Women's NCAA tournament - South Carolina stymies Caitlin Clark, Iowa to finish undefeated season and win NCAA championship

Ros Gold-Onwude and Isis Young react to the Gamecocks’ 87-75 win over the Hawkeyes and discuss how they held Caitlin Clark in check after the first quarter. South Carolina becomes the 10th undefeated champion in Division I history.

Video Transcript

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ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: What's up? Ros and Isis here in Cleveland as South Carolina defeats Iowa 87 to 75, and is your newly crowned national champion of 2024. They're just the 10th champion to do so in undefeated fashion.

But Isis, this was far from a given. This was a team that graduated stars, that had a new starting lineup, that brought in new players, that had inexperienced players in new roles. What impresses you most about the journey this team, led by Dawn Staley, has been able to take?

ISIS YOUNG: I mean, Ros, it was supposed to be a rebuild year. I feel like we can no longer use the word "rebuild," because she's redefined what that means. But she's been terrific. It's been terrific to watch this team weather the storm. You talk about a tough, non-conference schedule that they played.

Talk about winning the SEC, one of the best conferences in the country. And then to get to the Final Four, just in the way that they did it, blow out games in the tournament, guys. And today, when it got to about middle of the third quarter, they looked pretty much in control of this game.

ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: And Dawn Staley, now over the past 3 seasons, is 110 and 3, including 2 championships. I mean, mind-blowing, but also the class that was on display at the championship podium. Dawn Staley took a moment to congratulate and recognize Caitlin Clark, calling her one of the GOATs of the game. And in the game, Caitlin Clark had 30 points, but after that red, hot 18-point first quarter, she only had 12 the rest of the way and shot 5 for 20 from the field over the course of those 3 quarters. So what was key in how South Carolina's defense, led by Raven Johnson, was able to contain or frustrate Caitlin Clark?

ISIS YOUNG: Yeah, You have to give Raven Johnson her flowers. She took the majority of the lead on guarding Caitlin Clark and just was a pest, was physical with her, denied her, even stripped her towards the end of that first half and finished. I thought that was a huge momentum play for them.

But I thought she just was tough with her mindset. And then she defended without fouling, so important against Caitlin Clark as well. I'm just really impressed with the way in which this team connected defensively to limit Caitlin in the second half. That was crucial.

ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Yeah. And I love a defender, and Raven Johnson didn't have a great shooting game, but she had one job and that was to make Caitlin Clark feel her, and she certainly did that. I had the chance to speak with her post game in an interview.

And she told me last year, Caitlin Clark lit her up. She was honest. And she said, this season, this time around, I wasn't afraid.

I was not scared to defend her. I wanted the assignment. You talk about a turnaround from a freshman to sophomore season.

ISIS YOUNG: Wow.

ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: And that's been part of the story, the growth of players into this season, the depth that South Carolina has. They're anchored inside by Kamilla Cardoso, who was the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. In the Final Four, she averaged 18.5 points and 14 rebounds.

But then you could point to Ashlyn Watkins, who 1 game had 20 rebounds. Or the freshman, Tessa Johnson, in the championship game, busts out for 19 points. How has depth play a role in everything South Carolina does?

ISIS YOUNG: I think it's everything. I think it's everything when you've got to worry about 8, 9, 10, 11th player coming off the bench. I mean, Iowa has to study so much scout. They have to focus on trying to compete on the glass, trying to limit Cardozo inside. And then Tessa Johnson just comes out of nowhere.

MiLaysia Fulwiley comes out of nowhere. I'm so impressed with just the way in which Dawn continues to build and grow her young players. But also Ros, trust them. The trust in the big moments, the freshman met the moment. I thought it was amazing to see what they did today.

ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: I also think depth helped them defend Caitlin Clark.

ISIS YOUNG: Absolutely.

ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Like, Raven Johnson got it done, but they could show a diversity of defender, of size on her. When people got fouls, they were able to absorb it. They just put a new body on her. So that absolutely helped them, specifically in the championship game.

But this whole experience has been big. The South Carolina Gamecocks are the champion. Caitlin Clark and Iowa getting to the championship game, they shattered records, viewership, engagement. It has been such an honor to cover it, to be here to witness it, to be here through the tournament alongside you, Isis.

ISIS YOUNG: Yes, yes, same here. Same here. I feel like it's a moment of a lifetime. Like, we talked about this, they're going to make movies about this.

ROS GOLD-ONWUDE: Absolutely. So we want to give one big congratulations to the 2024 national champions, the South Carolina Gamecocks. Y'all did that.

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