DENVER — Notre Dame is back in the national championship thanks to Skylar Diggins’ leadership and Brittany Mallory’s clutch shooting.
Diggins scored 19 points, Mallory hit two three-pointers in overtime and the Irish beat Connecticut 83-75 on Sunday night.
Notre Dame (35-3) also beat the Huskies (33-5) in the semifinals last year, ending Maya Moore’s career and the Huskies’ bid for a third consecutive national championship. But Notre Dame lost to Texas A&M in the title game in Indianapolis.
Unfinished business has been their mantra all season, and now they get a chance for redemption Tuesday night.
The game was tied at 67-67 after regulation following an 8-2 run by UConn that was fueled by Kelly Faris, who had a steal and a basket and four free throws in the final 90 seconds.
The Huskies, who were led by Stefanie Dolson’s 20 points despite foul trouble, stretched their run to 11-3 when Bria Hartley opened the extra period with a three-pointer.
The Huskies had the ball again after a missed free throw, but Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis shot an off-target three-pointer early in the shot clock and UConn never recovered.
Diggins’ best play came on defense. With Notre Dame clinging to a 73-72 lead, the Huskies had a 2-on-1 fast break until Diggins held her ground and forced a turnover, and the Irish scored the next eight points.
“We put ourselves in a position to win the game,” UConn Coach Geno Auriemma said. “The last two minutes, minute and a-half of regulation were pretty amazing.
“In overtime we didn’t have enough. We took a chance on making it difficult, but Brittany Mallory made two huge shots. That’s who we wanted to take the shots, and God bless her, she made them.”
Mallory was 0 for 4 from three-point range in regulation.
“It was a big sigh of relief when that first one went in,” Mallory said.
After Diggins tied it with a three-pointer, Mallory’s back to-back three-pointers and a free throw pushed Notre Dame to a 77-72 lead.
“My teammates just kept talking to me, ‘You’re going to hit a shot. You’re going to hit a shot,”’ said Mallory, who had seven of her 11 points in overtime. “I was getting a little down on myself and I just happened to keep finding the three-point line and my teammates found me and they couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Out of sync, the Huskies kept missing and the Irish grabbed the rebounds, then hit all six of their free throws over the final 32 seconds.
“I am euphoric right now for Brittany Mallory,” Notre Dame Coach Muffet McGraw said.
Natalie Novosel led the Irish with 20 points, including her follow-up hook shot with 4.6 seconds left in regulation that tied it at 67-67 after Diggins’ shot was off.
“It was a whirlwind,” Novosel said. “Two turnovers from each team. Sky was going to take them off the dribble and we were going to work off of her. I was fortunate the ball came right to me and I was able to put it in.”
Even though the Huskies were unable to get off a shot in the final few seconds of regulation, they were the ones who were excited heading into overtime.
“I thought we had a lot of momentum,” Hartley said. “There was a lot of excitement and we felt good going into the overtime. It didn’t work out.”
Final Four glance At Pepsi Center Denver
NATIONAL SEMIFINALS SUNDAY’S RESULTS
Notre Dame 83, UConn 75, OT
Baylor 59, Stanford 47
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
TUESDAY’S GAME
All times Central
Notre Dame (35-3) vs. Baylor (39-0), 7:30 p.m.
Sports, Pages 18 on 04/02/2012