Skylar Diggins scored 14 points in her debut and Purcell Pavilion had a special feel as the 4th ranked Irish women's basketball team beat Arkansas Pine Bluff 102-57 Sunday night in the season opener.

With more than 9,000 fans in the house, the Irish were just 69 people shy of a sell out in their first game in the newly renovated arena.

At times the new arena was rocking and you can sense this will be a facility that will be much louder than the way it was previously constructed.

Irish head coach Muffet McGraw said after the game that she was surprised at how loud it could get in the new look Joyce Center. She feels it will definitely provide a competitive advantage later in the season.

Diggins--the South Bend Washington grad-- is a main reason many of the 9,000 fans are in the seats. She didn't disappoint in her first game with Notre Dame.

The freshman phenom had 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals to go with the 14 points in just 23 minutes of the action.

She said after the game that playing in an exhibition game two weeks helped ease her nerves, but that it only helped---and she was still pretty nervous at the start of the game.

Ashley Barlow said she wasn't nervous at all. The senior was cool and calm on the court, scoring 15 points for Notre Dame.

Becca Bruszewski scored 19 points to lead the Irish.

Notre Dame had eight players in double figures, but surprisingly senior captain Melissa Lechlitner didn't score. The St. Joe grad did have six assists, including one to Diggins as the Irish showed off their all South Bend back court.

The 102 points is the first time the Irish have gone for more than 100 points in a game at home since 2002.

Notre Dame returns to action on Thursday when they go on the road to face Michigan State.