in Knoxville and a narrow 1 point at #1 Connecticut. The Irish completed an undefeated 16–0 Big East regular season championship vs #3 Connecticut in the final game of the season, winning a triple overtime thriller to close out Diggins’ career in South Bend. UConn and Notre Dame would again meet in the Big East Tournament final, with Notre Dame winning narrowly 61–59 to claim their first ever Big East tournament championship. Notre Dame had lost to UConn in the finale 6 previous times. Notre Dame made it to the national championship game in 2014 and 2015, twice losing to Connecticut. After an injury plagued start to the 2017–18 season, which saw four Irish players lost to injury, Notre Dame won its second National Championship by beating Mississippi State 61–58. Junior guard Arike Ogunbowale scored the game winning three point shot with one-tenth of a second left, two days after scoring a similar buzzer beater to knock out Connecticut in the semifinal game. The win was coach McGraw's second national championship and 800th win at Notre Dame. Four of the returning five starters, including Ogunbowale, Jackie Young, Marina Mabrey and Jessica Shepard, returned to the Final Four the following year. The Irish would beat Uconn 81–76 before falling by 1 point to Baylor, 82–81. Awards and honors National awards Players Naismith College Player of the Year Ruth Riley – 2001 AP National Player of the Year Ruth Riley – 2001 Sports Illustrated National Player of the Year Ruth Riley – 2001 NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player Ruth Riley – 2001 Arike Ogunbowale – 2018 Nancy Lieberman Award Skylar Diggins – 2012, 2013 Elite 90 Award Nicole Benz – 2019 Coaches Naismith College Coach of the Year Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014 AP Coach of the Year Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014, 2018 WBCA Coach of the Year Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014 USBWA Coach of the Year Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014 Conference awards Players ACC Athlete of the Year Arike Ogunbowale – 2018 ACC Player of the Year Kayla McBride – 2014 Jewell Loyd – 2015 Brianna Turner – 2016 ACC Defensive Player of the Year Brianna Turner – 2016, 2017, 2019 ACC Rookie of the Year Brianna Turner – 2015 Maddy Westbeld - 2021 Sonja Citron - 2022 Big East Player of the Year Ruth Riley – 2001 Jacqueline Batteast – 2005 Skylar