GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) – Marina Mabrey scored a season-high 27 points to help No. 5 Notre Dame rally past No. 11 Florida State 90-80 Saturday in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals.
The second-seeded Fighting Irish (29-2) rallied from eight down in the third quarter in their pursuit of a record-tying fifth straight tournament title.
Mabrey followed her 24-point effort in Friday’s quarterfinals against Virginia with another big performance, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third that put Notre Dame ahead for good at 62-60.
That started the decisive 16-4 run, which included Arike Ogunbowale hitting a 3 as part of her own big fourth quarter. The junior guard scored 14 of her 20 points in the final 10 minutes.
Shakayla Thomas scored 24 points for the third-seeded Seminoles (25-6), who erased a 10-point second-quarter deficit and took a 56-48 lead on Nausia Woolfolk’s layup with 4:30 left in the third before the Irish made their move.
POST-GAME NOTES BY FSU SPORTS INFORMATION:
• Shakayla Thomas’ 24 points marked her 26th career 20-point game. Thomas went 10-of-22 from the floor, her 16th career game with 10+ field goals made.
• Thomas now has 230 field goals made this season, setting a new season high. Her previous best was 227 in her sophomore season (2015-16).
• Sophomore Nicki Ekhomu had another strong performance in ACC play, generating 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Ekhomu’s 18 points are the second-most of her career vs. an ACC school.
• FSU held a 43-42 halftime lead against Notre Dame following a second quarter where it shot 61.1 percent (11-of-18).
• The Seminoles established a new season record for 3-point field goals made with 223 and counting. The previous record was 216 by the 2014-15 team.
• Notre Dame took 26 trips to the free throw line compared to seven by the Seminoles.
• FSU took care of the basketball very well on Saturday, recording 19 assists to just seven turnovers.
• Florida State will learn its NCAA Tournament seeding on Monday, March 12, with the ESPN Selection Show at 7 p.m.
• FSU recorded 13 fast-break points against Notre Dame and added 22 bench points.
• FSU’s appearance against Notre Dame was its fifth in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
• Imani Wright (510 points) and Shakayla Thomas (535) became just the second FSU teammates to record 500+ points in a season.
