SOUTH BEND, IND. — LeeAnn Bies will get exactly what she asked for tonight, when she draws the tough assignment of guarding Notre Dame senior center Ruth Riley.
Riley, the Naismith women's college player of the year, leads host Notre Dame (29-2) against Michigan (19-11) at the Joyce Center in the second round of the NCAA Midwest Regional.
Bies first thought about playing Riley when she and her teammates got together during the regular season to watch Notre Dame play Connecticut in a nationally televised game.
"I was kind of excited," said Bies, a 6-foot-3 sophomore center. "I said, 'Let us play them.' To play a team that's been ranked No. 1 most of the year, I think it's just great."
Bies is excited, not intimidated, about the matchup.
"I think it's a great opportunity to see where the team stands and where I stand," said Bies, who leads Michigan in scoring (12.3) and rebounding (7.2). "It's going to be about on-ball defense."
Michigan coach Sue Guevara gave Bies one main objective during Sunday's practice when the two talked about the matchup with Riley.
"Limit her to one shot," Guevara said. "We know she's going to get her looks."
Riley is tough on defense, too. She ranked second nationally with 3.1 blocks per game, and Notre Dame ranked No. 1 in field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to just 33.6 percent.
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