Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/159744
F By Lou Somogyi our starters return in 2013‑14 for a Notre Dame women's basketball program that has made three consecutive trips to the Final Four. Meanwhile, at least two new additions should help keep head coach Muffet McGraw's Fighting Irish at an elite level in years to come. During a 10-day tour through Europe from Aug. 4‑13, freshman point guard Lindsay Allen and versatile classmate Taya Reimer, among others, demonstrated why the program will be expected to continue to vie for national titles despite the graduation of threetime All-American point guard Skylar Diggins. The Fighting Irish were 3-0 on the tour, routing Barking Abbey (101‑54) in London Aug. 6 and defeating a more competitive team of French All-Stars, first in Barcelona, Spain, Aug. 8 (75‑57) and then in Madrid three days later (75‑67). "I was really pleased with Lindsay Allen at the point, and I thought Taya Reimer did a magnificent job," said head coach Muffet McGraw, who is entering her 27th season with the Irish. "They were very, very good, ahead of schedule in terms of what they've been able to learn in the brief amount of time we were able to practice before we left. "Our goal going in was to get the freshmen a little more comfortable, see how they reacted in a game situation, and we were fortunate to be able to play one of the pro teams in France. They gave us great competition for two games, so we really felt like we learned a lot." The nucleus of Notre Dame's 2013‑14 team will be comprised of seniors Kayla McBride, Natalie Achonwa and Ariel Braker, plus 2013 USBWA Freshman of the Year Jewell Loyd. • McBride, a guard, joined Diggins on the WBCA All-America team for the 35-2 Irish last season while averaging 15.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, plus finishing second on the team in assists (88) and steals (57). • Achonwa, a center, set a Notre Dame single-season school record with 19 double-doubles while producing 13.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest. • Braker, a forward, was the glue figure who did a lot of the grunt work to help facilitate the stars. • Loyd, who did not play during the European trip while resting an ankle injury incurred in a practice prior to the trip, averaged 12.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while converting a team-best 41.3 percent of her threes. They now will be supplemented by two of the nation's elite incoming freshmen in McDonald's All-Americans Allen and Reimer. Although it was Reimer who was named the Morgan Wootten McDonald's Player of the Year, Allen's role at the point is a little more pivotal as the heiress to Diggins' throne. The 5-7 Allen from Mitchelville, Md., averaged 10.3 points per game during the tour while handing out a team-high 20 assists compared to 15 turnovers. Her value was evident in the finale when she led the team in minutes played (29) in a tight contest that saw the Irish hold a 68-65 lead with only three minutes remaining.