It had been 982 days since Notre Dame last scored more than 100 points in a single game. But that streak is over. The Fighting Irish opened the 2021-22 season with a 105-69 victory over Ohio at Purcell Pavilion on Tuesday night.
Notre Dame's win meant more than hitting the century mark for the first time in two and a half years. It showed why the 36-point margin of victory might be something to get used to rather than an anomaly.
The Irish only won three games by 10 points or more last year. The largest margin of victory was 20. It lost to the same Ohio Bobcats team 86-85 nearly one year to the day of Tuesday's role reversal between the two teams.
It's early. But this Notre Dame team might be different.
“It felt great,” junior forward Sam Brunelle said. “The best part is, it was fun. And it has been a while since I could say we had a fun game. Playing with this group is exciting. It’s fun.”
Losing five of seven games to finish the 2020-21 season wasn't fun for the Irish. Brunelle not scoring 20-plus in any game during that campaign wasn't either, especially after she hit that mark six times as a freshman the season prior.
Brunelle scored 20 points in 17 minutes off the bench against Ohio. She shot 8-of-10 from the field and 4 of 5 from three-point range. She looked like a different player from last year. In a way, she is. She’s 25 to 30 pounds lighter than when the Irish last played competitive games.
“I lost a lot of quickness and a lot of my versatility,” Brunelle said. “I wasn’t able to do much. All I could do was bang in the post and shoot a three here and there. When the season ended, I said, ‘This isn't who I am.’”
Brunelle spent the offseason conditioning. The 6-2 forward looks much more like a do-it-all role player who can do anything head coach Niele Ivey asks of her. Freshman combo-guard Sonia Citron showed she can be that type of asset too.
Citron scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out six assists in her college debut. She was the first player off the bench for Ivey. Brunelle quickly entered 46 seconds later. Senior guard Abby Prohaska was the only other Notre Dame bench player in addition to Brunelle and Citron to reach double digits in minutes.
Five Notre Dame players scored in double figures, meanwhile. Graduate student Maya Dodson, a transfer from Stanford, scored a career-high 25 points in 27 minutes. Her hook shot was unguardable down low, and the only thing stopping her in the post was herself. That didn't happen often.
“Once I got clicking, the hook starting going, I was like, ‘That’s it,’” Dodson said. “I’m getting where I need to be. [My teammates] make it easy for me to get to my spots, and they make it fun for me out there. I'm not thinking as much. I'm just having fun."
Sophomore forward Maddy Westbeld scored 13 points. Freshman point guard Olivia Miles dished out a career-high 11 assists. Senior guard Dara Mabrey added six helpers and made three threes.
Notre Dame had strong guard play. It had effective efforts from combo-guards like Westbeld and Citron. It had dominant post play from Dodson and Brunelle. What a difference a year has made.
The Irish went from losing by one to these Bobcats last November to beating them by 36. That doesn't happen overnight. But in a way, it sort of happened from one half to another. Notre Dame only led by five at halftime. It outscored Ohio 58-27 in the second half. The sign of a good team is ability to adjust. Checkmark No. 1 for Ivey and company.
“How this team turned it on in the second half was remarkable,” Ivey said. “I’m very proud of this group.”
Notre Dame is back on the floor at Purcell Pavilion on Thursday against Western Illinois.
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