COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNN) – Notre Dame crushed Mississippi State’s hope of winning a championship Sunday.
Notre Dame hoists the national title. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The Fighting Irish defeated the Bulldogs 61-58 to win their first championship in 17 years with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from junior guard Arike Ogunbowale.
“It just felt right,” Ogunbowale said.
Ogunbowale also scored a buzzer-beater at the end of Notre Dame’s game against UConn on Friday. Former NBA star Kobe Bryant attended that game and tweeted to Ogunbowale that she wouldn’t finish the job until she won a championship.
“I work for this in practice,” Ogunbowale told ESPN after the game. “The job is over, mamba mentality.”
But the game wasn’t easy for Notre Dame, who only scored 17 points in the first half and three points in the second quarter. The Fighting Irish came out after the half and scored 24 points in the third quarter.
The game came down to the wire as Mississippi stole the ball and Notre Dame stole it back in transition. Mississippi All-American Teaira McCowan fouled out with three seconds left in regulation.
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw told ESPN after the game that she didn’t think Ogunbowale could sink another last-second shot two games in a row.
Ogunbowale was also the leading scorer for the Fighting Irish, with 18 points.
Mississippi senior guard Victoria Vivians was the leading scorer for the Bulldogs, with 21 points. Mississippi lost in last year’s national championship to South Carolina.
