Tribune News Services
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- No. 16 West Virginia could contain fourth-ranked Notre Dame and Lindsay Schrader only for a half.
After being held without a shot in the first half, Schrader went 6 for 8 from the floor in the second half and scored eight of her 16 points during a decisive run as the Fighting Irish (17-1, 4-1) rallied for a 74-66 victory.
Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said the Irish usually turn to Schrader when they need a key basket.
"Everybody on our team knows when we're not scoring we're going to try to find Lindsay," McGraw said. "Not to the exclusion of anybody else, but that's going to be a look we want because she has so many mismatches. They had guards trying to guard her down there and we needed to take advantage of that."
The Irish trailed 44-31 after Madina Ali scored the opening basket of the second half, and trailed 49-39 when Vanessa House hit a 3 for the Mountaineers (18-2, 5-1 Big East). But the Irish responded with a 16-3 run led by Schrader, who repeatedly scored baskets inside. Natalie Novosel capped it with a baseline runner that gave the Irish a 55-52 lead.
The Irish put the game away with a 10-1 burst late to take a 74-63 lead.
Skylar Diggins added 15 points for the Irish, Melissa Lechlitner had 12 and Ashley Barlow had 10 points and a career-high seven assists. Korinne Campbell had 12 points and nine rebounds for West Virginia.
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