Written by Adrian Beecher
COLUMBUS, OH -- Jackie Young's 32 points, 11 rebounds and the luck of the Irish helped to lead Notre Dame to a thrilling 91-89 overtime win over the UCONN Huskies in the 2018 NCAA Womens Basketball National Semi-final. It was a game that saw each team take double-digit leads, as they both fought to keep their season alive.
Here's how it all went down in the Columbus, Ohio at Nationwide Arena!
UConn's Gabby Williams got the scoring started for the Huskies to get things underway. Then it was Jessica Shepard getting things started for the Irish with a jumper to start a 7-0 run as Notre Dame went up 7-2 just 1:41 into the game.
The Huskies quickly cut it to a one-point deficit. However, then the Irish went on an 8-0 run kicked off by a layup from Shepard. This made it 15-6 with just 4:19 left to play in the 1st quarter.
Katie Lou Samuelson hit a triple for the Huskies to end the run and Napheesa Collier followed it up with a layup to cut the deficit to just four. Then it was again the Irish getting hot as they pushed the lead to 13 with a triple from Jackie Young with just 58 seconds left in the quarter. Then as time was expiring, Samuelson hit a triple to cut the deficit to 10. At the end of the first quarter, the Irish looked to be in control, leading 24-14.
Then came the 2nd quarter, where things went downhill quickly for Notre Dame. Azurá Stevens got things started for the Huskies with a jumper early in the quarter to spark a 10-0 run that saw things tied up with 6:55 left in the half.
A jumper from Young of Notre Dame would put an end to the run as the two squads went back and forth, as the Irish clung to their lead. Then with 4:46 left in the half, Stevens hit a jumper to put the Huskies on top 31-30.
That was the start of a 12-0 run that saw UCONN take a 41-30 lead with just 1:46 left in the first half. The Irish would make the final two baskets of the first half to cut the deficit to just seven at the break.
Out of the break, Jackie Young would put in a layup for the Irish to trip the deficit to five. The Huskies would extend their lead to nine before Notre Dame once again chipped away at the deficit. With five minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Arike Ogunbowale hit a jumper to make it just a one-point game.
With 2:21 left in the 3rd quarter, Marina Mabrey hit a triple to put the Irish up 54-53. The Huskies quickly answered on the other end with as the two teams traded the lead back and forth. UConn would hold the upper hand has the third quarter came to an end with the Huskies leading 60-57.
In the final quarter, Notre Dame put in the first bucket, coming from Kristina Nelson, to make it just a one-point game. Then it was the Huskies turn as they went on a 7-0 run to take a 67-59 lead over the Irish with just 6:49 left to play.
Notre Dame continued to claw their way back into it and with 3:42 left to play, it was once again just a one-point Huskies lead. After a timeout by UCONN, Ogunbowale drilled a jumper to give the Irish a 73-72 lead.
Williams for UConn would hit a jumper at the other end to put the Huskies back on top. Then two free throws from Young for Notre Dame started a 6-0 run to give the Irish a 79-74 lead with just 21 seconds left to play.
What ensued could be described as a minor meltdown.
After the made free throws, a break down on defense left Collier wide open triple that she drained with just 15 seconds left. Then on the inbound, Shepard turned the ball over and as Nurse took the steal for the Huskies to tie the game up at 79.
Then with it all tied up, Notre Dame just needed to hold the ball for the last shot to try for the win. However, Shepard bounced the ball off her shoe, and it went out of bounds with just 3 seconds left to play. This gave the Huskies a chance to win the game with one final shot. However, Williams would miss the close jumper as time expired, sending us to overtime.
In overtime, Shepard found her way to the free throw line as she sunk one of two shots to put the Irish up 80-79. At the other end, a wide open Kia Nurse drained a triple to put the Huskies back on top 82-80.
After the Irish tied it up, Shepard put in a jumper to put Notre Dame on top 84-82. A defensive stop at the other end =, saw the Irish take a fast break straight to the hoop as Ogunbowale made her way to the free throw line. She would drill them both to put the Irish up 86-82 with 3:04 left in the OT.
The Irish would increase their lead to five with just 44 seconds left to play. After UConn called a timeout, Collier hit a jumper to cut the deficit to just three with 38 seconds left in overtime. The Huskies would then play the foul game as they fouled Ogunbowale. She would miss both shots at the time and at the other end, it was Crystal Dangerfield drilling a game-tying triple.
In a case of redemption, the Irish once again had the ball with a chance at the last shot. This time they would not let the opportunity slip away as they ran the clock down and Ogunbowale drained a long two from the right side with just one second left. A desperation attempt from the Huskies was not able to be attempted due to the defense of the Irish as they punched their ticket to the title game and handed the UCONN Huskies their first loss of the season.
