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NCAA Basketball Scoreboard: Recap

Recap | Box Score | Today's Scoreboard

Notre Dame 69, Utah 54

Posted: Sunday March 25, 2001 12:21 AM

Utah Related Info: Team Page Conference Page City Page: • Salt Lake City Message Boards: • NCAA

Notre Dame Related Info: Team Page Conference Page City Page: • South Bend Message Boards: • NCAA

DENVER (Ticker) -- Top-seeded Notre Dame proved too much for Utah's vaunted defense.

Ruth Riley scored 24 points to lead a balanced attack and pulled down 14 rebounds as the Fighting Irish advanced to the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region final with a 69-54 victory over fifth-seeded Utah.

Riley, the Naismith Award winner, made 8-of-12 shots from the field, 8-of-9 from the line and added six assists. She helped Notre Dame (31-2) pull away by scoring 18 points in the second half.

Niele Ivey had 15 points and six assists and Alicia Ratay chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds for the Fighting Irish, who tied the single-season school record for wins and will face Vanderbilt in Monday's regional final.

Notre Dame advanced to the "Elite Eight" for the second time in school history. In 1997, the Irish reached the Final Four.

Utah (28-4) led the nation in scoring defense at 50.5 points per game and was second in field-goal percentage defense at 33.7. But Notre Dame shot 47 percent (26-of-55) while holding the Utes under 36 percent (19-of-53).

Erin Gibbons scored 14 points off the bench but was the only player in double figures for Utah, which got only 27 points from its starters and was outrebounded, 41-28.