South Carolina beat Iowa 87-75 to win its third NCAA women’s championship.
The Gamecocks' Tessa Johnson had 19 points and Kamilla Cardoso had 15 as the team smothered Iowa’s hope for its first championship title.
It was the final game in the college career of Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark, who broke Division I scoring records for both women and men, and who is going to the WNBA draft. She had 30 points.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was overcome with emotion and in tears after the win.
“I’m so incredibly happy for our players,” Staley said. “It doesn’t always end like you want it to end, much like last year.”
It was Iowa that knocked South Carolina out of the tournament last year, beating them in the Final Four. But since then, South Carolina has not lost a game.
“I’m super proud of where I work, I’m super proud of our fans — it’s awesome. It’s awesome. It’s unbelievable,” Staley said.
With the win, South Carolina had the 10th perfect season in the history of Division I women’s basketball.
Staley, after accepting the trophy along with her team, congratulated Iowa for an “incredible season,” and she singled out Clark.
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport,” Staley said. “She carried a heavy load for our sport. And it’s just — it’s not going to stop here on the collegiate tour, but when she is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, she’s going to lift that league up as well.”
“So, Caitlin Clark, if you’re out there: You are one of the GOATs of our game, and we appreciate you,” Staley said, using the acronym for “greatest of all time.”
It all comes down to this.
Tomorrow night, the UConn Huskies face the Purdue Boilermakers in the men's NCAA tournament championship game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, closing the curtain on this year's March Madness tournaments.
Tune in at 9:20 p.m. ET to see who takes the title.
Photo highlights from the women's championship
Clark: 'I'll miss ya'
Shortly after her team fell in the title game, Iowa's Caitlin Clark posted an Instagram story featuring her #22 jersey and signature yellow and black sneaks.
"I'll miss ya," she captioned the post, along with a bunch of yellow heart emojis.
Clark is headed to the WNBA after four years playing for the Hawkeyes.
LSU's Angel Reese congratulates the Gamecocks and looks ahead
Lebron James is a Staley stan
Tune in to NBC Sports’ Bet the Edge for men's championship preview
Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick will preview the men's national championship on NBC Sports’ Bet the Edge Monday at 6 a.m. ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Indiana Fever will likely snag Clark as the first overall pick
That's a wrap on Clark's college basketball career with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Next up for the NCAA all-time scorer: The WNBA draft.
It's no secret Clark is a heavy favorite to go as the first overall pick during the April 15 draft.
The Indiana Fever won the first overall pick for the 2024 WNBA draft, so it looks like Clark will be staying in the Midwest and donning navy blue, red and gold on the court during the upcoming season.
This is the second consecutive year the Fever got the top pick, according to the WNBA. Last year, they selected Aliyah Boston, who was later voted the 2023 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Obama congratulates South Carolina
Here's who's headed to the WNBA next year
We already know Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are headed to the WNBA next season. Here’s a look at some of the other top prospects who could be early picks in the draft later this month:
Cameron Brink (Stanford)
Rickea Jackson (Tennessee)
Kamilla Cardoso (South Carolina)
Aaliyah Edwards (UConn)
Jacy Sheldon (Ohio State)
Alissa Pili (Utah)
Dyaisha Fair (Syracuse)
Charisma Osborne (UCLA)
Nika Mühl (UConn)
Elizabeth Kitley (Virginia Tech)
Jaz Shelley (Nebraska)
Savannah Wheeler (Middle Tennessee State)
Cardoso is tournament's most outstanding player
South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso was named the tournament’s most outstanding player following her dominant 15-point, 17-rebound performance in today’s title game. That box score-filling line on the biggest stage comes after two other double-doubles during the earlier parts of the tournament.
Cardoso proved too much to handle for Iowa throughout the game, and the Hawkeyes likely aren't alone in that feeling, as Cardoso ends the tournament averaging a double double: 16.6 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game while shooting 64% from the field.
"Kamilla Cardoso was not going to let us lose a game in the NCAA tournament," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said in her postgame comments, also reflecting on Cardoso's strong WNBA prospects.
Cardoso ends her career with two national titles at South Carolina and was named WBCA defensive player of the year. She also projects as a top-five pick in this year's WNBA draft, along with title game combatant Caitlin Clark.