COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It happened again.
Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale made a 17-foot jumper with one second left in overtime as UConn lost in overtime in the Final Four for the second consecutive year. This time it was Notre Dame ending UConn's unbeaten season 91-89.
The Fighting Irish advanced to the NCAA championship game for the first time since 2015. Notre Dame will play Mississippi State -- which beat Louisville in overtime earlier Friday -- in Sunday's title game (ESPN, 6 p.m. ET).
UConn twice came back to tie the score Friday, first at the end of regulation and again near the end of overtime. With 26 seconds left in the extra period, UConn's Crystal Dangerfield made a 3-pointer, giving Notre Dame the final possession. It ended in the hands of Ogunbowale, the Irish's leading scorer. After a timeout, Ogunbowale faded away and released her shot over Napheesa Collier for the winner.
It's rare that a team gets one shot to beat UConn. Notre Dame had two, leading 79-74 with 21.3 seconds left in regulation, but a 3-pointer by Collier and a steal and layup by Kia Nurse tied the score. A second Irish turnover in the final seconds gave UConn a chance to win, but Gabby Williams' short, off-balanced fadeaway jumper missed and the game went to overtime knotted at 79.
Player of the game: Ogunbowale made the biggest shot of her life, but Notre Dame would not have been in position to win without a career night by Jackie Young. The sophomore scored 32 points on 10-of-15 shooting and also had 11 rebounds. She was relentless taking the ball to the basket and got to the line 11 times, making 10 free throws.
For her part, Ogunbowale had 27 points while playing all 45 minutes, as she and Young dictated the pace of Notre Dame's attack. Ogunbowale also scored six of Notre Dame's 12 points in OT, but her two free throw misses opened the door for Dangerfield's 3-pointer to tie it.
Jessica Shepard had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Her interior passing was also a factor in the game and she had had a team-high five assists.
The Huskies had five players in double figures, led by Collier's 24. Azura Stevens had 19.
How it was won: Notre Dame was the rare team to out-execute and make more big shots than UConn. Notre Dame jumped to a 24-11 lead later in the first quarter. Stevens came off the bench for UConn and changed the complexion of the game. Stevens scored 10 points in the quarter and the Huskies went on a 28-8 run. They led by 41-34 at the half.
Like Notre Dame has done much of the tournament, it was the better team in the second half. The Irish trailed Texas A&M and Oregon at the half in the regionals and were tied with Villanova at the half in the second round -- and won them all.
Notre Dame moved back into the lead 54-53 with 2:20 left in the third after a 3-pointer by Marina Mabrey. The game, which included 11 lead changes and seven ties, was back and forth until midway through the fourth quarter when UConn opened a 67-59 lead. After a Dangerfield 3-pointer, the Huskies looked as if they'd pull away. Instead, Notre Dame began its superior execution.
Ogunbowale made a 3-pointer and Young completed a three-point play. Next came a transition layup by Young -- who drove right by UConn All-American Katie Lou Samuelson, saddled with four fouls -- and an Ogunbowale pull-up jumper. Notre Dame was back in front 73-72 with 3:39 left.
Stat of the game: Notre Dame was the more aggressive offensive team for all 40 minutes, and it helped put the Irish at the free throw line, where they shot 19-of-23. The Huskies were just 4-of-6 from the line.
What's next: Notre Dame twice beat UConn in the semifinals in 2011 and 2012, but each time failed to win the title, losing to Texas A&M and Baylor in the NCAA championship game.
UConn has fallen short of the championship game in consecutive years for the first time since 2011 and 2012. Williams and Nurse played their final games at UConn, losing only twice. Williams had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocks. Nurse struggled with her shooting, going 4-of-13 from the field and had 10 points.