By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Notre Dame girls basketball coach Kes Murphy received a plaque for getting his 200th career win after his team routed Ludlow, 73-38, in the opening game of the 9th Region girls basketball tournament on Monday at BB&T Arena.
It was a signature victory for Murphy, who has instilled the same defensive intensity in the Pandas as he did when he coached the Holy Cross team that won the 2015 state championship.
Notre Dame guard Macie Feldman tries to get past Brandy Brown of Ludlow, No. 30, during the 9th Region opener. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
Notre Dame entered Monday’s game with a 36.2 defensive average that ranked fourth in the state and pestered Ludlow so effectively that the Panthers committed 26 turnovers while making only 15 field goals in 32 minutes on the court.
It was the 19th time this season that Notre Dame (24-6) has held an opponent to 40 points or less. One of the games on that list was a 56-40 win over Conner, the team the Pandas will face in a regional semifinal game at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
In the win over Ludlow, Notre Dame shot 44.6 percent (25 of 56) from the field with 23 points coming off turnovers. The Pandas also scored 21 second-chance points off rebounds and made 17 of 20 free throws.
The game’s leading scorer was Notre Dame sophomore guard Macie Feldman, who got 10 of her 14 points during her team’s decisive 19-4 scoring run in the second quarter that opened up a 31-14 lead. The Pandas didn’t let up in the second half and finished with their highest point total of the season.
The game’s other double-figure scorers were Lacey Bradshaw and Sarah Hicks of Notre Dame and Abby Mahan of Ludlow with 12 points each. Hicks made three of her team’s six 3-point goals.
In other girls basketball playoff games on Monday, Brossart defeated Harrison County, 52-28, in the 10th Region and Walton-Verona defeated Gallatin County, 66-30, in the 8th Region.
This is the third consecutive year that Walton-Verona has made it to the 8th Region semifinals. The Bearcats will play South Oldham at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Collins High School.
The last time Brossart made it to the 10th Region final four was 2013. The Mustangs will play George Rogers Clark at 6 p.m. Friday at Campbell County Middle School.
NOTRE DAME 12 19 19 23 — 73
LUDLOW 10 4 16 8 — 38
NOTRE DAME (24-6): Feldman 4 5 14, Hemmer 2 3 7, Thelen 2 2 7, Bradshaw 6 0 12, Hicks 4 1 12, Breeze 2 1 5, Aytes 2 3 7, Lawrie 0 1 1, Hubert 1 0 3, Von Handorf 2 1 5. Totals: 25 17 73.
LUDLOW (25-8): Mahan 3 4 12, Arnold 2 0 5, Garrett 2 0 5, Lillard 4 0 8, Castrellon 3 0 6. Totals: 15 4 38.
3-pointers: ND — Hicks 3, Feldman, Thelen, Hubert. L — Mahan 2, Arnold, Garrett.
Girls regional basketball schedules
9TH REGION AT BB&T ARENA
Wednesday – Lower bracket
Dixie Heights (20-12) vs. Newport Central Catholic (20-12), 6:30 p.m.
Ryle (19-11) vs. Holy Cross (17-12), 8 p.m.
Friday
Notre Dame (24-6) vs, Conner (21-11), 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 8
Championship game, 2 p.m.
10TH REGION AT CAMPBELL COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Tuesday – Lower bracket
Campbell County (20-11) vs. Nicholas County (20-12), 6 p.m.
Mason County (15-15) vs. Bourbon County (19-13), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Brossart (24-5) vs. George Rogers Clark (20-10), 6 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8TH REGION AT COLLINS
Tuesday – Lower bracket
Owen County (23-9) vs. Oldham County (19-12), 6:30 p.m.
Simon Kenton (27-4) vs. Anderson County (27-5), 8 p.m.
Friday
Walton-Verona (24-9) vs. South Oldham (21-8), 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
Boys regional basketball schedules
9TH REGION AT BB&T ARENA
Saturday – Upper bracket
St. Henry (24-4) vs. Cooper (11-16), noon
Covington Catholic (26-5) vs. Newport (15-14), 1:30 p.m.
Saturday – Lower bracket
Conner (22-5) vs. Beechwood (21-11), 6:30 p.m.
Highlands (26-3) vs. Dixie Heights (10-20), 8 p.m.
Monday, March 9
Upper bracket semifinal, 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 10
Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
10TH REGION AT GEORGE ROGERS CLARK
Wednesday – Upper bracket
Brossart (24-6) vs. Robertson County (24-5), 6 p.m.
Augusta (14-18) vs. George Rogers Clark (25-7), 7:30 p.m.
Thursday – Lower bracket
Mason County (18-11) vs. Montgomery County (20-12), 6 p.m.
Campbell County (17-14) vs. Pendleton County (12-19), 7:30 p.m.
Monday, March 9
Upper bracket semifinal, 6 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 10
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8TH REGION AT HENRY COUNTY
Wednesday – Upper bracket
Simon Kenton (22-9) vs. South Oldham (22-9), 6:30 p.m.
Collins (24-7) vs. Henry County (18-14), 8 p.m.
Thursday – Lower bracket
Oldham County (28-3) vs. Woodford County (17-15), 6:30 p.m.
Gallatin County (17-14) vs. Grant County (21-10), 8 p.m.
Monday, March 9
Upper bracket semifinal, 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal,8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 10
Championship game, 7 p.m.
