What Dawn Staley, USC players, Caitlin Clark said about South Carolina-Iowa rematch

South Carolina and Iowa are set for a rematch of last year’s national semifinal game. But this time, it’s for it all.

The No. 1 Gamecocks and fellow 1-seed Hawkeyes tip off 3 p.m. Sunday in the NCAA championship game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

Here’s what USC coach Dawn Staley, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and South Carolina players said Saturday about the most anticipated women’s basketball game of the year:

Dawn Staley

Q: When you think about the game (Sunday), which caps off a historic year with attendance, ratings, everything else, star players, how great is it that it’s you guys going for an undefeated season against a generational player in Caitlin Clark and Iowa that’s been able to capture the attention of a lot of new fans?

Staley: I think it’s great. It’s a monumental game for our game. We’re very fortunate to be a part of it. We get to witness firsthand the legacy of Caitlin Clark. You watch her. You prep for her. You can’t help but to really love how she dissects the game. You love how she executes.

I mean, it’s simple. Her game is simple and yet powerful. How do you defend fundamental basketball with offense with fundamental defense? You can’t. She’s going to win every time.

So you’ve got to show her different looks in order for her to not settle in and pick you apart.

But we also have to play our side of the ball. We’ve got to defend. We’ve got to put some points on the scoreboard.

I do think it will be a — I hope it’s the most-watched game. I’ve been a part of witnessing from the outside looking into the most-watched game. It’s going to be fun to hopefully be a part of it, like in the mix of things.

I hope that everybody gets exactly what they want out of it. And I just hope the viewers, the people in attendance will take (Sunday’s) moment and carry it to the rest of the history of our sport. Hopefully we can keep the eyeballs and demand where it needs to be.

Q: Have you noticed if your players are relishing this opportunity to play Iowa? Do you anticipate they will be motivated to get the job done this time?

Staley: They’re pretty motivated. We just had our film session this morning, and they’re all locked in. It wasn’t daycare this morning. It was — I don’t know if it’s just because they just woke up, but they’re locked in.

Like you ask them questions, they really understand what we need to do to win, which is pretty cool to see that dynamic from this team.

But I would say ever since we got into the NCAA Tournament, there’s a lot more focus than the regular season, meaning when it’s time to prep, there’s a lot more writing notes, there’s a lot more recall. So they’re more locked in, and hopefully they can get it done.

Q: When you’re looking at a team like Iowa and how Hannah Stuelke played in the game (vs. UConn Friday), what’s going to be the biggest challenge in containing her in the paint? But also Iowa as a whole, and flip it over to how you want to initiate on the offensive end and be the point of contact in terms of attacking the paint on your own?

Staley: Stuelke is ... it’s a matchup that we’ve got to win. Like, we’ve got to win that one.

First you’ve got to run in transition. I mean, she gets out, her and Martin, they get out. They get out. They are determined. It was, you know, I will run for a layup. That’s the mentality.

Then what she’s able to do in the half-court, I mean, she puts you back on your heels. We certainly have to use our length. We’ve got to make her play through us, and she doesn’t mind that at all.

On the flip side of that, we have to make her guard us. She’s going to have to guard not one, not two, not three, four. We’ve got four or five legitimate post players that she’s going to see and have to guard, and they all are different.

Iowa’s a challenge. They’re playing their best basketball. They’re playing inspired. They’re playing like they want to win a national championship. So are we. I think it’s a crash course of who’s going to have the better run, who’s going to be able to execute when it’s time to execute.

Caitlin Clark

Q: What have you seen from South Carolina’s recent film? What is the most difficult part of their game to prepare for for Sunday?

Clark: I think it’s everything. They’re just so disciplined in every single thing that they do. They shoot the ball really well at all three guard positions. They bring guards in off the bench that are really good. Obviously their height poses a challenge to us. And their rebounding poses a challenge to us. It’s going to be very important that we try to box out.

But I think going into that game last year, to say we’re going to beat South Carolina on the glass is probably something that’s not going to happen every single time we play them. But you have to be able to manage it the best you can.

And I think we did that versus LSU, and that’s where you get confidence from is just you kind of weather the storms on the glass, you try to come up with big ones when you can.

But they’re going to get some, but you have to limit some. I think those are the biggest challenges that they pose to us.

Q: Raven Johnson was talking to us earlier, and she said she watched the tape of last year’s game a hundred times. She said looking back she doesn’t blame you for waving her off in that one sequence. When you see her play now, how is she different than she was a year ago?

Clark: I think Raven’s had a tremendous year. I think not only from a shooting perspective, but as the point guard of a team, as the guard of a team, she’s been a true leader. She’s led that team.

After losing five starters, after losing Zia Cooke, who in my eyes was one of the best players in the country last year, I really admire everything that she’s done this year. I think she’s shooting over 50 percent in her last five games, has shot it over 40 percent all year.

That just speaks to her work ethic. She got in the gym, and she got better, and I admire that. I think that’s what makes great players great. And that’s exactly what she did.

I know this South Carolina team poses a totally different challenge. Obviously it’s similar in some ways, but the way their guards shoot the ball is incredible. It adds a whole other dynamic for us to be prepared for.

Raven Johnson, Sania Feagin

Q: Raven, did you want to face Iowa in the title after last year?

Raven Johnson: I wouldn’t say I was looking forward toward them, but, I mean, it happened in the right way. But I’m ready for the matchup. Just going from last year, just the pain that we felt last year, I think it happened at the right time. And it happened in the right way.

Q: Can you talk about playing Caitlin Clark again?

Johnson: I mean, she can shoot the ball. She can drive. It’s the little things with her. I think she’s a great point guard. When she drives she knows how to find her players. They feed off her. She can shoot. You can’t really give her no room. And I just think she looks like a league player.

It’s hard to guard her. This year I think we’re gonna try our best, but I don’t think you can just stop her. I think we just need to limit her production, if that makes sense.

Q: What do you think you learned about the matchup last year against Iowa, and what some things you can take into this year’s matchup?

Sania Feagin: I can’t say. I really didn’t watch the game over, so I don’t really remember. But I can say, just play the game that we play. Come in ready for any and everything. And execute.

Q: Why didn’t you watch the game over?

Feagin: Because I don’t really like to dwell on the past. Just to know that we lost is sad. So it’s kind of hard.

Q: Did you want Iowa in the national championship game?

Feagin: I mean, I wouldn’t say I did. Because we’re just looking for anybody that’s ready to play. But, kind of.