College Basketball

Allen helps No. 2 Notre Dame women defeat Chattanooga 79-58 (Dec 27, 2016)

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:17 a.m. ET

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AP

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) The first triple-double of Notre Dame guard Lindsay Allen's career came in typical Lindsay Allen fashion.

This unselfish senior needed a reminder to get the necessary points for the triple-double after already having enough assists and rebounds. Allen had 11 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists Tuesday in the second-ranked Fighting Irish's 79-58 victory over Chattanooga.

''She always has been a pass-first point guard,'' Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said.

Allen already had 12 assists by the end of the third quarter and got her 10th rebound with 9:26 remaining, but she didn't reach double-digit points until sinking a jumper with 2:40 remaining. Her final five points came in the last four minutes of the game.

''I knew at halftime I had eight assists and nine rebounds, I think,'' Allen said. ''I didn't know how many points I had, but I knew I was kind of close to that. Then, toward the end, they were just telling me to really attack the basket and look for your shot, so that's when I got the hint that I'm probably really close to getting a triple-double.''

Allen's triple-double was the sixth in Notre Dame women's basketball history. Skylar Diggins had two triple-doubles. The other three came from Mary Gavin, Sara Liebscher and Marina Mabrey.

Her 11 rebounds represented a career high. Her 12 assists matched a career high.

''It's definitely a special moment,'' Allen said.

Brianna Turner added 24 points as Notre Dame earned its 15th consecutive road victory. Notre Dame was making its fourth stop on a six-game road stretch that continues Thursday when the Irish open Atlantic Coast Conference play at North Carolina State.

Notre Dame (12-1) hasn't lost a true road game since falling 91-81 at eventual national champion Connecticut on Dec. 5, 2015.

The Irish grabbed a 10-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game and led the rest of the way. Chattanooga (5-8) trailed 26-12 at the end of the first quarter before playing Notre Dame relatively even the rest of the way.

''We know how to play hard the second, third and fourth quarter,'' Chattanooga coach Jim Foster said. ''We've done it Louisville. We've done it here. We did it with Connecticut. We've done it with good teams, very good teams. We've got to start games better.''

Queen Alford led Chattanooga with 24 points.

BIG PICTURE

Notre Dame: A dominant start helped Notre Dame coast to victory and allowed the Irish to ease freshman Jackie Young back into the rotation before starting ACC competition. Young played just two minutes against Michigan State in Notre Dame's last game after missing two games with an ankle injury. She played 16 minutes Tuesday and had three points and three rebounds.

Chattanooga: Jasmine Joyner blocked eight shots in an 88-53 loss at Notre Dame two seasons ago but got in early foul trouble Tuesday and never made much of an impact. Joyner picked up her second foul barely 4 1/2 minutes into the game and sat out the remainder of the first half. She scored just two points - nine below her average - plus two rebounds and one block in 21 minutes.

Joyner has 49 total blocks this season and entered the night leading all Division I players in that category.

OLD FRIENDS REUNITE

McGraw began her college coaching career in 1980 as an assistant on Foster's staff at St. Joseph's.

McGraw owns a 6-3 career coaching record against Foster, which includes a 6-0 mark at Notre Dame and an 0-3 record during her Lehigh coaching tenure. Foster is a godfather to McGraw's son, Murphy.

''He's always been there for me,'' McGraw said. ''He's been a great supporter for me, a great sounding board for me.''

NEXT UP

Notre Dame is at North Carolina State on Thursday.

Chattanooga is at Presbyterian on Friday.

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