Arike Ogunbowale hit a fadeaway jumper with 0.1 seconds left to give Notre Dame their second ever National Championship in program history. It was one of the most historic, most exciting Final Fours in women's basketball history lifting the game to a whole new level of excitement and popularity. It was epic.
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Unfortunately, someone had to be on the other end of it. Mississippi State reached the title game for the second consecutive season and, well, it was a heartbreaker. Notre Dame simply made one more play.
We have all fallen in love with Vic Schaefer's crew, the storylines, the dominance, the toughness and resilience of his senior class especially. But, what does the future look like with the loss of four starting seniors in Victoria Vivians, Blair Schaefer, Morgan William and Roshunda Johnson?
The Hailstate faithful may need some time to recover from this but there is plenty of reason to be excited about the future. I predict Mississippi State could very well be ranked as a top 10 program for the majority of the season. Here is why:
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Vic Schaefer
She's one of the greatest leaders, teachers, motivators and coaches in our game. As senior-led as this program was, he is building a culture and a tradition that stems far beyond one class' capabilities. There is a foundation in place that will undoubtedly carry over long after these seniors are gone.
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Teaira McCowan
He's good. She is very, very good. She alone is a reason for a program to be ranked. She is 6-foot-7 and has been an absolute nightmare to all opponents and it is only going to get worse in her senior year. She finished this season shooting 60 percent from the field, averaging 18.2 points and 14 rebounds per game. No doubt the Bulldogs will center their offense around her.
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Jazzmun Holmes
One of the primary players off the bench, she's one of the best defenders on the MSU squad. As a point, she has the ability to get the ball where it needs to go and create for her teammates but can score it, especially getting it to the rim. She will be a major contributor next year.
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Jordan Danberry
She made her presence known turning heads this Final Four, especially in the semi-final win over Louisville. The bouncy, athletic guard proved to be one of the best defenders on the floor. Offensively, she's quick and can get it to the rim with the ability to put up big numbers. Look for breakout years from Holmes and Danberry next season.
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Chloe Bibby
The Australian-native at six-one can stretch the floor and has proven to be a threat beyond the arc. She is skilled and plays extremely tough. Look for her role and her numbers to improve drastically for the Bulldogs.
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Newbies
There is plenty of excitement around this incoming class with two five-star recruits in Daphne White and Jessika Carter. The Bulldogs also add four-star versatile threat in Xaria Wiggins. UConn transfer Andra Espinoza-Hunter will be on the roster, but will be required to sit out due to the NCAA transfer rule.
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NEXT: Teaira McCowan's Record Performance Powered Bulldogs to Title Game
