No doubts now for Devereaux and Notre Dame
It’s not uncommon for young female basketball stars to dream in shades of orange.
For more than two decades, legendary women’s coach Pat Summitt has made the University of Tennessee a highly coveted destination for elite high school recruits.
Devereaux Peters had hoped for years that she would someday join that exclusive club.
“I grew up being a big fan of Tennessee,” Peters said. “Starting in middle school, it was my dream school.”
The irony here is that Peters spent most of Monday night being a nightmare for the team she used to dream about.
Only lightly recruited by the Lady Vols, who are likely wishing they had given the Chicago native and former Fenwick star a closer look, Peters wound up at Notre Dame.
Before a national television audience, she helped the No. 2 Irish steam to a definitive 72-44 victory over No. 9 Tennessee at a buzzing Purcell Pavilion in South Bend. It was the second-worst loss in Lady Vols history, and their lowest point total ever.
Peters, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, had 16 points and 16 big rebounds for the Irish, who can brag they’ve done something few teams ever do: beat Tennessee and Connecticut in the same season.
“It was a fun game. Those are the games you live for,” Peters said of the Tennessee game. “To play as well as we did against such a good team and in such a great atmosphere was amazing. It was an exciting game to be a part of. We showed how good we can be.”
And Peters couldn’t be happier that she’s a part of the “we” that was wearing shamrocks instead of orange.
“It’s weird how things work out. You may think you want to do one thing and be in one place and that might not be the place for you,” Peters said. “Obviously, things change and I’m glad I made the decision I made because I think it’s the perfect fit for me here.”
Well, not quite perfect.
Peters loves Notre Dame, but life wasn’t perfect during her first two years there, and she was so miserable she considered giving up the game.
In February of her freshman year, Peters tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, ending her promising season. She rehabbed all spring, summer and fall and was ready to go at the start of her sophomore season.
But three games into that season she suffered another knee injury. The very same injury to the very same knee.
Once again, Peters was out for the season.
“Having back-to-back injuries like that was really tough physically, but I think it was even tougher mentally,” Peters said. “It takes such a huge toll on you. It’s just so tedious and it takes so long to get back. Sometimes I felt like I wasn’t making any progress and I really started doubting whether or not I could, and whether or not I even wanted to play again.”
Coach Muffet McGraw and Peters’ teammates did everything they could to keep her spirits up. McGraw let Peters travel with the team, which kept her involved and vested.
“That really helped to be around the team,” Peters said. “It made me realize how much I appreciated being a part of the team and how much I loved the game. It really made me want to come back.”
Peters came back with a vengeance.
She led the team in blocks and was second in rebounding in 2009-10, her first season back. And last year, she tied a school record by starting all 39 games. She scored 11.9 points per game and led the Irish in rebounding (7.5 rpg), blocks (1.7 bpg), field goal percentage (59.3 percent) and double-doubles (10).
“When I was out, I think I learned that I can push myself a lot harder than I thought I could,” said Peters, who is averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds per game this season. “I’m so glad I kept pushing because I am having so much fun now.”
And so are her teammates, who are determined to get back to the Final Four. Last year, Notre Dame lost to Texas A&M in the NCAA title game.
“Everyone is kind of bitter about the way last year ended,” said Peters, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds in the title game. “But we’re so determined, we’re focused. We put in so much work over the summer and you can see it in the way we’re playing.
“I’ve never been on a team like this, where there is so much talent and so many options. This is the kind of team you dream about playing on.”
Looks like Peters got her dream school after all.
pbabcock@dailyherald.com