Achi news desk-
cleveland –
Camila Cardoso delivered again for Dawn Staley and South Carolina.
Perfect finish. dynasty. Too big a team for Caitlin Clark and Iowa this time.
Cardoso had 15 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, and South Carolina completed its perfect season with an 87-75 victory over Clark and the Hawkeyes in the NCAA championship game on Sunday.
With Staley guiding a relentless attack from the sideline, the Gamecocks (38-0) became the 10th team in Division 1 to go through a season without a loss. And they accomplished the feat after losing all five starters from last season’s team that lost to Clark’s squad in the national semifinals.
“When young people lock in and have faith, and have trust, and their parents have that same trust, that’s what can happen,” Staley said. “They made history. They engraved their names in the history books.”
Clark did everything she could to lead the Hawkeyes to their first championship. She scored 30 points, including a championship-high 18 in the first quarter. She rewrote the record book at Iowa (34-5), finishing as the leading career scorer in NCAA Division I history with 3,951 points.
She hopes her legacy isn’t defined by falling in two NCAA championship games, but more by the millions of new fans she helped bring to the game and the countless young girls and boys she inspired.
“I think the biggest thing is that it’s really hard to win these things, I think I know so far better than most people, to be this close twice really hurts,” Clark said.
When the final buzzer sounded, Clark Stowe walked off the court, through the confetti and into the tunnel towards the locker room.
“I personally want to thank Caitlin Clark for lifting our sport. She carried a heavy burden for our sport,” Staley said. “She’s going to take the league (WNBA) up as well. Caitlin Clark if you’re out there you’re one of the GOATs of our game. We appreciate you.”
South Carolina has won three titles in the last eight years, including two of the last three, to claim the last dynasty in women’s basketball. Staley became the fifth coach to win at least 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 few scares throughout the season, but always found a way to win.
With most of the team returning next year, Staley’s team is in a good position to continue this run.
“This team, we’re going to be good. Coach Staley, we have the best coach, what, in the country, in the country, in the whole wide world?” Raven Johnson said. “It’s not clear what she’s going to add to the sections that are already here. I’m just saying be careful.”
Tessa Johnson led South Carolina with 19 points. Cardoso, the Final Four MVP, also blocked three shots.
“Camila 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 picks in the WNBA draft, and her teammates did something that no teammates have done for someone who went to the WNBA in our program. They’re sending her out as a national champion. So that’s history for us.”
Led by Cardoso and 6-foot-7 Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina enjoyed a 51-29 rebounding advantage. It also finished with 30 second chance points.
The Gamecocks also showed their impressive depth. Tessa Johnson helped the team to a 37-0 margin in points by reserves.
South Carolina trailed 46-44 late in the second quarter before going on an 11-0 run spanning halftime to open a 55-46 lead early in the third quarter. Clark finally ended the run with a layup.
The Hawkeyes closed to 59-55 and had a chance to get even closer, but Hannah Stoelke missed a layup in the box on a brilliant pass from Clark.
South Carolina responded with the next eight points, including two 3-pointers. The Gamecocks, who were 4-for-20 from the three-point line during last season’s Final Four loss to Iowa, went 8-for-19 from deep against the Hawkeyes in the win.
Iowa went down 80-75 after a three-point play by Sidney Apolteri with 4:12 left. But the Hawkeyes were shut out the rest of the way.
Clark came out with 20 seconds left when Iowa coach Lisa Balder subbed in fellow senior Molly Davis, who hadn’t played since being injured in the regular-season finale against Ohio State.
“But I’m proud of my team. Finishing as the runner-up of the state two years in a row is an incredible achievement,” Balder said. “No one thought we were going to be here at the beginning of the year, so that makes it pretty special.”
Unlike in the semifinals, when Clark struggled against UConn’s defense, she got going early against South Carolina scoring 18 points in the opening quarter to set a championship game record, surpassing LSU’s Jasmine Carson’s 16 last year against the Hawkeyes.
The Gamecocks trailed 46-44 in the final minute when Tehina Paupau hit a 3-pointer and Raven Johnson stole the ball from Clark near the court for a layup. South Carolina led 49-46 at the half.
