Baylor holds off Notre Dame 82-81 for women's title

 

TAMPA, Fla. — The storybook ending wasn't to be.

As it had so many times in the past two years, and the last week alone, Notre Dame fought back from a significant deficit against Baylor in the national championship game.

But unlike all those, the 17-point comeback ended in a heartbreaking 82-81 loss to the Lady Bears, leaving the Irish in a stunned locker room with tears in their eyes.

Arike Ogunbowale led that comeback effort with 31 points, but fouled in the final seconds with a chance to send the game to overtime, her first free throw rattled out. That was the last time the Irish saw the ball.

ABC57's Matt Randall brings instant reaction after the loss that end's Notre Dame's quest for back-to-back national titles.