groove and riding it.
It provided a healthy team balance
while still showcasing its superstar.
• ACC Freshman of the Year Bri-
anna Turner led the nation in field goal
percentage (68.0) and was third in the
league in blocked shots per game (2.67).
• Allen paced the ACC in assists per
game (5.23) and was second in assist-to-
turnover ratio (2.1).
• Cable's 49.3-percent 3-point shoot-
ing was nine percentage points better
than anyone else in the ACC.
Defensively is where Notre Dame es-
pecially became a bona fide Final Four
contender again. In the final 10 regular-
season games, the Irish allowed only
54.1 points per game, and never more
than 63, while limiting foes to 37.2-per-
cent shooting from the floor and 22.5
percent from beyond the three-point
line. Then in the three ACC Tournament
games, the opponents averaged only
56.0 points.
The combination of better ball pres-
sure on top, regularly changing de-
fenses and Turner 's shot-blocking
skills have made Notre Dame much
improved on that end of the floor.
The rebounding was not nearly as
dominating as McGraw thought, and
figured to be the Achilles' heel.
Yet in the ACC championship game,
Florida State entered the game with a
plus-13.4 rebounds per game advan-
tage and was the lone team nationally
in either men's or women's basketball
not to be outrebounded in a game this
season. The Irish dominated the boards
with a 40-27 advantage, including 12-8
on offense.
Even in a "rebound year," Notre
Dame has proven itself to be elite again.
✦
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