NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
By J.P. Scott
The Notre Dame women’s basketball team won the national title on Sunday night.
In an amazing comeback win over a talented Mississippi State, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team won the national championship in dramatic fashion, 61-58.
For the second-straight Final Four game, Arike Ogunbowale sealed the win with a miraculous buzzer beater shot.
After a fast start, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team was eventually overwhelmed in the first half by a very quick Mississippi State Bulldog team.
In addition to the quickness the Bulldogs brought to the table, the Irish also had to deal with 6-foot-7 center Teaira McGowan — arguably the single most physically dominant player in women’s basketball. McGowan dominated in the paint, putting up 18 point and 17 rebounds.
Early foul trouble kept Jackie Young on the bench for a considerable portion of the second quarter. That contributed to Notre Dame putting up the fewest points they scored in any quarter all season — three.
In addition to the foul trouble and McGowan’s presence, the shots jut weren’t falling for the Irish. Arike Ogunbowale had just two points in the entire first half.
The Irish trailed 30-17 at halftime.
Notre Dame fought back in the third quarter to tie it up, both on the shoulders of Jessica Shepard and while McGowan was on the bench after collecting her third foul.
A back and forth fourth quarter got away from the Irish for a moment after the Bulldogs hit a three-point shot late in the shot clock with just under two minutes to go. That made it a five-point lead for Mississippi State.
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The Irish fought back again to tie it up near the end of the fourth quarter. After a series of steals, McGowan fouled out with three seconds to go.
Notre Dame inbounded the ball, Ogunbowale broke free, took a shot and the rest was history.
The Irish win their first title since 2001.
Ogunbowale finished with 18 points. Marina Mabrey had 10 points and seven rebounds. Jessica Shepard was huge with 19 points and six rebounds, while Jackie Young came through with six crucial points.
In her last game as a member of the Fighting Irish, Kathryn Westbeld led the team in rebounds with nine.
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That caps off an amazing season where the Irish overcame so many injuries, yet fought through to climb to the top of the college basketball mountain.
CONGRATS, LADIES!