Pitt
Notre Dame
Pittsburgh Falls at Notre Dame
2/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 10, 2008
Box Score |
Photo Gallery 
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Irish guard Tulyah Gaines scored 13 points, and 16th-ranked Notre Dame held No. 15 Pittsburgh to 31 percent shooting in an 81-66 victory Sunday.
The Irish (18-5, 6-3 Big East) improved to 17-1 all-time against the Panthers (18-5, 8-2), with the lone loss coming last season at Pittsburgh. The victory was Notre Dame's first against a ranked opponent in five tries this season. It was the first loss in five Big East road games for the Panthers.
Lindsay Schrader added 12 points for the Irish. Devereaux Peters was leading the Irish in scoring with 11 points when she left the game with 13:44 left with an injured left knee. Melissa Lechlitner and Becca Bruszewski added 10 points each for the Irish.
The Irish outscored the Panthers 34-30 in the paint despite being outrebounded 56-42. Notre Dame, which shot 44 percent from the floor, improved to 7-0 this season in games it has five players in double figures.
The Panthers were just 14-of-27 from the free throw line, while the Irish were 27-of-32. The Irish were just 0-of-3 from 3-point range.
Marcedes Walker twice had chances to give Pitt the lead early in the second half, but both times she failed to convert a free throw for three-point plays. The Irish opened a 38-33 lead when Peters made a free throw for a three-point play. She extended the lead to 45-35 moments later when she converted on another three-point play.
Notre Dame moved ahead 50-37 when Ashley Barlow made a free throw with 12:18 left. Notre Dame opened its biggest lead, 65-49, when Schrader made a left-handed layup with 5:15 left.
Walker, who missed Pitt's last game with an ankle injury, had 18 points and 14 rebounds. Shavonte Zellous added 16 points and nine rebounds and Xenia Stewart had 16 points.
Notre Dame held Pitt without a basket for nearly 7 minutes in the first half, with the Panthers going 0-for-10 from the floor during an 11-0 run by the Irish. Notre Dame led 29-25 at halftime.
