timing just right

[nd1]

Timing just right for Irish

SOUTH BEND -- Peaking at the right time and playing great basketball -- what more could any coach ask at this point in the season?

Not to mention the resurgence of junior center Melissa D'Amico -- add all this up and Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw is enthused about the remaining three games in the Big East women's basketball season.

A struggling Georgetown team visits the Joyce Center tonight at 7, hopeful of dislodging the Irish from their No. 4 position in the standings.

D'Amico was out of the starting lineup for a couple of games, but returned Saturday at Providence. She has scored 15 and 11 points in her last two games.

"We're working on trying to get the ball to her a little more,'' said McGraw. "She's putting the ball in the basket and her confidence is high."

A confident center with presence in the middle will be a key for McGraw, considering the Hoya's strength under the basket.

"Georgetown has a good inside game with Katrina Wheeler and Kieraah Marlow,'' McGraw said.

Georgetown (12-14, 2-11 Big East), has lost 10 of its last 12.

"Our last three games have been disappointing,'' said Georgetown coach Terri Williams-Flournoy. "We are beating ourselves more than what other people are doing to us.''

Notre Dame (18-8, 9-4 Big East) has matched its victory total from all of last season and has exceeded its Big East victory count.

Five consecutive victories have advanced the Irish to fourth place in the league. If the season ended today, Notre Dame would have a first round bye in the Big East tournament.

Charel Allen is on the verge of becoming the 23rd player in program history to score 1,000 career points. She presently has 960.

Saturday she became the first Notre Dame player in 10 years to score 25 or more points in three consecutive games.

Katryna Gaither pulled off that rare feat during the last four games of her career during Notre Dame's run to the 1997 Final Four.

This week Allen was named to the Big East honor roll for the fourth time. She averaged 25.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in victories at Providence and Villanova last week.

Notre Dame leads the series with Georgetown, 20-2, including 10-0 at the Joyce Center.

Last season at Georgetown the Irish took a 32-18 halftime lead, then survived a Hoya comeback for a 54-52 victory.

A buy-one-get-one-free ticket plan is in effect tonight. This game begins a rush to the Big East finish line -- three games in six days. Rutgers visits the Joyce Center at noon Saturday before the Irish visit DePaul Monday at 9.

Bracketology time

ESPN's early bracketology selections for the NCAA tournament list Notre Dame as the No. 6 seed in the Greenboro regional, and headed for a first round game at Austin against No. 11 seed and host Texas.

Seven Big East teams are predicted to make the 64-team field.

[tgolden]

I'm looking forward to the game tonight. I'm also wondering why ND isn't even in "others receiving votes." I know there was a little down period, but I'd think that we'd at least get a few votes. But I guess that doesn't really matter. All that really matters is the seeding.

[tgolden]

nice win tonight for the Irish, with a 73-48 win. Charel Allen "only" had 11 points, but there were 3 other players in double digits. It was a pretty balanced game for the Irish.