South Florida Bulls at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Natalie Achonwa's 20-20 game sends Notre Dame to Big East semis

Achonwa had 20 points and 20 rebounds to lead the second-ranked Irish to a 75-66 win over South Florida on Sunday in the Big East women's tournament quarterfinals.

It was the first 20-20 in Big East tournament play since Rebecca Lobo did it in 1993.

But McGraw called Ariel Braker, who finished with eight points and 12 rebounds, the player of the game.

"She made so many big plays when she needed them," McGraw said. "Totally above and beyond her call. She's one of our best defenders and rebounders; she helped us on offense tonight."

At this time of year, McGraw said, it's really just about surviving and advancing, not style. Top-seeded Notre Dame earned its school record 24th straight victory.

Skylar Diggins, the Big East player of the year, added 15 points for the Irish, who will face No. 13 Louisville in the semifinals Monday night. She had a rough day, going 5 for 21 from the field.

She wasn't concerned.

"Every game is an elimination game, so as long as we're winning, it's OK," Diggins said.

Notre Dame and South Florida met in early January, and the Irish came away with a 75-71 overtime victory. Sunday's game was more of the same.

Notre Dame (29-1) trailed 51-47 midway through the second half before scoring eight straight points, including four by Achonwa.

Andrell finished with 27 points while Andrea had 18.

With the Irish's win, every top seed in the history of the Big East tournament has reached the semifinals. Notre Dame had to work hard to keep that streak alive.

Achonwa came up with almost every big play to help the Irish, whether grabbing an offensive rebound or making a key defensive play.

With the Bulls trailing 39-31 early in the second half, the Smith sisters rallied the team. They scored 15 of the next 17 points for the Bulls to give South Florida a 48-45 lead with 12:50 left after Andrea Smith hit a 3-pointer. Inga Orehkova's 3-pointer made it 51-47.

"I think anytime you make shots you can beat anybody," McGraw said. "They made 10 3's. I think they are a great team. Great team speed. They push the ball well. They know their role and they can shoot."

How can I watch Bulls vs. Fighting Irish?

• TV Channel: Bulls vs Fighting Irish 2021 College Basketball, week 18, is broadcasted on ESPNU.
• Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Venue: PeoplesBank Arena

Location: Hartford, CT
Capacity: