South Carolina is back on top of the women's college basketball world. The Gamecocks completed an undefeated season on Sunday afternoon with an 87-75 win over Iowa in the national championship game. With their third title in school history, the Gamecocks became the first team to have complete a perfect season since UConn in 2016.
Early on it was all Hawkeyes, as they raced out to a 7-0 start and controlled the entire first quarter thanks to a historic effort by Caitlin Clark. She set a women's championship game record for scoring in a quarter with 18 points, and in the process surpassed Chamique Holdsclaw to become the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Tournament history.
It didn't take long for the Gamecocks to get back in the game, however, and they managed to take back the lead by halftime. An immediate 6-0 run out of the break set the tone for how the rest of the afternoon would go. Their size and athleticism was simply too much for the Hawkeyes, but so too was their shooting, which was the big difference from last year's matchup.
Kamilla Cardoso dominated inside with 15 points and 17 rebounds en route to winning Final Four Most Outstanding Player, while freshman Tessa Johnson stepped up in a major way with 19 points off the bench. As a team, South Carolina outrebounded Iowa 51-29 and outscored them 48-32 in the paint.
Here are some key takeaways
Cardoso leads dominant paint effort
The Brazilian is going to be a lottery pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft later this month, and she showed why on Sunday with yet another terrific tournament effort. She finished with 15 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks to win Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and lead a dominant paint effort for the Gamecocks.
Coming into the game, the Gamecocks' superior size and athleticism was a key storyline, and they made use of that advantage on both ends of the floor.
The Hawkeyes could not keep them off the offensive glass as they pulled down 18 offensive rebounds en route to 30 second-chance points. Overall, the Gamecocks racked up 48 points in the paint. On the other end, Cardoso and Co. blocked eight shots and held the Hawkeyes to 12-of-27 on layup attempts.
Johnson steps up off the bench
Johnson did not look like a freshman on Sunday. She came in off the bench to give the Gamecocks a much-needed offensive boost, especially in the third quarter. Johnson hit three 3-pointers and shot 7-of-11 from the field to set a new career-high with 19 points and lead the team in scoring.
Thanks in large part to Johnson's strong effort, the Gamecocks' bench outscored the Hawkeyes' reserves, 37-0. South Carolina's depth of talent was simply overwhelming over the course of the game. In fact, the Gamecocks had more players score off the bench (four) than the Hawkeyes had shot attempts (three) from their reserves.
Staley, South Carolina join exclusive clubs
Dawn Staley is building a true dynasty in Columbia. This was the Gamecocks fourth consecutive Final Four appearance, their second title in the last three years and their third title in school history. Prior to Staley's arrival in 2008, the Gamecocks had never been past the Elite Eight, and had only been to that round once.
Staley, who has won the Naismith Coach of the Year award three years in a row, is now one of five coaches with at least three national championships, joining Geno Auriemma (11), Pat Summit (eight), Kim Mulkey (four) and Tara VanDerveer (three). Furthermore, South Carolina is now one of five schools with at least three titles, joining UConn (11), Tennessee (eight), Baylor (three) and Stanford (three).
Clark bows out with 30-point night
This was the final collegiate game for the Iowa superstar, who has declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft and will be announced as the No. 1 overall pick to the Indiana Fever on April 15. She has left a lasting mark on women's college basketball, but was unable to go out with a title.
It was not for lack of trying, however, as she finished with 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists. She was electric in the first quarter, scoring 18 points to set a new record for points in a quarter in a women's championship final, but was not able to keep up that production the rest of the way.
Over her four years at Iowa, she finished with 3,951 points and became the all-time leading scorer in Division I history for men or women.