Top 5 clashes in UConn vs Notre Dame rivalry over the years feat. Breanna Stewart's back-to-back NCAA title, Arike Ogunbowale's masterclass and more
For the 54th time in women's basketball history, the UConn Huskies will play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Dec. 12. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET at the Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana.
The Huskies have a major edge over the Fighting Irish, boasting an all-time record of 38-15 in the matchups. Notre Dame has gotten victories in four of the last seven encounters, winning the two most recent games by double-digit margins.
Whether it's the regular season or the NCAA Tournament, the rivalry between the two programs runs deep, having ignited since the mid-1990s. They most notably battled in the national champonship game twice and the Final Four five times, seeing their stars shine in the national spotlight as fans watched history be made.
Here are the five best games that have occurred between the Huskies and Fighting Irish over the years:
Top 5 clashes in UConn vs Notre Dame rivalry over the years
5. Breanna Stewart leads UConn past Fighting Irish in 2013 Final Four as a freshman
Breanna Stewart emerged onto the national stage with a spectacular display of 29 points, a career high at the time. She also added four blocks on the defensive side of the ball.
Leading 10 at halftime, UConn never saw their lead vanish as Notre Dame only managed to cut the deficit down to six. They also limited star guard Skylar Diggins to 10 points on 3-of-15 shooting.
After this game, they beat Louisville to clinch Stewart's first of four national championships.
4. Notre Dame beats UConn in overtime thriller in 2018 Final Four
This Final Four matchup featured a go-ahead shot with just a second remaining in regulation, seeing the Fighting Irish come out victorious.
Arike Ogunbowale was the one who converted the last shot with a triple from the corner, allowing Notre Dame to lead 91-89 as UConn was unsuccessful in getting a shot off the buzzer. Ogunbowale finished with 27 points while teammate Jackie Young scored 32 points.
This year, in particular, was a tough tournament run for the Fighting Irish, having sustained numerous ACL injuries to their roster. Nonetheless, they prevailed against the odds and became national champions in the end.
3. Breanna Stewart leads UConn to repeat as national champs in 2014 national championship game
Stewart was on a mission in the 2015 edition of the championship game. She led the Huskies with 21 points while Stefanie Dolson provided a double-double of 17 points and 16 rebounds en route to a 79-58 victory.
This game marked the conclusion of Kayla McBride's Notre Dame career, who finished with 21 points. It was a strong season for the Fighting Irish, even after losing Skylar Diggins to graduation the year prior.
The Huskies finished 40-0 that year, the first time UConn achieved the feat and the second team to reach a 40-0 record after Baylor, cementing themselves as one of the greatest championship teams in women's college basketball history.
2. Arike Ogunbowale has dominant performance for Notre Dame in 2019 Final Four
A tense battle this time around, but Notre Dame got the victory in the last Final Four matchup featuring them and the Huskies to date.
Arike Ogunbowale took a while to get things going, only scoring two points in the first half. However, she picked up the pace by putting up 21 points in the second half, including 14 in the final period.
UConn kept the game close thanks to Katie Lou Samuelson, who provided all 20 of her points in the second half, but the last scoring punch the Huskies needed didn't arrive as Notre Dame finished the game as victors.
1. Breanna Stewart leads UConn to third straight title in 2015 national championship game
Stewart only knew how to win at UConn, exemplified by her completing the three-peat in the 2015 national championship game against Notre Dame.
Even though Stewart was held to eight points, she crashed the glass to grab 15 rebounds and was named the most outstanding player of the Final Four for third time. The last time this happened was in men's basketball with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during his time with the UCLA Bruins.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Moriah Jefferson scored 15 points each, as the Huskies did everything required on the defensive side of the ball by limiting the Fighting Irish to 53 points. They would win another title in 2016, capping off Stewart's career among the sport's greatest in history.