On Sunday, April 7, South Carolina defeated Iowa to end a thrilling Women’s NCAA Tournament and win the National Championship on Sunday, April 7,. The final game encapsulated the exciting tone of the entire Tournament since, it was a tight game that was decided in the final minutes.

The game got off to an electric start, with the Hawkeyes making a flurry of quick shots. Caitlin Clark was able to score 18 points in just the first quarter. However, the Gamecocks
quickly adjusted and ended up taking a slim lead at halftime. In the second half, it was evident that South Carolina made adjustments to limit Clark’s ability to score. For most of the second half, Clark was either double-teamed or forced to give up the ball to her teammates.

One of the deciding factors in the game was South Carolina’s depth and ability to bring in players off the bench and score. South Carolina outscored Iowa in bench points 36 to 0. 19 of the Gamecocks’ points came from freshman guard Tessa Johnson. Johnson made a series of massive shots to put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. South Carolina was also able to control rebounds most of the game and got a plethora of second-chance opportunities on offensive boards.

The championship added another milestone to the legacy of South Carolina head coach, Dawn Staley. Staley has now won three championships as a head coach alongside six, 30-win seasons. Shetaley has kept South Carolina at the top of the sport for several years, as the Gamecocks have only lost three games overall since 2021.

Despite the loss, Caitlin Clark still found a way to make history again. Her 30 points were enough to surpass Chamique Holdslaw’s and make her the all-time leading scorer in NCAA tournament history. While celebrating her team’s victory, Dawn Staley also took a moment to acknowledge what Clark accomplished this season. Staley thanked Clark for bringing more attention to women’s basketball and admitted that Clark “carried a heavy load for our sport, and it is not going to stop here on a collegiate tour. When she’s the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, she will lift that league up as well.”

With her college career now over, Clark will quickly turn her attention to the WNBA draft on April 15th in New York City. She will likely join the Indiana Fever, which holds the No.1#1 overall pick in the draft.

South Carolina’s championship capped off an incredible women’s college basketball season, which took the sport to new heights. Friday’s semifinal game between Iowa and UConn was ESPN’s most-watched basketball game ever, pulling in 14.2 million viewers. These numbers result from stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who have left an impact on growing the game, and that legacy impact will only continue during their careers in the WNBA.