Huskies Fall To No. 1 Notre Dame In Preseason WNIT Final

Sunday, November 20

South Bend, IN

12:00 PM

University of Washington

3-1

Notre Dame

4-0

Washington

Notre Dame

Huskies Fall To No. 1 Notre Dame In Preseason WNIT Final

November 20, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- No. 17 Washington fought until the end but suffered its first loss of the season on Sunday (Nov. 20) as No. 1 Notre Dame prevailed, 71-60. Seniors Kelsey Plum and Chantel Osahor led the Huskies with 22 points and 11 points, respectively. Osahor led the team with 12 rebounds to register her third double-double of the season. Despite outscoring the Irish, 52-46, through the final three quarters, Washington could not overcome a 25-8 first quarter deficit.

Junior Natalie Romeo added nine points off three triples while freshman Mai-Loni Henson and sophomore Deja Strother added eight points each off the bench.

The Fighting Irish (4-0), who also won the Preseason WNIT in 2004, had a 13-point lead after one quarter and protected their edge with excellent defense, holding Washington to 37 percent from the field as the Irish won their 34th straight home game in front of a crowd of 8,106 fans.

Kathryn Westbeld scored 14 points and eight rebounds for Notre Dame; Lindsay Allen added 13 points, and Brianna Turner contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Washington made a push in the fourth quarter, with Plum's free throw at 6:35 pulling the Huskies to within 61-51. Osahor's jumper made it 63-53 with 5:53 left, but the visitors went almost five minutes without scoring again.

Notre Dame took a 12-0 lead in the first quarter on a layup from Marina Mabrey, with the Huskies held scoreless until a three-pointer by Plum with 5:39 remaining. A basket by Ogunbowale with 7:08 left in the second quarter pushed the Irish to a 31-11 lead; after a three-pointer from Osahor, the Huskies drew as close as 33-20, but Westbeld hit a layup with one second to go before halftime to rebuild the lead to 39-22.

Plum and Osahor made the all-tournament team along with Allen, Jessica Lindstrom of Green Bay and Cierra Porter of Missouri. Ogunbowale was named most valuable player of the Preseason WNIT;