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HARTFORD, CONN. - Notre Dame swept the BIG EAST as senior guard Skylar Diggins was named BIG EAST Player of the Year for the second-straight year. Guard Jewell Loyd was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and Muffet McGraw took home BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors.
Diggins, who also was the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year for two-straight seasons, helped her team go undefeated in BIG EAST play for the first time in school history, en route to their 2nd consecutive BIG EAST regular season title.
Diggins averaged 17.3 points per game, 5.9 assists in all games and 18.5 ppg in conference play, second in the league. Diggins wrapped up the regular season ranked 21st in the nation in assists per game. She also became the school’s all-time steals leader with 86 this season.
Freshman guard Jewell Loyd averaged 10.9 ppg and 5.3 rpg in BIG EAST play. She was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week four times.
Muffet McGraw coached the Irish to their 2nd straight conference title despite losing three starters from last year's national runner-up squad. Notre Dame boasts the third best scoring offense in the nation (80.8) and are fourth in scoring margin (+25.0). The Irish, who were picked to finish second in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll, are also fourth nationally in field-goal percentage (.467) and free throw percentage (.790). ND has a +11.8 rebounding margin, which ranks third nationally.
Notre Dame plays in the BIG EAST quarterfinals SUnday against the winner of South Florida and Rutgers.