Trojan-Irish Hardcourt Meeting A Rarity
December 25, 1999 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 25, 1999
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - The Notre Dame-Southern California rivalry is among the most storied in college athletics. Just not in women's basketball
These two schools, which have played only once - a 69-53 USC win in January of 1984 - renew acquaintances on Monday in South Bend, Ind.
Southern California (5-3) is coming in off a loss against host UC-Santa Barbara, falling 77-53 on Tuesday. Danielle Golay led The Women of Troy with 17 points and seven rebounds and Tiffany Elmore had 12 points.
After leaving South Bend, the Women of Troy travel to Piscataway, N.J., to face No. 15 Rutgers on Thursday.
Notre Dame (6-2) followed up a 10-point loss to defending national champion Purdue on Dec. 8 with back-to-back wins over Michigan St. on Dec. 11 and last Sunday's 68-62 win over Florida International at the Orange Bowl Women's Basketball Fab Four.
Against FIU, Alicia Ratay scored 27 points and Ruth Riley added 20. Ratay, a 5-foot-11 guard, who has led the Irish in scoring in four games this season, earned game MVP honors as she hit 9-of-15 shots from the field, including a 5-of-7 from 3-point range. Ratay also had five steals and five rebounds.
The Fighting Irish hit 6-of-10 free throws, including 3-of-4 from Danielle Green, over the last two minutes to preserve the victory.
Riley, who also added nine rebounds, three blocks and three steals, scored the 1,000th point of her career and now has 1,012 career points.
