Schraders' double-double, ND's late free throws sink short-handed West Virginia

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame's Lindsay Schrader smiled when she saw only seven players in uniform for West Virginia when the teams lined up for the national anthem.

"I'm like, 'All right. We're going to run them out,'" Schrader said.

Instead, it was West Virginia making a run at the end before Notre Dame (No. 22 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) hung on for a 72-66 victory Monday. The game started at 3:30 p.m. because of a league rule that the final regular season game be played Monday and because the Notre Dame men's team was hosting Villanova on Monday night.

"It was an odd day. You go to class, then you're playing the game," Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said.

The Irish (21-7, 10-6 Big East) led comfortably for most of the game after using a 9-2 run midway through the first half to open a a 25-15 lead. Kelli Watson hit a 3-pointer with 12:07 left to give the Irish their biggest lead, 53-39.

But the Mountaineers responded with an 8-1 spurt to close to 54-47 on a 3-pointer by Liz Repella midway through the second half. But West Virginia (16-13, 5-11), playing with just seven players -- only six on scholarship -- because starting point guard Ashley Powell was ill and three players are sidelined for the season with injuries, continued to inch closer.

The Mountaineers closed within six points several times before finally closing to 70-66 on a basket inside by Sarah Miles with 44 second left. But the Irish, who struggled with free throws, made five of six in the final 64 seconds to hold on. They finished 14-of-24 from the line.

McGraw called her team's effort disappointing, especially on defense.

"I think we're a lot better," she said. "We wanted to go on a high into the Big East tournament and we want to feel like we're ready to go and I think we kind of escaped today. I wanted to win the game and look good doing it."

Schrader led the Irish with 14 points and 11 rebounds, her sixth double-double to tie a school record for a guard. Erica Williamson and Ashley Barlow added 13 points each for the Irish.

Takisha Granberry, who was 5-of-9 from 3-point range, led the Mountaineers with 21 points. Repella added 13 points and nine rebounds, Miles had 12 points and seven rebounds and Natalie Burton had 10 points.

West Virginia coach Mike Carey said he was pleased with his team's effort, particularly in the second half, when the undersized Mountaineers outscored the Irish 18-16 inside and outrebounded the Irish 25-17.

"We didn't quit," he said.

McGraw said it wasn't the type of effort she wanted.

"I really don't think we gave the effort we needed. I thought we could have played a lot better. We could have guarded the 3-point line better. We lost our focus at the free throw line," she said. "Not really the way you want to finish."