BLACKSBURG – Taylor Emery's 3-pointer was the first basket of the game and the Hokies stormed out to an 11-2 lead early in the first quarter Wednesday night, but the nation's top-ranked team settled into a rhythm and came back for an 80-51 victory on Carilion Clinic Court. The Hokies dropped to 0-4 in the ACC (13-4 overall) ahead of Sunday's matchup at No. 8 NC State in Raleigh.
Tech shot 43 percent from the field in the first 10 minutes and knocked down two 3's as they built up a 9-point advantage on the Irish. Emery led the way with 9 points while teammates Trinity Baptiste, Dara Mabrey and Regan Magarity chipped in with buckets.
(1/16/2019) 2019 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL vs. NOTRE DAME
But the Irish had the answer in the second quarter combining runs of 14 and 10 points on either side of a Magarity trip to the free throw line to take the lead in the game, something they would not relinquish. The Hokies, however fought back, closing the quarter with a 9-2 spurt heading into the locker room down just 10.
Notre Dame shot 62 percent from the field in the third quarter to extend the lead and held off the Hokies in the final frame to advance to 17-1, 5-0 in the ACC.
Forward Jessica Shepard recorded a double-double with a game high 20 points and 11 rebounds and All-American Arike Ogunbowale added 19 for the Irish.
Emery tallied 15 points on the night leading three Hokies in double figures. Magarity had 11 and pulled down 8 rebounds on the night. Baptiste's hustle showed all night long as she recorded 16 rebounds in route to a sixth double-double of the season, scoring 11 points.
The Irish held the advantage in points in the paint (46-20), fast break points (13-0), second chance points (16-9) and points off turnover (20-8). Rebounds were even, with both teams corralling 40.
Other key notes:
• The post matchup of Regan Magarity and Jessica Shepard pitted two of college basketball's best rebounders against each other. Magarity entered the week seventh amongst active players with 1,075 boards and Shepard was eight at 1,012. Entering the game Wednesday, both had tallied 44 career double-doubles the seventh-most amongst active D1 players.
• Trinity Baptise set a new career high with her 16 rebounds in the game, seven of those coming on the offensive end of the floor. The sophomore forward recorded her sixth double-double of the season, also scoring 11 points.
• Emery's 15 points moves her career tally to 985, just 15 shy of 1,000. She stands to become just the second Hokie to ever compile 1,000 points in a two-year span, the other, Tech's all-time leading scorer Renee Dennis. Emery who has played in 53 career games, is on pace to become the 27th member of Tech's 1,000-point club in record time, with Tere Williams' mark of 71 currently the fastest.
NEXT GAME: Tech travels to Raleigh for a matchup ion Sunday, Jan. 20. That game will be shown on Regional Sports Networks and will tipoff at 12:30 p.m. Tom Werme and Chelsea Shine will be on the call.