South Carolina beats off challenge from Iowa and Caitlin Clark to win NCAA women’s championship

April 8, 2024

CBS News,

(CBS NEWS) — The unbeaten South Carolina Gamecocks defeated Iowa on Sunday, 87-75, in the NCAA women’s championship.

The Gamecocks’ win ended Caitlin Clark’s final game at Iowa. In February, Clark became the all-time NCAA Division I scoring leader, smashing the late Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old record. Clark scored 30 points on Sunday.

South Carolina was 37-0 going into Sunday’s game, becoming the first undefeated champion since UConn in 2016. Sunday marked their second national championship in three years and third in school history, according to CBS Sports.

With Dawn Staley directing a relentless attack from the sideline, the Gamecocks became the 10th Division I team to go through a season without a loss. And they accomplished the feat after they lost all five starters from last season’s team that lost to Clark’s squad in the national semifinals.

“Just really want to say congratulations to Iowa and Caitlin for making it back to the national championship game,” Staley said during the post-game news conference. “Obviously, they are a formidable opponent that took everything that we had to win the basketball game, but I just don’t want to not utilize this opportunity to thank Caitlin for what she’s done for women’s basketball.”

South Carolina has won three titles in the last eight years, including two of the past three, to lay claim to being the latest 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 go undefeated. South Carolina had a couple scares throughout the season, but always found a way to win.

With most of the team returning next year except for star center Kamilla Cardoso, Staley’s team is in a good position to keep this run going. Tessa Johnson led South Carolina with 19 points. Cardoso had 15 points and 17 rebounds.