South Carolina caps off a perfect season with the NCAA Championship, defeating Clark and Iowa 87-75

South Carolina has grow to be the newest dynasty in women’s basketball after winning its third title in the last eight years

CLEVELAND (AP) Dawn Staley and South Carolina accomplished their perfect season, ending Caitlin Clark’s historic college profession with an 87-75 victory over Iowa in the NCAA championship game Sunday.

Thanks to Staley’s relentless attack from the sideline, the Gamecocks (38-0) became the tenth Division I team to go an undefeated season. They achieved this feat after losing all five starters from last season’s team that lost to Clark’s team in the national semifinals.

“Things don’t all the time end the way you wish, like last 12 months. But my novices are at the center of my heart because they desired to be. This is awesome. …. This is awesome. This is awesome. It’s unbelievable,” Staley said. “When young people lock in, have faith and trust, and their parents have that same trust, that’s what can happen. They made history. They engraved their names in history books.

Clark did everything she could to lead the Hawkeyes to their first championship. She scored 30 points, including a championship-record 18 in the first quarter. She will go down in history as one of the greatest players in NCAA history. She rewrote the record books at Iowa (34-5), finishing her career as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history with 3,951 career points.

She hopes her legacy is not defined by her failures in two NCAA championship games, but rather by the millions of new fans she helped introduce to the game and the countless young girls and boys she inspired.

“I think the main thing is that these things are really hard to win. “I feel I comprehend it higher than most individuals, being that close twice really hurts,” Clark said.

When the last beep sounded, stoic Clark he walked off the court, past the confetti, and into the tunnel toward the locker room.

“I personally want to thank Caitlin Clark for raising the profile of our sport. She carried a lot of weight for our sport,” Staley said. “She’s going to elevate this league (WNBA) as well. Caitlin Clark, if you’re there, you’re one of the GOATs in our game. We appreciate you.”

South Carolina has won three championships in the last eight years, including two of the last three, and is laying claim to being the newest dynasty in women’s basketball. Staley became the fifth coach to win three national championships, joining Geno Auriemma, Pat Summitt, Kim Mulkey and Tara VanDerveer.

The Gamecocks, who have won 109 of their last 112 games, became the first team since UConn in 2016 to remain undefeated. South Carolina had a few scares throughout the season, but always found a way to win.

With most of the team returning next year, with the exception of star center Kamilla Cardoso, Staley’s team is in a good position to keep that momentum going.

Tessa Johnson led South Carolina with 19 points. Cardoso had 15 points and 17 rebounds.

“Kamilla Cardoso was not going to let us lose a game in the NCAA tournament,” Staley said. “She played through injury, she played like one of the top selections in the WNBA draft, and her teammates did something no other teammate had ever done for someone who went to the WNBA in our program. They send her as the national champion. This is history for us.”

Led by 6-foot-7 Cardoso and Ashlyn Watkins, the South Carolina team had a 51-29 rebounding advantage. He also ended up with 30 second-chance points.

The Gamecocks also showed impressive depth. Johnson helped the team to a 37-0 point differential by the reserves.

South Carolina led 46-44 late in the second quarter and then went on an 11-0 halftime lead to open a 55-46 lead early in the third quarter. Clark finally finished the run with a layup.

The Hawkeyes tied the score at 59-55 and had a chance to get even closer, but Hannah Stuelke missed an open layup after a brilliant pass from Clark.

South Carolina responded with another eight points, including two three-pointers. The Gamecocks, who were 4 of 20 from the three-point line in last year’s Final Four loss to Iowa, were 8 of 19 against the Hawkeyes this time around.

After the third quarter, the Gamecocks led 68-59. They led 76-64 early in the fourth period before three runs by Clark and Gabbie Marshall put Iowa within six.

Iowa trailed 80-75 after Sydney Affolter’s three-point play with 4:12 left. This would be the last point scored by the Hawkeyes as South Carolina scored the final seven points of the game.

Clark left the court with 20 seconds left when Iowa State coach Lisa Bluder replaced fellow senior Molly Davis, who had not played since she was injured in the regular-season finale against Ohio State.

Unlike in the semifinals, when Clark struggled against the UConn defense, she started the game early against South Carolina. Clark scored 13 straight points for Iowa after the Hawkeyes jumped out to a 7-0 lead, including another three-pointer to help her school gain a 20-9 advantage heading into the first media timeout.

South Carolina increased the score to 22-20 with 1:30 left in the game before Clark scored the final five points, including a three-pointer over Cardoso. Clark’s 18 points in the first quarter set a championship game record, surpassing the 16 points LSU’s Jasmine Carson scored last year against the Hawkeyes.

She only scored three points in the second quarter, hitting a three-pointer with 1:53 left in the quarter. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks used their depth and interior dominance to get back into the game. Cardoso had 11 points and seven rebounds in the first 20 minutes.

The Gamecocks led 46-44 in the final minute when Te-Hina PaoPao hit a three-pointer and Raven Johnson stole the ball from Clark near midcourt and went up the court. South Carolina led 49-46 at halftime.

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