Notre Dame now moves on to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sunday, April 1st in the 2018 Women's National Championship game.
Here's how it all went down in the Columbus, Ohio at Nationwide Arena!
UConn's Gabby Williams got the scoring started for the Huskies to get things underway. Then it was Jessica Shepard getting things started for the Irish with a jumper to start a 7-0 run as Notre Dame went up 7-2 just 1:41 into the game.
The Huskies quickly cut it to a one-point deficit. However, then the Irish went on an 8-0 run kicked off by a layup from Shepard. This made it 15-6 with just 4:19 left to play in the 1st quarter.
Katie Lou Samuelson hit a triple for the Huskies to end the run and Napheesa Collier followed it up with a layup to cut the deficit to just four. Then it was again the Irish getting hot as they pushed the lead to 13 with a triple from Jackie Young with just 58 seconds left in the quarter. Then as time was expiring, Samuelson hit a triple to cut the deficit to 10. At the end of the first quarter, the Irish looked to be in control, leading 24-14.
Then came the 2nd quarter, where things went downhill quickly for Notre Dame. Azurá Stevens got things started for the Huskies with a jumper early in the quarter to spark a 10-0 run that saw things tied up with 6:55 left in the half.
A jumper from Young of Notre Dame would put an end to the run as the two squads went back and forth, as the Irish clung to their lead. Then with 4:46 left in the half, Stevens hit a jumper to put the Huskies on top 31-30.
That was the start of a 12-0 run that saw UCONN take a 41-30 lead with just 1:46 left in the first half. The Irish would make the final two baskets of the first half to cut the deficit to just seven at the break.
Out of the break, Jackie Young would put in a layup for the Irish to trip the deficit to five. The Huskies would extend their lead to nine before Notre Dame once again chipped away at the deficit. With five minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Arike Ogunbowale hit a jumper to make it just a one-point game.
With 2:21 left in the 3rd quarter, Marina Mabrey hit a triple to put the Irish up 54-53. The Huskies quickly answered on the other end with as the two teams traded the lead back and forth. UConn would hold the upper hand has the third quarter came to an end with the Huskies leading 60-57.
In the final quarter, Notre Dame put in the first bucket, coming from Kristina Nelson, to make it just a one-point game. Then it was the Huskies turn as they went on a 7-0 run to take a 67-59 lead over the Irish with just 6:49 left to play.
Notre Dame continued to claw their way back into it and with 3:42 left to play, it was once again just a one-point Huskies lead. After a timeout by UCONN, Ogunbowale drilled a jumper to give the Irish a 73-72 lead.
Williams for UConn would hit a jumper at the other end to put the Huskies back on top. Then two free throws from Young for Notre Dame started a 6-0 run to give the Irish a 79-74 lead with just 21 seconds left to play.
What ensued could be described as a minor meltdown.
After the made free throws, a break down on defense left Collier wide open triple that she drained with just 15 seconds left. Then on the inbound, Shepard turned the ball over and as Nurse took the steal for the Huskies to tie the game up at 79.
Then with it all tied up, Notre Dame just needed to hold the ball for the last shot to try for the win. However, Shepard bounced the ball off her shoe, and it went out of bounds with just 3 seconds left to play. This gave the Huskies a chance to win the game with one final shot. However, Williams would miss the close jumper as time expired, sending us to overtime.
In overtime, Shepard found her way to the free throw line as she sunk one of two shots to put the Irish up 80-79. At the other end, a wide open Kia Nurse drained a triple to put the Huskies back on top 82-80.
After the Irish tied it up, Shepard put in a jumper to put Notre Dame on top 84-82. A defensive stop at the other end =, saw the Irish take a fast break straight to the hoop as Ogunbowale made her way to the free throw line. She would drill them both to put the Irish up 86-82 with 3:04 left in the OT.
The Irish would increase their lead to five with just 44 seconds left to play. After UConn called a timeout, Collier hit a jumper to cut the deficit to just three with 38 seconds left in overtime. The Huskies would then play the foul game as they fouled Ogunbowale. She would miss both shots at the time and at the other end, it was Crystal Dangerfield drilling a game-tying triple.
In a case of redemption, the Irish once again had the ball with a chance at the last shot. This time they would not let the opportunity slip away as they ran the clock down and Ogunbowale drained a long two from the right side with just one second left. A desperation attempt from the Huskies was not able to be attempted due to the defense of the Irish as they punched their ticket to the title game and handed the UCONN Huskies their first loss of the season.
Notre Dame now moves on to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sunday, April 1st in the 2018 Women's National Championship game.