Clark’s Final Chapter: South Carolina Ends Iowa Star’s Historic College Career With Championship Win

With Staley leading an unrelenting attack from the sidelines, the Gamecocks (38-0) made history by becoming the 10th women’s Division I team to finish a season undefeated. They achieved this achievement despite losing all five players from the team that played Clark’s team in the national quarterfinals the previous season.

[Highlights of the NCAA Women’s Tournament: South Carolina defeats Iowa to win the national title]

To help the Hawkeyes win their first title, Clark gave it her all. She finished with 30 points, 18 of which came in the first quarter—a championship record. She is going to be remembered as one of the best players in NCAA history. With 3,951 career points, she became the highest scoring player in NCAA Division I history at Iowa (34-5). She rewrote the record book.

She believes that the millions of new fans she helped attract to the game and the innumerable young girls and boys she inspired will define her legacy more than the fact that she lost two NCAA championship games.

Following the conclusion of South Carolina’s on-court trophy celebration, Staley publicly thanked Clark on stage for her contributions to women’s collegiate basketball and pledged to “raise [the WNBA] up” when she makes the move to the professional ranks.

“You are one of the GOATs of our game,” Staley said. “We appreciate you.”

In the WNBA draft, Clark is expected to be selected first overall, joining former South Carolina standout Aliyah Boston on the Indiana Fever, who was selected first overall the previous year.

But with her team’s triumph on Sunday, Staley—not Clark—added to her own “G.O.A.T.” resume.

As the current women’s basketball dynasty, South Carolina has won three titles in the last eight years, including two of the last three. With Staley’s victory, Tara VanDerveer, Pat Summitt, Kim Mulkey, and Geno Auriemma became the five coaches to win three national titles.

With 109 victories in their previous 112 games, the Gamecocks became the first squad to go undefeated since Auriemma’s UConn in 2016. Throughout the season, South Carolina experienced a few scares, such as the first half of Sunday’s match when the Gamecocks fell behind Iowa 10-0 and 20-9 early, but they always managed to come out on top.

Staley’s team is well-positioned to continue its current success, with the exception of standout center Kamilla Cardoso, who is also anticipated to be a first-round pick in the WNBA this year.

With 19 points, freshman Tessa Johnson led South Carolina. Cardoso finished with 17 boards and 15 points.

The Gamecocks demonstrated their remarkable depth as well. Johnson contributed to the team’s 37-0 reserve point differential.

After trailing 46-44 late in the second quarter, South Carolina opened the third quarter with a 55-46 lead after an 11-0 run that ended at halftime. Clark’s layup in the end put a stop to the run.

The Hawkeyes had a chance to cut the deficit to 59-55, but Hannah Stuelke missed a wide-open layup after an excellent pass from Clark.

The following eight points, including two 3-pointers, were scored by South Carolina in response. Against the Hawkeyes this season, the Gamecocks, who were 4 for 20 from beyond the 3-point line in their Final Four setback to Iowa the previous season, shot 8 for 19 from outside the arc.

After the third, the Gamecocks led 68-59. Early in the fourth quarter, they led 76-64, but consecutive 3-pointers by Clark and Gabbie Marshall pulled Iowa within six.

With 4:12 remaining, Sydney Affolter made a three-point shot to put Iowa behind 80-75. The Hawkeyes would only manage one more point after that, as South Carolina won the final seven points of the contest.

With 20 seconds remaining, Molly Davis, a senior who had not played since being injured in the regular-season finale against Ohio State, was substituted for Clark by Iowa coach Lisa Bluder. The gathering of devoted Iowans gave her a standing ovation.

Upon learning about Staley’s compliments at the trophy ceremony, Clark expressed her “deep regard” for Staley as a coach and a former all-star player.

“Any time you can get the praises of somebody like her, it’s pretty special,” Clark said. “It means a lot.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.