Arike Ogunbowale may have been the only person who believed what she was seeing. For the second time in three days, she hit a miracle three at the buzzer to save her team’s season. Nationwide Arena in Columbus exploded in shock around her, but Ogunbowale was unsurprised. Of course Notre Dame beat Mississippi State 61–58 to win the program’s first title since 2001. Ogunbowale is made for these moments, she likes to say. She emphasizes her late game in practice. She always wants the ball. She never doubted they would win and she would be why.
Still, down 15 in the third quarter is not a great place to be.