With undefeated South Carolina in an unfamiliar position, coach Dawn Staley turned to her bench, and specifically to Tessa Johnson, to salvage an early 11-point deficit against Iowa. .
The freshman guard averaged more than her six points throughout the tournament and was a revelation for the Shamcocks. With a team-high 19 points and three triples, Johnson narrowly led South Carolina at halftime and dominated the third quarter as the Gamecocks won 87-75 to win their second national title in three years. , helped cap off a perfect season.
Kate Martin and Sydney Affolter gave Iowa a 7-0 lead, and the role players were active early on, but Caitlin Clark scored 13 straight points from all over the court. The newly crowned AP Player of the Year made two 3s, but was fouled on two more attempts and was scored at the rim, giving the Hawkeyes 20 points by the first media timeout. -Given a lead of 9. Clark had 30 points (10-of-28 shooting), eight rebounds and five assists in her final collegiate game.
Iowa centers Hannah Stuelke and Addison O'Grady did an excellent job of holding Star Gamecock post Cardoso to just 2-of-6 shots in the first quarter, but the Brazilian giants partnered with Johnson. , inevitably found an opening. Johnson, who led the Gamecocks with a 36-0 advantage in bench scoring, took over the mantle for South Carolina and its top-ranked defense. The freshman guard made two steals and turned each into transition baskets before Cardoso cleared contact to tie the score at 27.
The top-ranked defense also took exception to Clark's early proficiency, with some slick defensive play from Raven Johnson dislodging Clark and easily giving the Gamecocks two points before halftime.
South Carolina took advantage of this second-half momentum to get off to a roaring start from the locker room. Chloe Kitts secured her spot on the floor with two consecutive baskets off the break, and Tehina Paopao made a pull-up jumper to give the Shamcocks a 55-46 lead, giving Iowa coach Lisa Bruder a quick I called a timeout.
Cardoso also had a career-high 17 rebounds, leading a dominant South Carolina rebounding effort that was starting to wear down on the Hawkeyes. The Gamecocks enjoyed a 24-11 rebounding advantage in the second half, including six offensive boards, and a plus-six advantage in second-chance points helped South Carolina maintain the lead.
Paopao made a 3 to start the fourth quarter, one of three long-range bombs she made Sunday, and the familiar balanced South Carolina scoring attack (seven Shamcocks with at least (hitting three field goals) proved to be too much for the Hawkeyes' late rally.