Everything to know about Iowa-South Carolina national championship game

CLEVELAND — The undefeated South Carolina team will play the Iowa team it beat in last year’s Final Four semifinals for the national title Sunday afternoon at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

Women’s college basketball had a few talented teams with strong resumes heading into the NCAA Tournament this season, but many still doubt these two programs will compete for the trophy in April. I expected it to be possible.

Iowa women’s basketball, led by superstar Caitlin Clark, packed arenas and even football stadiums. South Carolina, led by legendary coach Dawn Staley, will be seeking its third title in program history. Shamcock was the national champion in his 2022 and his 2017.

Below, we break down everything you need to know about the National Championship game, the key players and the story to follow before tipoff Sunday at 3pm ET.

Raven Johnson’s Salvation

Asked on Saturday if he watched last year’s team’s loss to Iowa in preparation, Staley quickly said he hadn’t and was focused on this year’s team.

The same can’t be said for sophomore guard Raven Johnson. She regretted her loss last year, which she said she watched more than 100 times. Leading up to her Final Four, she talked about how difficult the end of her last season was for her, especially the much talked about moment when Clark shook her off on defense. Johnson wanted to be known as a threat on the court, so she was in the gym working on her shot. No one could object to her shot.

“I’m really looking forward to this matchup,” Johnson said. “I’d say I was looking forward to it. [to facing] But it happened the right way. I’m ready for the match. I carry on from last year and the feelings I felt last year. It happened at the right time and in the right way. ”

Staley added that Johnson is finding himself on and off the court. She added that she was proud of Johnson’s growth. Mr Clark also had some words for Mr Johnson in the media on Saturday.

“Raven not only had a great year as our team’s point guard, but he was also a true leader,” Clark said. “I really respect what she’s doing this year…and it just speaks to her work ethic. She’s been in the gym and gotten better and I admire that.”

The depths of South Carolina

When you watch South Carolina play, you can’t help but notice their talent, athleticism, height, and the number of players they can rely on to get things done.

When asked how this year’s team compares to other teams in South Carolina, junior guard Bree Hall said: I don’t want to overshadow (the other teams in South Carolina) too much, but I think we’re in really, really good shape and if we can do a good job tomorrow, that’s going to be an added bonus. ”

Sophomore forward Ashlyn Watkins, who had 20 rebounds off the bench in Friday night’s game against North Carolina State, said the Gamecocks’ depth is a strong asset to the team’s overall success. agreed.

“I think what impressed me the most was the bench points compared to other college teams. I don’t really care about the difference in scores, so this really surprised me. But other matchups… It’s crazy how many guys score off our bench compared to our opponents,” Watkins said. “This makes a lot of sense because we know we can use that deep bench. We’re introducing all 11 of our talented players.”

Iowa State fifth-grader Gabby Marshall, whom the Hawkeyes often rely on as a defensive stop against the opponent’s best player, will be tasked with tomorrow as a senior who is shooting over 45 percent from the field and from 3-point range. He said his plan is to start guard Te Hina Paopao. point line. But even Marshall understands how Shamo rotates on the bench and the challenges that can pose.

“There’s only five people on the court at a time,” Marshall said. “(It will be important) to get to know those people and their tendencies.”

What Iowa State Expects from South Carolina

Even though Iowa defeated South Carolina in the teams’ last matchup, both teams are different and more experienced than they were a year ago.

“We know this South Carolina team presents a completely different challenge,” Clark said. “The way their guards shoot the ball is incredible and adds a whole other dynamic for us to prepare for.”

Iowa State head coach Lisa Bruder also spoke about the challenges facing this Gamecocks team.

“This might be the best women’s basketball team we’ve ever seen. I think you can say that. They have all the pieces,” she said.

What South Carolina expects from Iowa

South Carolina understands and respects Clark’s talent and ability as a game-changer.

“Her game is simple yet powerful,” Staley said. “How do you play basic basketball with basic defense and offense? You can’t. She’s always going to win. We have to show different looks. But we also have to play on that side of the ball. We have to defend. We have to put some points on the scoreboard.”

In Friday night’s semifinal game against North Carolina State, after a close first half, South Carolina came out of the locker room in the second half and had a monster third quarter, going outscored 16-5. The Shamcocks proved they were capable of coming out of tough situations and ultimately coming out victorious.

“Coach said we were going to make mistakes,” Johnson said. “It depends on how we react to those mistakes. She told us to just go in and play our game and play South Carolina basketball. Don’t get too high on the highs or too low on the lows.”

Camila Cardoso vs. Hannah Stuelke

One of the key matchups in this game will take place in the paint. Senior center Camila Cardoso is 6-foot-7 and will compete against Iowa State sophomore Hannah Stuelke, who is 6-foot-2.

Stuelke has proven himself against talented posts in the past two NCAA Tournament games against LSU’s Angel Reese and UConn’s Aliyah Edwards. In the game between the University of Iowa and UW, Stuelke led the team with 23 points.

Staley said Saturday that this was a game his team needed to win and praised the sophomore’s ability to move in transition.

“It’s obvious that Cordoso is a great player. She’s 6’7, so she’s tall as well,” Stelke said. “I think this is a big challenge for me, but as with any fight, staying physical and boxing is my most important job.”

Don’t sleep on top of the other four Iowa players on the court

If we’ve learned anything from this NCAA Tournament, it’s that Iowa is a solid all-around team that just happens to have some of the best players in the country on its roster. From their defensive plays to other players picking up baskets, the Hawkeyes showed that in order to win, they need to outdo the rest of the team.

“We’re not going to win every game this year without everyone on the roster. And obviously Kaitlyn is going to get all the credit for her, because she deserves it and she’s a great player. But we can’t win every game without her. [the others]” said veteran player Kate Martin. “[People] You might think it’s a one-person show, but we know it’s not, and Kaitlyn knows it’s not. ”

Undefeated team in women’s tournament history

In the history of the women’s tournament, only 10 teams have advanced to the postseason with an undefeated record. All nine teams won, except Notre Dame, which lost to fellow undefeated University College in 2004.

It would be a pretty great way to end the season for the University of South Carolina, never dropping a game or finding the net at the end.

“I really can’t believe we’re undefeated because it doesn’t feel real. As a coaching staff, we have to pinch ourselves to know that’s true, because we… Because we know deep down every day what our shortcomings are,” Staley said.

Despite Staley’s words, many coaches spoke about the team’s talent throughout the tournament. South Carolina is the 6.5-point favorite over Iowa in Sunday’s national championship game, and a new champion will be crowned at the end of the 40-minute game.