Unbearable Baylor center Griner scores 26, grabs 13 rebounds as Lady Bears down Notre Dame in national championship PAT COVENEY/The Observer Irish sophomore forward Ariel Braker and junior guards Skylar Diggins and Kaila Turner walk off the court following Baylor’s 80-61 defeat of Notre Dame in Tuesday night’s national championship game. The Irish have now lost consecutive national championship games after dropping a 76-70 decision to Texas A&M in last year’s final. By CHRIS MASOUD like their victory over No. 2 sessions. ket.” achieve 142 wins and reach Senior Sports Writer Stanford in the national semifi- But momentum turned when Griner and the Lady Bears four Sweet Sixteens, two Final nals, the No. 1 Lady Bears (40- Peters was sent to the bench took advantage of Peters’ ab- Fours and two national cham- DENVER — The scene was 0) broke the game open in the just two minutes and 38 sec- sence on both ends of the floor, pionship games. all too familiar. The buzzer second half, outscor- outscoring Notre “It’s just a great senior class. sounded, the confetti fell and ing the Irish 46-33. Dame 40 to 22 I know me watching their Notre Dame was denied in the Irish junior guard in the paint and whole careers on the sidelines national championship for a Skylar Diggins paced “I think there was some outrebounding — just amazing what they’ve second consecutive season. Notre Dame with 20 the Irish 46 to been able to do, [bringing] this Baylor looked every bit like points and sopho- frustration that everybody 27. Baylor soph- program back to an elite pro- the national favorite that had more guard Kayla omore guard gram and being able to lead not lost a game all season, McBride added 11, didn’t play as well as they Odyssey Sims this team to back-to-back na- blowing past the Irish 80-61 but the rest of the contributed 19 tional championship games,” to claim the program’s second Irish were plagued wanted to, but it’s still pretty points and seven Irish coach Muffet McGraw national title. Naismith Player by cold shooting. rebounds cap- said. “I hate that it ends on a of the Year Brittney Griner led “We just kept dig- much the same [feeling]” taining the Lady game like this because you fail the Lady Bears with 26 points, ging ourselves into Bears front- to see everything they did to 13 rebounds and five assists, as a hole by not taking court. get to this point.” Baylor became the first team in our shots,” Diggins “It’s frustrat- Notre Dame returns just two Division I basketball history to said. “I don’t think Muffet McGraw ing,” Peters said. starters, Diggins and McBride, finish a season 40-0. we were taking the Irish coach “But you can’t but McGraw said several bench “I think it hurts no matter shots that we had knock what the players are ready to step into how much you lose by,” Irish and when we were, team has done larger roles next season. coach Muffet McGraw said. “I we weren’t shooting them con- onds into the game after pick- this year in being able to get to Diggins added that her role think the feeling last year was fidently … We spent a lot of en- ing up two quick fouls. back-to-back Final Fours and as a leader will also expand a little different, more of ‘We ergy chasing.” “When we got into foul trou- back-to-back national cham- as Notre Dame’s lone return- kind of let it slip away,’ but McGraw’s game plan was ble, it just destroyed our game pionships. We’ve just done so ing senior starter and its top this game got out of hand. I simple and effective in the plan,” McGraw said. “We really much and my teammates have scorer. think there was some frustra- opening minutes: double-team needed Devereaux — she was stepped up when they needed “I’ve got to be a better job tion that everybody didn’t play Griner on defense and engage a big part of the plan and we to.” being a leader,” she said. “I as well as they wanted to, but the center on offense before didn’t have her … But in the Peters, senior guards Nata- thought I didn’t have very good it’s still pretty much the same finding the backdoor cut. Dig- second half we were afraid to lie Novosel and Fraderica leadership there tonight as far [feeling].” gins and Irish graduate stu- foul, and every time Brittney Miller and graduate student as keeping our fire, but I’ll be No. 4 Notre Dame (35-4) kept dent forward Devereaux Peters got the ball, even when we guard Brittany Mallory leave better. I promise.” the contest close