South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley was overcome with emotion Sunday as the final buzzer rang and her team clinched another national championship.
This time, the team defeated red-hot Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes 87-75. The Gamecocks held Iowa to 29 points in the second half.
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Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks watches against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 7, 2024 in Cleveland. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photo, Getty Images)
After shaking hands after the game, Staley met with ESPN’s Holly Rowe. She was clearly emotional.
“We serve an incredible God,” Staley said, praising the coaching staff and a resilient team that came back strong after finishing the season undefeated as champions.
“This is the group least likely to do that. And sometimes God is funny like that. God is funny. God tears your heart out and makes you believe. It makes you believe the unimaginable.”
ESPN’s Holly Rowe speaks with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament national championship game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland on April 7, 2024. Handing the trophy to Staley. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
South Carolina completes undefeated season with win over Iowa State at NCAA National Championship
Last season, the Gamecocks lost to Iowa in the Final Four. Clark and the Hawkeyes then ran into a talented LSU team in the national championship and also lost. After losing four starters to the WNBA, South Carolina turned to talented freshmen to help rebuild the team.
Tessa Johnson scored 19 points and Milesia Fulwilly added nine points. South Carolina’s bench outscored Iowa’s bench 37-0.
Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates as confetti falls after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament national championship game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland on April 7, 2024. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
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This will be the third women’s basketball national championship for the Gamecocks, led by Staley. The first was a win over Mississippi State in 2017, and the most recent was a win over UW two seasons ago.
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