CLEVELAND — Just when you thought this women’s basketball season couldn’t give any more, just when you thought it had run out of records for on-court performances, all-time viewership numbers and compelling matchups, it’s giving us the chance to witness . the three in one game, pitting Iowa against South Carolina in the national championship showdown that most fans and all ABC executives wanted.
It had to end like this, right? Great player versus great team. The search for the perfect ending versus the search for the perfect season. A chance for South Carolina to avenge its only losses of the last two seasons. A way to cap off a memorable season with a potentially unforgettable ending.
If the Iowa-LSU regional final drew an average of 12.3 million viewers on a Monday night on cable, it’s surprising to think what the Iowa-South Carolina rematch of last year’s national semifinal could accomplish Sunday on the network of TV. You’ve got Caitlin Clark, Iowa’s breakout star and expected No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, looking to make it to the top after losing in last season’s title game. And there’s South Carolina, with a practically new lineup, looking to finish what it couldn’t do a year ago.
The latter is why sophomore guard Raven Johnson has called it the Revenge Tour, a description that doesn’t exactly please coach Dawn Staley, but it’s a motivational tool she’s willing to embrace.
“I give them that space,” he said of his players after defeating NC State 78-59 on Friday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. “Whatever can get them to execute and play in practice the way we need to get ready for games, do it. For me, it’s about coaching, teaching and finding a way to allow our players to realize their dreams. Whatever Raven needs to continue playing with a high level of confidence, whether it’s the Revenge Tour or whatever she comes up with…I hope she ends up being the national champion.”
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and guard Bree Hall celebrate after defeating NC State 78-59 in Friday night’s semifinal. (Kirby Lee/USA Today)
By Staley’s own admission, the Gamecocks (37-0) weren’t supposed to be here. They lost five players to the WNBA, and three were selected among the top 10 picks. They only returned three players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game and none who averaged more than 13. And yet, to watch them in the third quarter against NC State was to believe they’ve been playing together for years.
They led by one at halftime, then went on a long, beautiful run, outscoring the Wolfpack 17-1 at one point in the third quarter and 29-6 overall. Their minds were free and their bodies were loose. They didn’t communicate with words because they were connected intuitively. When the surge ended, spectators gasped and NC State was left with the reality that the outcome was a fait accompli.
GO DEEPER
South Carolina advances to national championship
“It felt like the whole atmosphere felt it, like our fans felt it,” freshman guard Tessa Johnson said. “Basketball is a racing game, but in those moments it feels good because you can see us smiling. We had fun playing with each other and sharing the ball, going down the field, making saves, doing the little things. We are playing for free. We emphasize that: playing with you. Each person has a different play style and everything works like a little puzzle. Each person is a piece of the puzzle and fits together perfectly. So play for free, you’re fine.”
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The Gamecocks can beat you in multiple ways. They can work the paint with 6-foot-7 center Kamilla Cardoso, who dominated Friday with 22 points and 11 rebounds and also affected the Wolfpack’s shooting around the rim. They can also prevail with the perimeter play of Te-Hina Paopao, the two Johnsons and Malaysia Fulwiley. But more than anything, they can beat you with their depth and defense, which wears down opponents over time.
“South Carolina has been the best of the best,” Clark said after Iowa’s 71-69 win over Connecticut. “They are in a different league. “We’re going to do everything we can to try to be there with them, but yeah, I think the most important thing is to enjoy this tonight and we’ll review the scout report early in the morning.”
GO DEEPER
Clark leads Iowa past UConn and another title game
Oddly enough, the Gamecocks have operated in the shadows all week. The focus has primarily been on Clark. I would say Clark and Iowa, but that wouldn’t be true. Clark is the one with the gravitational pull. She is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball, the person who can comfortably shoot from a logo, the one who moves the ratings needle. Where she goes, her attention follows, which is why her final college game could be one for the ages.
“It feels like every time we get into a game in this NCAA tournament, it’s like everyone wants to see this, one after the other,” he said. “I think it’s good for women’s basketball. I think being in this earlier moment gives our group a good understanding of what to expect. We know what South Carolina brings to the table. We know we’re going to have our hands full. The way they played tonight was incredible. But it’s the national championship. It’s the last game of my career. It’s the last game for five people on this team. Therefore, I don’t think it will be difficult to get motivation.”
You won’t be interested either. And so it should be.
(Top photo of Caitlin Clark after Iowa’s 71-69 win against UConn: Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
