16).

·         Williams also made multiple field goals in an ACC game for the first time in her career. In addition, she recorded her first two career assists in ACC play, tying her top mark in any game (previous vs. FIU, 12/22/15).

·         Keyanna Harris, whose birthday is today, matched her ACC career high in both free throws made (three) and attempted (four) (both previous at Wake Forest, 2/26/15).