Notre Dame a Winner in First Game at No. 1

As tentative as Notre Dame appeared to be in its first game as the nation’s top-ranked team, Coach Muffet McGraw said it was a simple case of lack of effort.

The Irish struggled early before All-American Ruth Riley and Alicia Ratay took over Wednesday night in an 87-64 victory over West Virginia before 364 at Morgantown, W.Va., the smallest crowd to see the Irish play this season.

Riley scored 28 points on 11-of-14 shooting despite being double-teamed. Ratay scored 24 and had a team-high eight rebounds.

The pair combined to make 12 of 14 free throws.

McGraw didn’t like the way the Irish got into a point-for-point shootout with West Virginia.

“I’m very disappointed in our defensive effort,” she said. “Basically, the team on the floor decided that we would outscore [them] today. It certainly wasn’t my plan.”

The coach said her team wasn’t trying to live up to its ranking.

“Our goal is to play whoever we are playing with the same intensity,” she said. “We’re just didn’t do that tonight.”

Notre Dame, 19-0 overall and 8-0 in the Big East, never trailed but had trouble establishing its offense early, scoring only six points in the first five minutes.

Notre Dame also was sloppy in transition and had 15 turnovers. On defense it guarded West Virginia loosely. The Mountaineers’ 64 points were the fourth most given up by the Irish this season.

When they couldn’t get the ball inside to Riley, the Irish missed numerous open jumpers.

Against the Mountaineers (4-13, 2-4), it didn’t matter. Notre Dame made winning look easy.

Baylor 79, No. 7 Iowa State 74--Danielle Crockrom had 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Bears (14-3, 3-3) over the Cyclones (15-2, 5-1) in a Big 12 game at Waco, Texas.

No. 12 Oklahoma 88, Kansas 64--LaNeishea Caufield scored 20 points to lead the Sooners (14-4, 5-1) over the Jayhawks (7-10, 1-5) in a Big 12 game at Lawrence, Kan.

No. 18 Xavier 89, Dayton 76--Nicole Levandusky scored 20 points and the Musketeers (15-2, 6-1) set an Atlantic 10 record with 14 three-point baskets in beating the Flyers (10-9, 4-4) at Dayton, Ohio.

No. 25 Colorado 87, Nebraska 69--Jenny Roulier scored 20 points and Mandy Nightingale 15 to lead the Buffaloes (14-3, 5-1) to a Big 12 victory over the Cornhuskers (9-10, 1-5) at Boulder, Colo.