Written by Brandon Clearwaters
Spokane, WA- Game one of the NCAA Women’s Championship featured the Texas A&M Aggies taking on the Norte Dame Fighting Irish for the chance to move on to the Elite Eight. In a close affair, the Fighting Irish were able to defeat the Aggies, 90-84.
In the first quarter, Texas A&M came out with a ton aggression both defensively and offensively. The first points of the game came off of a layup from Notre Dame forward Jessica Shepard. The Aggies ended the first quarter shooting 69% from inside the paint and 50% from three-point range. Norte Dame seemed to struggle from both inside the paint as well as the 3-point line, shooting 38% from the paint and not making a single three-point attempt. The Aggies led 26-19 entering the second quarter.
In the second quarter, Texas A&M displayed the same aggression they showed in the first quarter but Norte Dame responded with equal fervor. Maybe even more than the Aggies at times. Heading into halftime, the Aggies held a slim 47-45 lead over the Fighting Irish.
In the first half, the Aggies shot 71.4% from the paint and 50.0% from three-point range. The Fighting Irish struggled not only from the paint, shooting just 42.1 %, but also from three-point range shooting 37.5%. The Aggies had three players with 20 points in the first half. Notre Dame forward Marina Mabrey was the only player for the Fighting Irish with 20points. Shepard was the second leading scorer with 19 points in the first half.
In the second half, Norte Dame found the fire and aggression they were looking for in the first half. The Fighting Irish made shots unlike in the first half, shooting 46.7% from the paint and 50.0% from three-point range. Conversely, the Aggies struggled in the second half shooting only 37.8% from the paint and 44.0% from three-point range. Notre Dame’s improved shooting and overall aggression enabled them to defeat Texas A&M.
Mabrey led Notre Dame in scoring with 25 points in the game. Shepard finished with a double-double in the game with 13 points with 10 rebounds.
The Fighting Irish will take on the winner of Central Michigan and Oregon on Monday, in the Spokane Regional Championship game.
In the first quarter, Texas A&M came out with a ton aggression both defensively and offensively. The first points of the game came off of a layup from Notre Dame forward Jessica Shepard. The Aggies ended the first quarter shooting 69% from inside the paint and 50% from three-point range. Norte Dame seemed to struggle from both inside the paint as well as the 3-point line, shooting 38% from the paint and not making a single three-point attempt. The Aggies led 26-19 entering the second quarter.
In the second quarter, Texas A&M displayed the same aggression they showed in the first quarter but Norte Dame responded with equal fervor. Maybe even more than the Aggies at times. Heading into halftime, the Aggies held a slim 47-45 lead over the Fighting Irish.
In the first half, the Aggies shot 71.4% from the paint and 50.0% from three-point range. The Fighting Irish struggled not only from the paint, shooting just 42.1 %, but also from three-point range shooting 37.5%. The Aggies had three players with 20 points in the first half. Notre Dame forward Marina Mabrey was the only player for the Fighting Irish with 20points. Shepard was the second leading scorer with 19 points in the first half.
In the second half, Norte Dame found the fire and aggression they were looking for in the first half. The Fighting Irish made shots unlike in the first half, shooting 46.7% from the paint and 50.0% from three-point range. Conversely, the Aggies struggled in the second half shooting only 37.8% from the paint and 44.0% from three-point range. Notre Dame’s improved shooting and overall aggression enabled them to defeat Texas A&M.
Mabrey led Notre Dame in scoring with 25 points in the game. Shepard finished with a double-double in the game with 13 points with 10 rebounds.
The Fighting Irish will take on the winner of Central Michigan and Oregon on Monday, in the Spokane Regional Championship game.