PITTSBURGH – Notre Dame defeated Carlow (Pa.) Tuesday, 78-55, as the Falcons shot 50.0 percent (34-for-68) from the floor and forced 27 turnovers. The victory for Notre Dame (6-1) is their second in a row and it sends the Falcons into a Thanksgiving holiday tournament on the heels of two good shooting games.
Sophomore center Yvette Hunter (Jamestown, N.Y.) scored 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting and senior forward Jamie Henry (Garfield Heights, Ohio) added 19 points and nine boards to lead the Falcon effort in Pittsburgh. Senior guard Ashley Carney (Solon, Ohio) contributed a season-high 10 assists.
Notre Dame controlled the game from the outset, taking a 16-3 lead in the first six minutes of the contest. The Falcons would essentially maintain that advantage for the balance of the opening period. Shooting 54.8 percent (17-for-31), the Blue & White took a 37-23 lead into their locker room at halftime.
In the second, Notre Dame started the action with a six-minute, 12-6 run to take a 20-point lead (49-29). In that stretch, the frontcourt duo of Henry and Hunter was dominant.
“Jamie and Yvette were outstanding tonight,” said head coach Dick Deasy. “They really executed in the paint and on both sides of the ball. That made our whole team function well.”
In addition to Henry and Hunter's combined 40 points, junior guard Amanda Brown (Vienna, Va.) added 17 on 8-of-11 shooting.
Notre Dame's next game will be Saturday, when the Falcons travel to Olivet, Mich., to compete in the Olivet College Thanksgiving Tournament. NDC will face Ohio Wesleyan in day-one of the tournament – the Falcons and Battling Bishops will tip off their Saturday contest at 5:30 p.m. Notre Dame heads into that tournament, having shot 52.2 percent (72-for-138) over their last two games.
NOTES FROM THE NEST…
PERFECT TEN: With their win in Pittsburgh Tuesday, the Falcons have now defeated the Celtics in 10 straight games, dating back to the 2004 season. … With their 78 points scored on Tuesday, Notre Dame is now averaging 78.6 points per game this season. They have defeated their opponent by 10 or more points in five of their six wins.
CAPITOL 'D': With their 27 forced turnovers against Carlow, the Falcon defense has now forced foes into 25 turnovers or more four times this season. Sophomore guard Brittany Terry (LaGrange, Ohio) was a key in NDC's defensive effort Tuesday; she had a career-high five steals.
