Arike Ogunbowale Hits Game-Winner; Notre Dame Sinks UConn in Women's Tournament

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are headed to the 2018 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament championship game thanks to the cold-blooded stylings of Arike Ogunbowale on Friday night at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.      

Moments after UConn's Crystal Dangerfield drilled a three to tie the score at 89 in overtime, Ogunbowale kept her composure and drained a long, contested two-point jumper with a second left to hand the Fighting Irish a 91-89 win: 

Ogunbowale finished with 27 points on 9-of-21 shooting, while fellow Notre Dame guard Jackie Young added a game-high 32 points and 11 rebounds as the Irish clinched their fifth national title game appearance since 2011. 

The Huskies, meanwhile, suffered their first loss of the season. They have now bowed out of the NCAA tournament one game short of the national title two years running. 

Sunday's championship tilt will pit Notre Dame against the No. 1 Mississippi State Bulldogs—who defeated the top-seeded Louisville Cardinals 73-63 in overtime in the evening's first semifinal.