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Notre Dame, inspired by Westbeld, rout Villanova 98-72

Related Topics: Rout, Tug McGraw, Muffet McGraw

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- With top-seed Notre Dame struggling to a halftime tie against Villanova on Sunday in a second-round women's NCAA Tournament game, a visibly angry Muffet McGraw had seen enough.

When the Irish returned from the locker room, enter Kathryn Westbeld, who sat out the first half with a left ankle sprain, and the Irish found their way to the regional semifinals for the ninth straight season with a 98-72 victory over pesky Villanova.

Westbeld turned her ankle early in Notre Dame's 99-81 first-round victory Friday against Cal State Fullerton and was listed by McGraw as a game-time decision.