No doubt the one sports-mad nut in the office has been coming into work bleary-eyed the past few weeks, and with good reason: It’s March Madness season in the US at the moment. The annual feast of college basketball that provides more drama than a Kardashians easter marathon on E! (which I’m watching in the background while writing this, so reserve all judgment please and thank you).
The NCAA Women’s National Championship was decided earlier today in a barnburning clash between Notre Damn and Mississippi State; the Fighting Irish searching for their second-ever national title, and MSU chasing an elusive maiden win in the tournament after falling short in 2017.
And while sometimes the basketball gods shine on you, sometimes they just seem to put the boots in.
With scores locked at 58 each with just 3 seconds left on the clock, all MSU had to do to hold on for overtime was to prevent a miracle buzzer beater from happening. Unfortunately for them, that’s exactly what Notre Dame got.
Taking the inbounds pass, Notre Dame gun Arike Ogunbowale heaved a Hail Mary shot from deep in the corner with tight defensive pressure covering her.
It bloody well went in.
Cop this for clutch.
NOTRE DAME… WOW pic.twitter.com/Vs3uR9a9nx
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 2, 2018
COUNT. IT.
It looks even better from courtside.
Buckets look best in slo-mo 👌 pic.twitter.com/zzwYab8yap
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 2, 2018
WOW. pic.twitter.com/pCRm0X8Ssi
— LaChina Robinson (@LaChinaRobinson) April 2, 2018
The shot from Ogunbowale sent the Internet into fits, with pro-sports athletes around America losing their minds, including Ogunbowale’s older brother Dare, a free agent pro-footballer who last played for the Washington Redskins.
My baby sister
— Dare Ogunbowale (@DGO23_) April 2, 2018
WOW! @Arike_O #lifecomplete #MambaMentality
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) April 2, 2018
Arike Ogunbowale is cold blooded!!!!
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) April 2, 2018
Yoooo @Arike_O cold blooded!!!
— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) April 2, 2018
Arike 🐐😱 #GoIrish
— Demetrius Jackson (@D_Jay11) April 2, 2018
Wow!!! What a shot @Arike_O #coldblooded #gamewinner #NotreDame
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) April 2, 2018
That’s the ish you live for. Clutch by @Arike_O she definitely cold blooded. #respect
— Kayla McBride (@kaymac_2123) April 2, 2018
something about the number 24…
— Jewell B Loyd (@jewellloyd) April 2, 2018
😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
— Kelsey Plum (@Kelseyplum10) April 2, 2018
Holy smokes!!!!! OMG!!!!! @ndwbb at the buzzer!!! AGAIN!!!! #24Forever That girl is cold!!!!!!!!!!
— Tamika Catchings (@Catchin24) April 2, 2018
Unsurprisingly, Arike picked up the MVP award for this year’s tournament, giving Notre Dame their first title since 2001.
For Mississippi State, a second consecutive heartbreaking stumble at the very final hurdle.
That’s sport for you, folks. Glorious, heartbreaking, mind-boggling sport.
