The redemption season is now complete.
On Sunday, South Carolina defeated Iowa 87-75 to win the national championship and finish their season undefeated after falling short last year.
The Gamecocks avenged their loss to the same Hawkeyes team that denied them history last year when Caitlin Clark lit them up for 41 points in the Final Four. They were on the brink of the same feat at 36-0 before Clark’s brilliance booted them out of the competition.
After seemingly a deja vu of last year’s result, Clark again shined through with 18 points in the first quarter alone. However, South Carolina was not about to be denied this time around.
Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley immediately made the right adjustments to turn the game around, as Clark scored just 12 points the rest of the way. The National Player of the Year scored 30 points in the game but was made to work by Staley’s gritty Gamecocks, needing 28 shots to score all those points.
South Carolina, who finished the season 37-0, joined an exclusive list of only 10 teams in the history of NCAA women’s college basketball to go undefeated in a whole season. This is Staley's third national championship with South Carolina.
It was a total team effort for the Gamecocks, who had four players score in double figures led by projected WNBA lottery pick Kamila Cardoso’s 15 points and 17 rebounds.
As for Clark, she will end her college career coming up short in the title game in back-to-back years but will leave a lasting legacy as arguably the best women’s college basketball player of all time and holder of numerous records.