SOUTH BEND – For a while Tuesday night it appeared as if No. 3 Notre Dame might not go into its big game against top-ranked Connecticut on Saturday undefeated.
The Fighting Irish couldn’t shake South Florida until blowing the game open with a 19-3 run in the final seven minutes to win 81-64 behind Lindsay Schrader’s 18 points and 13 rebounds.
“I thought that was going to be a difficult game with the Connecticut game kind of looming in the background a little bit and the media so nicely continuing to talk about it and having us read about it,” Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. “I thought overall a veteran team at the end of the game found a way to win.”
South Florida (9-7, 0-3 Big East) stayed in the game by shooting 50 percent until going cold with 7:30 left, when the Bulls went just 1 of 7 from the floor. Natalie Novosel ignited the decisive 19-3 run for the Irish (15-0, 2-0) with a three-pointer with 6:02 left and later added a driving layup, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Schrader said it has been hard to avoid talk about the UConn game, which will be featured on ESPN’s “GameDay.”
“When people come up to you, ‘Oh my God, “GameDay,” UConn,’ ” Schrader said. “I think we’re finally ready for a really, really good test, and this is going to be it. This is a great opportunity.”
No. 11 NEBRASKA 91, No. 19 TEXAS 79: Kelsey Griffin scored 26 points as the host Cornhuskers (15-0, 2-0 Big 12) remained unbeaten with a win over the Longhorns (11-5, 0-2).
No. 15 OKLAHOMA STATE 70, KANSAS 68: Andrea Riley had 30 points and Toni Young scored her only basket with 3.5 seconds left to lift the Sooners (14-2, 2-0) to a win in Lawrence, Kan.
No. 18 WEST VIRGINIA 45, VILLANOVA 41: Korinne Campbell scored 10 points, including two free throws late in the fourth quarter, to lead the host Mountaineers (16-1, 4-0 Big East).
No. 24 GEORGETOWN 74, PROVIDENCE 62: Sugar Rodgers scored 26 points to lead the host Hoyas (14-2, 3-0 Big East) to a win in their second game in school history as a ranked team.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN 87, BALL STATE 80: The visiting Cardinals lost their first Mid-American Conference game of the season.
Emily Maggert had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Huntington North graduate Amber Crago added 10 points and 13 rebounds for Ball State (7-8, 2-1).
Men
No. 2 KENTUCKY 89, FLORIDA 77: Eric Bledsoe scored a career-high 25 points, and Patrick Patterson added 15 as the Wildcats stayed perfect with a win in Gainesville, Fla. John Wall chipped in 19 points for Kentucky (17-0, 2-0 SEC).
No. 13 KANSAS STATE 88, TEXAS A&M 65: Denis Clemente scored 20 of his 24 points in a dominating first half for the host Wildcats (14-2, 1-1 Big 12).
COLORADO 78, No. 22 BAYLOR 71: Cory Higgins scored 18 points as the Buffaloes (10-6, 1-1 Big 12) knocked off Baylor (13-2, 1-1), which saw its nine-game winning streak snapped.
N.C. STATE 88, No. 25 FLORIDA STATE 81: In Tallahassee, Fla., Scott Wood scored a career-high 31 points to lead the Wolfpack (12-5, 1-2 ACC) over the Seminoles (13-4 1-2).
HUNTINGTON 72, SPRING ARBOR 64: Junior guard Kellen Zawaszki scored a game-high 25 points as the host Foresters (13-7, 2-4 Mid-Central College Conference) led the entire game. Senior guard Luke Smith had 19 points.
SAINT FRANCIS 101, GRACE 82: The NAIA Division II No. 10 Cougars had five players reach double figures in a home win over the Lancers. Qadr Owens led Saint Francis (16-4, 4-2 MCC) with 15 points. Grace (13-7, 3-4) got 17 from David Swanson and Dayton Merrell.
GOSHEN 83, TAYLOR 69: Casey Coons scored 24 points, but the Trojans fell on the road. Nate Kasper and Justin Goeglein each had 10 points for Taylor (10-10, 1-5 MCC).