in the first scored a quick five points on brought the double team, we behind quite a legacy. During half, heading into the break two field goals and a foul shot didn’t really lean on her and their combined five-year ten- Contact Chris Masoud at down by just six points. But in Notre Dame’s first three pos- she got really close to the bas- ure, they helped Notre Dame [email protected] page 2 | ndsmcobserver.com The Observer u IRISH INSIDER Wednesday, April 4, 2012 By the numbers Baylor becomes the first team in NCAA basketball history to win 40 games in one season while going undefeated on 1 the year. Points scored by Brittney Griner in the second half. Griner finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks and 17 earned MVP honors for the national championship. Rebounds by Baylor, compared to Notre Dame’s 27. The Lady Bears also record- ed 16 offensive rebounds, compared to 46 Notre Dame’s nine. Shots made by senior guard Natalie No- vosel in the game. The guard went 0-for- 11 against the solid Baylor defense in 30 0 minutes of play. The Baylor lead with 15:09 left in the second half before graduate student forward Devereaux Peters picked up 3 her fourth foul and went to the bench. Percent shooting for Baylor in the sec- ond half. The Lady Bears ended the game shooting 50 percent on 29-of-58 63 shooting. The number of wins Baylor had this season over teams ranked in the top-10 6 in the polls. Consecutive years the Irish have lost to a Texas team in the national champion- 2 ship game while wearing green. Baylor deserved win, but ND will be back The attendance at the Pur- DENVER — Last year Notre say, you can’t stop her, you can and solid post players. Unfortu- cell Pavilion for the national Dame ran into a buzzsaw. Texas only hope to contain her. Griner nately, the pieces just did not fall championship game watch. A&M had beaten Baylor and got hers, as expected — but the into place when it mattered most. 1,038 Stanford on its way to the cham- Baylor supporting cast stepped up Diggins has made an incredible pionship as well. Odyssey Sims effectively impact on the program, but one game. This controlled the pace and Destiny has to wonder if her legacy will be Wins by the senior class of Natalie year, Notre Williams pounded the offensive shadowed if she fails to take home Novosel, Brittany Mallory, Devereaux Dame hit a glass. a championship during her career. Peters and Fraderica Miller. brick wall There was a question as to Undoubtedly, Mallory, Peters and 117 in the form whether Griner’s physical presence Novosel all had tremendous ca- of 6-foot-8 and the Lady Bears’ undefeated re- reers. But none of them have quite Brittney cord created a psychological com- the reputation Diggins carries. Griner and ponent to beating Baylor. Looking This generation’s great players Baylor. at the way the Irish played, I don’t — Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, When it really think that is a question any- Maya Moore, even Brittney Griner boils down, Matthew Robison more. The Lady Bears were physi- — all have titles. Right or wrong, Baylor was cally, mentally and psychologically people will hesitate to put Diggins the better Sports Writer dominant throughout the game. in that category if she does not win team Tuesday. When it all boils down, Baylor a championship for Notre Dame. There is ab- simply outperformed Notre Dame. There is a bright side to all the solutely no doubt about that. The The Lady Bears came ready to heartbreak. Among all the ques- Lady Bears solidified their year- play, they executed on their game tions, all the uncertainty, one long assertion they are the best plan and they made shots. They thing is for sure. McGraw has team in the country. deserved the title. turned the Irish into an elite pro- While the pressure should have It is yet to be seen how Notre gram. been entirely on Baylor, Notre Dame will recover from a second If the play of freshman Wright, Dame was the team who came out consecutive loss in the national sophomore Achonwa and sopho- tight. Devereaux Peters picked up title game. As heartbroken as the more McBride on Tuesday is any two quick fouls, Natalie Novosel team was last year, this one has indication, the future of the Irish could not hit a shot and no one to sting even more. The worst part is blindingly bright. beside Skylar Diggins or Kayla about the loss might be that this Notre Dame will be back.