Irish take the fight to UConn
UConn was stunned for second straight year on late OT shot
Columbus, Ohio — It was supposed to be Christmas morning, UConn's chance for redemption following an overtime loss to Mississippi State in last year's national semifinals in Dallas. Instead, after 365 days of polishing things, thinking, wishing, hoping, it turned into … Groundhog Day.
The UConn women's basketball team trailed by 13 points in the first quarter Friday night against Notre Dame in the national semis and went on to lose 91-89, once again in overtime and once again on a Shot Heard 'Round the World, this time by Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale with 1 second remaining.
A year later, same result, with UConn's only loss of the season coming at the most inopportune time before 19,564 fans at Nationwide Arena, who were treated to a pair of overtime games Friday.
UConn (36-1) pulled off two improbable comebacks against Notre Dame, one down five points with 20.1 seconds remaining in regulation. Napheesa Collier hit a 3-point field goal and Kia Nurse stole a Notre Dame pass and ran the length of the court for a layup to tie things 79-79.
The Huskies trailed by five once
again in overtime 89-84, but got a basket from Collier and a 3-pointer from Crystal Dangerfield with 26.5 seconds left to make it 89-89.
Ogunbowale, who finished with 27 points, wasn't waiting around for another overtime, however, sending the Fighting Irish (34-3) to the national championship game to meet Mississippi State, who won its semifinal 7363 over Louisville.
It is only the fourth Women's Final Four in history comprised of all four top seeds.
Jackie Young finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds for Notre Dame, which is making an emotional run following the loss of four players this season to knee injuries.
Collier had 24 points for UConn and Azura Stevens 19 points and eight rebounds. Katie Lou Samuelson added 16 points, Gabby Williams 12 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots in her final career game and Nurse, also a senior, finished with 10 points.
UConn trailed Notre Dame 24-14 after the first quarter.
It would have been more, too, were it not for a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Samuelson.
But just as decisively as Notre Dame dominated the first quarter, UConn came to play in the second quarter, going on a 10-0 run to tie things before the Fighting Irish ever scored a point. Stevens had a pair of offensive rebounds, Samuelson hit a 3-pointer and Stevens completed the string with one of two free throws to make it 24-24.
Stevens, who had 10 points in the quarter, gave UConn the lead for the first time since 2-0 on a pass from Williams, part of another 12-0 run by the Huskies capped by Collier on the front end of a fast break that made it 31-30 in favor of the Huskies.
UConn led 41-34 at halftime and 60-57 after three quarters, although the teams changed leads four times in the closing minutes of the third.
Collier connected for a threepoint play that gave 11-time national champion UConn the 72-67 lead, but high-flying Notre Dame came right back with six straight points, taking a 73-72 lead on a fallaway shot by the All-American Ogunbowale.
Williams hit a jump shot to give UConn a 74-73 lead with 1:51 to play, but Young converted a pair of free throws with 1:32 left to put the Irish up 75-74 and Ogunbowale scored four straight for the 79-74 lead.
With that Notre Dame lead thwarted by Nurse, Nurse then gave UConn the lead with a 3-pointer in overtime. Once again Ogunbowale struck with a drive to the hoop to tie things and the Irish went on a 6-0 mini-run to seemingly take control. One more UConn comeback set the stage for Ogunbowale's game-winner.
UConn had defeated Notre Dame 80-71 on Dec. 3 before a sold-out crowd at the XL Center. UConn also trailed in that game against then No. 3 Notre Dame, falling behind 65-54 after three quarters before outscoring the Irish 26-9 in the fourth for the victory. v.fulkerson@theday.com