Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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"It helps having a veteran team around her," McGraw said of Allen assimilating into the starting lineup. "We have four starters returning, so it's going to be an easier team to lead. Talent-wise she definitely showed us she was capable of playing the point. "I love her defense, she's a very good on-the-ball defender, but I think the thing that really was a deciding factor for me is her basketball IQ and her ability to get from the huddle and transfer it to the floor." McGraw noted how after she drew up a specific play in one huddle, some frenetic action took place on both ends before Allen settled the team down and effectively ran the play McGraw highlighted. "That's something that sounds easy, but usually in the heat of the game most kids would have forgotten that we were trying to run this specific thing," McGraw noted. "She got everybody into it." At 6-3, Reimer is the same height as Achonwa yet can handle the ball like a guard, which allows McGraw to play her "four out, one in" Princetonstyle attack that spreads the floor with perimeter players who can penetrate, pass or shoot. Reimer averaged 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game on the tour. "Tremendous versatility," McGraw said of Reimer. "I can see her playing a lot of different roles. She can play on the perimeter because we do play the 'four out,' so she definitely will be on the outside. "She can play on the inside, and I expect her to be one of the leading Irish Finish 3-0 In Europe Aug. 6: Notre Dame 101, Barking Abbey 54 In London versus the English Basketball League runner-up, Notre Dame controlled the contest from the outset. Sophomore guard Michaela Mabrey converted six of 12 three-pointers while posting a gamehigh 24 points. Freshman forward Taya Reimer (16 points and 12 rebounds) and freshman point guard Lindsay Allen (16 points and 12 assists) both recorded double-doubles. Junior guard Madison Cable added 13 points, while classmate and point guard Whitney Holloway finished with 11 points to go with her eight steals. Aug. 8: Notre Dame 75, French All-Stars 57 At Barcelona, Spain, senior center Natalie Achonwa paced the balanced attack with 13 points and nine rebounds, while senior guard Kayla McBride notched 12 points and nine rebounds, and Reimer recorded 12 points and eight rebounds. Mabrey added 10 points and four steals, while junior center Markisha Wright had a productive 12 minutes with nine points and six boards. Aug. 11: Notre Dame 75, French All-Stars 67 Playing in triple-digit heat at a non-air-conditioned facility in Madrid, senior leadership emerged with McBride (21 points and seven rebounds) and Achonwa (13 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots). Also, senior forward Ariel Braker pulled down two key rebounds (one on offense) plus a steal in the final three minutes after the French cut their deficit to 68-65 before Notre Dame closed with a 7‑2 run. Allen played effectively with six points, six assists and three steals.