INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — If experience counts, defending champion South Bend Washington has a significant advantage over Carmel in Saturday night's Class 4A girls basketball championship game.

Washington (23-2) is in the title game for the third consecutive year. Carmel, No. 5 in the final girls basketball poll, has reached the title game for only the second time in school history. The Greyhounds (22-4) finished second to Huntington North in 1995.

Washington comes into the game ranked No. 2 in the state and undefeated against Indiana schools since it fell to Fort Wayne South 63-58 in the opening game of the 2006-07 season. The team's only losses this season were 63-60 at Kentucky's Lexington Dunbar and 74-58 to Buffalo Grove of Illinois. Losing has been a rare happening to the Panthers, who lost to Castle 83-78 in the 2006 championship game. Washington is 76-5 over the last three seasons and has recorded at least 21 victories five consecutive years.

Washington coach Marilyn Coddens is completing her 14th year at the school and has compiled a 245-74 record.

The Panthers finished second in the state in scoring this season, averaging 74.5 points per game, and its winning margin of 23.8 is the fourth-highest in the state. Leading the way is 5-foot-9 junior guard Skylar Diggins, whose 29.7 scoring average leads the state.

"Diggins is undoubtedly the best player in the state and one of the best in the country," Coddens said. "We wouldn't be who we are, and where we are, without her. But you cannot do it with one player, and we have other kids who on any given night can give us what we need to win."

Diggins will be playing despite a respiratory condition that kept her out of school for two days this week and forced her to miss three practices. Coddens is confident her star, who went over the 2,000-mark in career points during last week's 80-53 semistate victory over Fort Wayne South, will be able to play on Saturday.

The Panthers hope to become the third 4A program to win back-to-back state titles since Indiana began class basketball in 1998.

"I really do think that our experience is our biggest edge," said Coddens, whose team would join Indianapolis Ben Davis and Indianapolis North Central as 4A repeat winners. "Being there three years in a row is an advantage for us. That just builds on our confidence."

The experience is significant in the backcourt. Diggins scored a game-high 27 points and set a finals record with 17 rebounds as Washington dominated Columbus East 84-64 in last year's title game. Senior Emily Phillips contributed 16 points to the victory.

Washington's other starters are junior forward Takoia Larry (10.9), senior center Shalana Murray (6.2) and senior guard Meagan Phillips (6.0).

Carmel has had an impressive tourney run, which included a 56-45 upset of top-ranked Ben Davis in the regional final. The Greyhounds defeated Columbus East 66-44 in last Saturday's semistate as junior guard Chrissy Steffen, the team's leading scorer, raised her scoring average for the season to 19 points with a 25-point effort.

"She lets the game come to her. If her outside shot is not going in, she's got the ability to take the ball to the basket. She'll go to the offensive board, and the nice thing is her teammates have figured out our strength," Carmel coach Scott Bowen said. "They get the ball to her where she can do something. That says a lot about her teammates."

Senior forward Danielle Havel is Carmel's No. 2 scorer (11.8), and the team's tournament run has received a significant boost since junior forward-guard Lauren McRoberts (9.5) rejoined the team after missing nearly two months due to mononucleosis.

Saturday's schedule of championship games begins with the Class A contest between University (20-6) and Fort Wayne Canterbury (20-5). No. 2-ranked Oak Hill (26-0) battles two-time defending champion top-ranked Heritage Christian (26-1) in the 2A showdown. The evening session begins with Indianapolis Chatard (23-4) playing Plymouth (21-4) in 3A followed by Washington and Carmel.